I know you wouldn't be even reading this chapter unless you loved it, so let me know how much you like my fic so I don't get all depressed and set my computer on fire!!
PS: In all honesty, I can't say that I know how Zelas is . . . I know she was written about in the books and manga, but since I never have had the chance to read either, I'm just going along as best I can. Well, she had 700 years as well . . . even Mazoku must change . . . :-D
Oh, and if anyone could tell me . . . were Shinzoku in the manga and novels? I have come across mention of them but I haven't seen hide nor hair in the series released in America. Just wondering . . .
Ukchana
Chapter 10
Wolfpack Island
June 4th, 2002
Valgaav turned back to the center of the island and began to follow the two elders up the stairway. He didn't want to fall behind in the alien land and risk being alone among the "wolves".
After Xellos made his comment, the monster seemed to pull into himself as he walked behind Filia, eyes closed but mouth unsmiling. As they climbed up the trail, Val occasionally caught him brushing his bare hands through the bracken and along the trunks of the trees just as willow branches caress the surface of a lake.
His mother fairly glowed with excitement in the damp twilight as they crested the hollow between the peaks. Filia stopped to stare over the other side, the glowing sunset dusting glitter across her cheeks. Sinking towards the horizon, the sun burned the clouds and cliffs with golden fire as purple splashed across the sky.
Moving noiselessly, Xellos stopped just beside her, and they looked out upon the sunset in a comfortable silence as a cool zephyr wound its way through their clothes.
Valgaav watched them apprehensively, saffron eyes narrowing. I hope Xellos doesn't say something stupid . . .
0
Staring at the setting sun, the inferno blazing into his eyes, Xellos allowed his human body to feel everything around him. He breathed in the fresh scent of the island, letting the cool air caress his face like the light brush of a cat's tail.
Absorbing all around him, Xellos began to feel a strange emotion that he'd never felt before.
Beside him, Filia sighed melodically and murmured something he didn't catch. Xellos edged closer to her, studying her far-gazing blue eyes with the new feeling humming in his head.
Molten light reflecting in her gaze, Filia glanced over at him shyly, reacting to the unspoken question in his eyes. "It wasn't important."
"Tell me."
She smiled self-depreciatingly and looked down at the water as it raged upon the rocks. "The sky."
He studied her features. "What about it?"
Eyes still downcast, Filia opened her mouth, then grinned shyly and glanced up at him. "It . . . It reminds me of you."
Stunned, Xellos' breath caught in his throat before he remembered to take back command from his subconscious, and he looked away from her quickly.
Sensing her disappointment, the demon raised his hand from his side very slightly, and brushed his fingers along her arm. This seemed to mollify her, which contented him.
Controlling himself and his mostly unexplored emotions, Xellos gave her a quick smile. "If you walk up the other peak, you can see the castle with the sunset reflecting off of it." He dropped the smile but continued gazing into her eyes; the dwindling light burned compellingly within them. "I'll have to take you there sometime."
She nodded dumbly as he lowered his gaze and brushed past her, continuing up the steps.
0
Blinking, Filia watched Xellos walk away. With an embarrassed glance to her son, she began following the Mazoku up the path, Valgaav trailing behind her.
The steep stairway curved towards the side of the largest peak of the island, disappearing into a grove of trees a few yards from the little valley separating the jagged spires of rock.
Filia tried to keep up with Xellos once she stepped into the trees, but in the dark woods, his image seemed to approach and recede, disappearing into blackness as if mocking her.
Finally, out of desperation, the blonde reached forward and grabbed at the darkness. She caught his shirt and fell against his solid back as he stopped in place.
"Filia?" Xellos turned, puzzled at her mounting fear, then chuckled as he looked down at her. "Oh, my, I'd forgotten that the woods had that effect on strangers." Touching her arms gently, he called out, "Val? Are you back there?"
Filia reached out her hand behind her, into the now swirling emptiness. A hand fumbled through and grasped her own, and she pulled her son to her.
"Mom!" A breathless Valgaav hugged his mother, then glared at Xellos. "Jeeze, Xellos, this place is insane!"
"I suppose," he beamed in return. "But it's so pretty!"
THUNK. The two dragons picked themselves up off the ground, groaning. "Whatever," Valgaav rolled his eyes. "Let's get to the castle, okay?"
0
They walked the rest of the way in a chain of hands, Filia blushing more and more with every step. Finally, they stepped from the woods into a small clearing surrounded by stunted birch, gnarled pines and rocky formations jutting up as if grasping for the moon now appearing above.
Before them stood a gray stone archway, connecting to the remains of a stone wall that circled back. They could see a grassy courtyard beyond it and another stone archway, the space behind it thick with darkness that almost seemed fluid. Above rose towers and walls, the tops scoured by age.
"It's so beautiful," Filia breathed.
Valgaav ignored her, concentrating on the large amount of black energy radiating from the ruins. "And dangerous."
Xellos just smiled silently.
"But," Filia walked up to her son, "it's Zelas' keep, of course it will be strong with black magic."
Valgaav shrugged and glanced at Xellos. "Yeah. But if I didn't know any better, I'd be afraid for our health, being surrounded by so much."
Filia nodded, cerulean eyes thoughtful. "I always thought Zelas' castle would be more sinister and dark, the island always storming and overcast."
The monster decided to comment then. "You also thought that monsters were all dirty." He spread his arms to display his pristine ivory shirt and black slacks, tinted a silver cobalt in the twilight.
Valgaav looked very seriously at him. "There's something on your face."
Unimpressed, Xellos just glowered at him with raised brows. "Right."
The teen shrugged.
His mother stepped passed them to walk through the first archway, so she missed seeing the two "men" sticking out their tongues at each other, but when they started laughing she turned back. "You two can never be serious, can you?"
"Only when absolutely necessary," Xellos beamed, purple hair glinting in the moonlight.
The blonde frowned and crossed her arms. "Well . . . what's going to happen to us when we go in there, Xellos? The wolves didn't like us very much . . ."
"They were patrolling for danger," the Mazoku explained. "They wouldn't have hurt you with me there." With a flick of his wrist, his staff appeared in his right hand. "There, that's better. Does this make you feel safer?"
Filia blinked, then flushed and looked down. "That's besides the point," she growled. "It's very dangerous for us to just waltz into a castle of a race that's been our enemy for millennia."
With a sigh, Xellos nodded. "But you have the fragment." He looked into her eyes and shrugged. "With that, it's very likely that you are more powerful than Zelas herself."
Captured by his gaze, Filia gaped. "What?"
Val studied her. "It's true. There's that much power."
"If you need it," Xellos continued, "use it. But be careful. You have to have control, Filia." He stared into her eyes, making her shiver. "If you lose it, you could vaporize this whole island, everyone on it, and maybe some of the surrounding areas."
"Surrounding areas?" Filia squeaked.
"This island doesn't exist in one place very long; it moves and shifts through space and can be reached by any body of water if you have the knowledge." Xellos smiled mockingly. "So you could technically destroy anything touching a body of water by destroying this island."
"C'mon, Mom," Val rolled his golden eyes, "they're not going to cheese-off anyone who could liquefy them."
"Don't forget," the demon pointed out, "I'm not exactly a third-rate Mazoku here either. Now let's get going, alright?"
She nodded, still looking dazed. "Okay."
0
Xellos walked into the darkening courtyard slowly, memories of the past surfacing in his mind like the mist that hovered in the shadows of the stone walls.
A feeling of overwhelming amazement came to him again, and he looked over at the source.
Filia was studying the moss-covered, ancient statues in the courtyard, marveling over the figures of knights with swords and those of nymphs frolicking. The Mazoku found her child-like air amusing, yet some part of him felt pleased that she enjoyed the experience so much.
Still, this wasn't the time to soak up the scenery, and he continued onward, through the second huge doorway, into the blackness beyond.
The dragons followed, close behind him for fear of losing their way or being parted. With a smile, Xellos waved his staff, and fires burst into being in alcoves along either side of the gigantic corridor.
Now that it was dimly lit, they could see that the hall extended forward quite a ways, and a low, thick fog hugged the ground.
"Creepy," Valgaav commented behind him.
Xellos grinned, though he knew they could not see his face. "This may be the dark part, Filia dear."
"Joy." Her voice sounded unconcerned, but he could feel her fear and a strong desire to grab his hand.
Chuckling, Xellos led them deeper into the castle.
0
Filia tried to control the sudden waves of terror that the darkness provoked. Her son walking to her left helped a little, but the flames in the alcoves and the creeping mist somehow disturbed her greatly.
They walked forward down the hall, and she began to notice that Xellos' dark silhouette in front of her wasn't making a sound as he stepped upon the stone floor, whereas her and Val's footsteps snapped softly on the rock. Damned Mazoku, she complained in her mind, trying to stay nonchalant. You'd think he could at least make a little noise so we could find him if we got lost . . .
Something moved. Filia spun to her right and raised her hands, but there was nothing there.
"Mom?" Both Valgaav and Xellos had stopped and were now watching her, Xellos' violet eyes reflecting the firelight eerily.
Gasping, Filia looked at her son, then back at the wall. "I thought . . . never mind."
They continued, Filia trying hard to stare straight ahead at Xellos' back.
Suddenly, Val gave a wordless cry and grabbed his mother. "Mom! The mist!"
Filia looked down, holding her son tight, but saw nothing but rippling fog. "What was it?"
"I saw . . . I swore I saw a face in the fog . . . I must just be imagining things . . ."
Xellos paused and turned around again. "A face? Hm . . . oh, my, I remember now."
"Remember what?" Filia glared at him as she hugged her son.
In the darkness, Xellos' features were shrouded, but one hand was nervously behind his neck. "Well, there are certain spells placed around the outer areas of the castle, sort of a psychological warfare."
Filia narrowed her eyes at him and released her son to stalk threateningly towards the demon. "And why didn't you tell us this BEFORE?" she demanded.
Xellos looked at her flatly. "Come now, Filia. It's been at least a century since I was last here, and I'm not affected by the spells because of how much black magic is suffused through my being. I didn't even remember them, and I certainly didn't notice anything. Now that I'm looking for it, I can see them; the trickery of something moving in the corner of your eye, the vague impressions of faces in the mist. I wish I'd remembered, but it's alright now." His purple cat-eyes softened slightly. "You're still safe."
"Fine," she grumbled. "But I don't like it."
0
Xellos nodded to Filia, then continued walking down the corridor.
—Being pretty serious and cordial to her, aren't you?— Valgaav's voice spoke into his mind.
—Do YOU want her getting really angry right now?— Xellos answered smartly. —I don't. That stone is touching her skin. If she powered up and lost control she could easily make use of it, so right now I'm going to walk on eggshells.—
—You could always hold it,— Val teased.
—No. Even if there wasn't the risk of me being overwhelmed by the feeling of power, I want her to feel safe here. Without the stone, you are both at a severe disadvantage. With the two of you and the fragment against every monster on this island, you're likely to win. And since Filia isn't the back-stabbing kind, I know you won't suddenly attack.—
—Does that mean that YOU'RE "the back-stabbing kind"?— Valgaav joked.
Xellos didn't sigh, but he wanted to. —I must be really the sort to draw out my treachery to wait for seven hundred years, don't you think?—
—It could happen,— Valgaav smirked in his mind.
—Whatever.—
The Mazoku ignored him and continued walking down the murky halls. The two frightened dragons behind him were very comical, but he kept his delight to himself. It was difficult since he'd never felt the need to spare Filia embarrassment before, but his worry about the current situation helped suppress his amusement.
—Xellos?— Val's mind-voice, slightly timid and uncertain, cut through the silence of the hall. —I didn't mean to upset you. Are you alright?—
—Not exactly,— Xellos replied. —I didn't intend on bringing the two of you here so soon. I'm not certain of what will transpire. It's a volatile situation.—
—But Mom has the stone fragment.—
—Monsters aren't infallible. Stupidity still runs rampant, and not only that, many of the minions of the late Dynast and Dolphin are taking refuge with Mistress Zelas, even though their clans have new leaders.—
—WHAT?— Valgaav's voice in his head mirrored the emotions suddenly strongly emitted by the young dragon. —When were you planning on telling HER that? You know she's gonna freak out.—
—I was hoping to tell her alone, after she'd had a few glasses of something calming . . . like ethanol,— he joked. But we'll take that how it comes. Anyway, back to the refugees. Their loyalties are uncertain and they themselves are troubled by being alone without the masters that created them. They could be dangerous because they can be idiots and decide to try to attack us anyway. Then again, they could be smart as well. While I don't think that everyone on this island could even hurt Filia if she had the stone . . .—
—There's always foul play,— Valgaav continued for him. —Correct?—
—Exactly.— Xellos replied, voice cold. —I'll have to be with both of you at all times. Unless Mistress Zelas would be willing to baby-sit.—
0
Valgaav shook his head slightly. This isn't the best of ideas, he thought to himself, then said to Xellos, —I don't think that's physically possible. Mom will demand to bathe and sleep alone.—
—I don't care.— The demon was firm. Even if we made a large, powerful magical field around your quarters that only I and Zelas can get past, it's still possible for many Mazoku working at once to break it down. I will only do that if it's a short time, and the eight hours you both need to sleep in human forms is too long.—
—How will you convince her?—
—I'm working on a few ideas . . . I'll warn you when the time comes to tell her.—
Gazing down the dark corridor, Val realized that the rows of small fires set into the wall ended a few yards further along. "Is that a door?" he spoke aloud, breaking the silence.
"Yes." Xellos' stony gaze fell over the both of them as he suddenly stopped and turned in one swift motion.
Halting to avoid running into him, Filia looked up with surprise. "What is it?"
He looked down at her, eyes hooded by the darkness and his black-purple hair. "We'll be going into the audience chamber. Mistress Zelas is waiting for us."
"How do you know?" Valgaav asked him, leaning against the murky stone wall.
Xellos graced him with a grin. "That's a secret."
Snorting, Val waited for the other shoe to drop.
"I don't want either of you to act too uproarious," the demon told them.
The young man grinned and put his hands behind his head while his mother began to fume.
"Excuse me," Filia started, storming up to the Mazoku, "but I don't act uproarious! You don't think I can behave in an acceptable manner before the Hellmaster?"
Xellos' ivory dress shirt caught the firelight as he turned to her and shrugged. The orb of his staff glinted blood red.
Crossing her arms, the blonde's face was hidden from Val's view by the dark shadow cast by the flames. "Hmph."
"Prove you can," Xellos demanded, tone serious.
"Fine. We will. Won't we, Valgaav?" She still glared at the purple-haired priest.
"Yes, Mother. Don't worry." Val stood up and tugged at his t-shirt in an attempt to straighten it. "Too bad I didn't dress more appropriately this morning," he joked.
"Here," Xellos sighed, tossing a pinprick of energy. In one billowing motion, Val's shirt smoothed and shed dirt, the flecks fluttering to the ground.
"That is so cool," Valgaav muttered as he looked down at himself.
0
Filia still glared at Xellos. "So, how are you going to make me presentable?"
"I can't, that pink color will always be distasteful," he smiled.
"Grr!" She sucker punched him hard in the gut, and Xellos choked and coughed as he buckled over, violet eyes wide.
"Um," Val commented, "it's not nice to use the stone to punch people."
"Oops." Blushing, Filia watched as the Mazoku gasped for air. "Sorry."
Xellos laughed and coughed at the same time. "Heh, it's okay," he said, straightening and rubbing his stomach. "I should have expected it."
"Jerk," she muttered.
"Anyway," Xellos continued, "hurry with your primping. Hellmaster knows we're here, it's not polite to keep her waiting."
"Fine," Filia glowered, but took out her ponytail and ran her hands through her hair.
With a grin, Xellos raised his arms, and black electricity began to run down his body, dark mist slowly coating his form.
Val blinked at him. "What are you doing?"
"I'm changing," the Mazoku replied, and spun in place.
The fog fled from his body, leaving behind flowing robes of black. Gold and red embroidery sparkled as he slowed to a stop before them.
Filia gasped as he slowly stepped up to her. "Xellos."
He smiled gently and held out a gloved hand, robes cascading over his arm. "Feeling nostalgic?" He touched her face with a pale-blue finger. She gazed into his purple eyes, enthralled.
A snort interrupted them. "Aren't you overheated?"
Blushing, Filia turned away from Xellos as the demon's violet eyes narrowed tiredly. "Let's get going," she said quickly.
With a nod, Xellos waved his arms before the large doors, and slowly, they began to creak open, spilling firelight into the hall.
0
They followed Xellos into the fire-lit chamber, his tan boots ringing upon the marble. He knelt down before the dais, and the dragons behind him dropped down in response.
"Welcome," a throaty voice rang out. "Xellos," the woman continued, "rise."
Without a word, Xellos smoothly rose from the ground, head bowed and arms at his sides.
Zelas uncoiled herself from her throne and stepped down to stand before him, golden shift fluttering from her movement. "You didn't write." Her voice was hard.
"No, Mistress, I did not." Xellos closed his eyes.
"You know the punishment for not writing," she continued, and the Greater Beast could feel the worry in his dragon companions.
"Yes, Mistress."
"And that punishment is?"
There was a long pause, and he took a deep breath. "Apologizing in front of others, Hellmaster."
Zelas smiled, golden eyes bright. "Well?" She folded her arms across her sparkling dress.
"I apologize profusely for not informing you of our imminent arrival, Mistress," he kowtowed, bowing low with one arm over his stomach and the other holding his staff wide, one leg bent and the other behind him. His purple hair brushed the floor before she tapped the ground with a sandaled foot.
"Good."
0
Filia bit her lip to keep from gasping in relief. Gods, I thought he was really in trouble! I wonder what will happen now . . .
Zelas spoke again. "You may rise, Dragons. I applaud you for your bravery in entering such a place."
Filia and her son stood slowly, eyes flickering up to glance at Zelas' feet, then back down to the marble floor.
"Well then," Zelas said strongly. "I think this would be the perfect time for us to retire to a more comfortable setting."
Before Filia knew what was happening, she found herself teleported into a large sitting room with ten-foot ceilings. Billowing curtains lined huge stained-glass windows and two roaring fires were opposite each other on either sides of the room, with plush settees and chairs grouped in intimate clusters.
"Here we are," Zelas spoke more informally, a glass of wine in her hand. "Perfect. Oh, you can look at me now."
Filia slowly raised her eyes, and was surprised to see a woman that looked almost like a cross between herself and Valgaav. With her son's golden eyes and her own gold hair, the woman's coloring was unusually normal to Filia, down to the tanned skin similar to how many humans kept theirs.
"Xellos, dear," Zelas said as she sipped her wine, "do be polite. Introduce me to your friends."
Filia turned her head to look at Xellos, who smiled a little. "Yes, Mistress, my apologies. This is Filia Ul Copt."
The Hellmaster Madam smiled and held out her hand. Filia grasped it hesitantly and said, "An honor to meet you, your Highness."
"Likewise."
"And this is her son, Valgaav Ul Copt," Xellos waved an arm towards the young man.
Valgaav bowed over Zelas' outstretched hand, then, suddenly, spoke words in a language Filia found strangely familiar but completely foreign.
Zelas seemed shocked as well, but pleased. Smiling, she returned in kind, the words tripping from her mouth like water in a brook.
Xellos whistled as a blushing Valgaav released Zelas' hand. "Well, I never expected that."
"What did he say?" Filia whispered to Xellos. "He didn't say anything rude, did he?"
"No, no. I'm surprised you couldn't tell," Xellos began leading her from the Ancient Dragon and demoness, now engrossed conversationalists. "Didn't you study the Olde Tongue?"
Filia walked with him around the edge of the large room. "Well, yes, but . . . that's what it was, then. Is it alright to leave?" She looked over her shoulder nervously, but Xellos caught her arm and gently turned her back around to face him.
0
The blonde looked up at him with large cerulean eyes, and Xellos felt something catch in his chest, an odd pain that felt very nice. "Filia," he began, adjusting his saffron long-shirt nervously but wanting to display his feelings, "I think we should discuss some things."
Her gaze fell to his chest, then down to her hands. "I . . . what exactly should we talk about?"
Emotions began churning inside of him, and Xellos clenched his staff and pushed them down. "A lot of things. Could we . . . go somewhere, Filia?"
She glanced around the firelit sitting room. "Where?"
"Here."
They stood on a balcony overlooking the river, the moon hanging low in the sky and glistening off the water below.
Filia yawned and leaned against the railing. "It's so lovely."
"It is." Xellos put up a barrier around them with magic, and Filia glanced at him.
"What was that?"
"A shield, so no one can eavesdrop onto our conversation," he replied, then flicked his wrist and the staff vanished. He gazed into her eyes, then placed his hands on her shoulders. "Filia."
(-(-o-)-)
"So," Zelas asked, "how did you learn the Olde Tongue?"
Valgaav glanced over to where his mother and Xellos were walking and blushed. "Um, I'm not really sure how. Sometimes I'm just aware of things."
Her golden eyebrows rose slightly and she sipped her wine. "Amazing. Would you like some wine as well? I'm sorry I'm such a poor hostess, I'm unused to visitors." She took a glass and poured a dark red wine into it.
"Thank you." The green-haired youth accepted the glass and sniffed the bouquet, then smiled. "I don't think I'm familiar with this wine." Sipping it, he continued, "But it's excellent." He was certain he looked incongruous in a t-shirt and jeans as he drank wine, but the Hellmaster didn't seem to mind.
"Private stock," she winked at him. "Actually, I purchased gallons of it a few hundred years ago . . . I only have it on special occasions, which this seems to be."
Valgaav blinked and studied the wine. "This is hundreds of years old?"
Shrugging, the Mazoku nodded, and as she moved, the gauze of her dress glinted in the low firelight. "Well, young man, you seem to be very intelligent. You are an Ancient Dragon, correct?"
He nodded uncomfortably, eyes on his wine. "Yes, ma'am."
"Now, now. None of that!" She smiled at him widely. "Valgaav, let me be very frank with you."
Taking a deep breath, Val looked into her saffron eyes, trying desperately to control the sudden fear that rippled through him.
(-(-o-)-)
Filia looked up at Xellos with confusion. "Xellos . . . what's wrong?"
His purple cat eyes looked down, then away. "I . . . today was unusual."
"It was." She put her hand on his arm. "Very scary, too."
Xellos turned his back on her suddenly, and looked out upon the rocky hills. "I'm glad we all made it safe."
Yawning again, Filia stood next to him, then leaned against his side, burying herself into the folds of his cloak.
"Cold?"
She nodded, closing her eyes and slipping her arms around his waist. She felt the cloak wrapped around her, then the warmth of Xellos holding her tightly. "Xellos," she murmured.
0
Xellos clutched the blonde dragoness to him, the sensation of churning fire beginning in his stomach and a heady warmth throughout his body. It felt very strong, and he couldn't stop thinking about her, about how it would be if she had died . . .
"Filia, stay safe," he told her, one gloved hand brushing through her golden hair. He lowered his head and rested his cheek against her forehead, shivers running up his spine as she moved her hands along his back. "I don't want to lose you."
Everything was silent, then Filia slowly became dead weight in his arms, and Xellos had to grab her as she began to slip to the ground. "Filia?"
She muttered something, then fluttered her eyes. "Sorry. I'm really tired, Xellos."
"It's alright, gorgeous." Xellos lifted her into his arms. "I'll take you back."
(-(-o-)-)
"Child," Zelas told the young dragon slyly, "I know that Ryuuzoku and Mazoku have been enemies for millennia. But as time went by, I have noticed many things that others choose to ignore. Things that your mother and Xellos have also begun to realize, it seems."
Val swallowed.
Zelas slowly turned to a nearby fireplace to gaze into the flames. "Dragons and Monsters were never meant to be enemies."
He opened his mouth, then stopped. "But . . . you're a Mazoku Lord. Wouldn't that be considered . . ."
"Treason?" She didn't turn back, but continued staring at the flickering fire. "Perhaps. But there are only two other Hellmasters at this time, and I am more powerful. They are really only Hellmasters by name; they could not overcome me even if they banded together, which they are too cowardly to do. I am the leader of the Mazoku, barring the return of Shabranigdo. I am his new Regent, ever since Phibrizzo died."
Val went to stand beside her and his eyes followed her gaze into the fire. "I would have thought Dolphin and Dynast would have been more careful. How could they have been killed so easily?"
"It wasn't easy . . . I can understand how it might seem that way, having not heard the full story." She downed the rest of her wine and poured herself another glass. "Many Mazoku were killed defending them, but in the end, one fragment was strong enough to defeat them all. What few know is that the fragments are useless unless in direct contact with a spell or a spell-caster. There was no time for anyone to reach their fragments before it was too late."
"I'm sorry." A log split in two in the fire, and sparks cascaded up.
The demoness shrugged. "They weren't mine, but I do dislike the destruction of so many for such a worthless purpose. I'm certain Xellos told you, but just so you are aware, there are many here who do not follow me in more than lip service, not being of my creation. Renegades from the destruction of both Dolphin and Dynast's cities. They dwell throughout the island, patrolled by my wolves." She sipped her wine once more. "My own people live within the castle, in the lower rooms, and they should be no trouble for you, for I can punish their misdeeds easily, having created them."
Nodding even though she wasn't looking, Valgaav drank from his glass. "You're not what I expected."
"Good." She smiled at him, then raised her hand and turned to the center of the room. "Wait."
Puzzled, Val turned as well, then blinked as Xellos appeared, holding his mother in his arms. "Mom!" I didn't even notice that they had left!
"She's okay, she's asleep," Xellos said quickly.
The young man strode over anyway, and made sure himself that his mother wasn't injured. "What happened?" he demanded.
Xellos sighed and gently laid Filia down on one of the plush couches. "She just started to fall asleep; she said she was very tired. I checked her over, there's no poison or anything. She's just exhausted." The Mazoku looked up and narrowed his violet eyes at Valgaav. "You don't look so great, yourself. You should sleep too."
"Thanks," Val snorted. "But how are we going to do that? Did you talk to her about sleeping arraignments yet?"
"No."
Zelas approached behind them and looked down at the dragoness. "It's not yet eight. She really must be worn out, no doubt due to whatever unexpected problem that caused you to seek such a hasty haven here." She turned to gaze at Xellos with hard golden eyes. "Xellos, take them to your chambers."
"But-" Val protested, then Zelas raised her hand.
"Filia is the only one who can be trusted to hold the stone, so it cannot be removed from her body. Likewise, if left alone with the stone and attacked when asleep, she would easily be overtaken. Take away myself and Xellos, and not even all of my people put together could match the refugees outside these walls if they decided to attack. A shield will not hold against those who truly want inside, and this stone CANNOT be lost." Her piercing gaze glinted hotly with firelight. "Young man, tell me your reasons why you two shouldn't stay with the High Beastmaster."
Valgaav swallowed hard. "None, Your Highness. All of your reasons are solid."
She smiled brightly and chuckled. "Wonderful. Okay, then it's settled. To be truthful, if it were the gender problems, I'd say she could stay with me, but I doubt she'd be any more comfortable! Anyway," she elbowed Val in the ribs and whispered, "this gives them more excuses to be alone!"
