Lina bit another fingernail off without realizing it and continued to stare out at nothing until she felt another weight settle on the other end of the log she had chosen for a seat. Glancing to her left she noted distantly that the weight was Amelia, and then went back to staring out at nothing.

"Lina-san?" the princess asked a bit tentatively, only to be ignored.

"I'm sure he'll be back soon Lina-san; it's only been a week or so!"

Lina still declined to answer and so her worried friend made her way over to Zelgadiss, who oddly enough, was more cheerful than usual. "I'm worried about Lina-san."

The chimera looked up from a spell book that he had picked up a few bandit raids back, "Worried about her?" his eyes narrowed, "Amelia, it was only a matter of time until he walked out on her. You know that. He's an evil mazoku bastard."

Amelia sighed, her usually lighthearted demeanor subdued for the moment with frustration and anxiety. "It's not like her to just mope around like this Zelgadiss-san! I know you don't like him, but it's unjust to judge him so quickly, because of what he is! You hate it when people do that to you! Besides, even if he did leave us for good, Lina isn't acting like herself, or taking it very well at all. I think you should talk to her, in the name of Justice, and as her best friend, it is your duty to help her out!"

Zel closed his book and stood up, tucking the tome into his cape. He didn't want to take advantage of her at a time when she was obviously hurting, but Amelia was right for once. She did need comforting. Unfortunately, sympathizing wasn't Zel's strong suit, especially when he had been right about the entire situation from the start.

"Amelia-" he started, only to be cut off by the princess's glare.

"No buts! How many times has she tried to cheer you up when we failed to find a cure?" she winced a bit at the dark shadow that passed over his features at the reminder of their constant inability to break his curse, but plunged on, "I know how you feel about her Zelgadiss-san, and I've come to realize that I'm okay with that... Even though you didn't even notice I had a huge crush on you!"

"Okay, princess," she thought silently, "bad way to let him know about that one. Oh well, no use for it now!"

"If you don't be nicer to her, and show her she's important to you, you are going to lose her, if you already haven't." she stood facing him with hands on her hips.

The pain of loss had eased in her since that night she had realized how much her Zelgadiss-san cared about Lina-san. Some things just weren't meant to be. It would have been unjust of her to stand in their way. Besides, maybe when he realized how much Xelloss-san meant to Lina-san, he'd realize how much she cared! Amelia felt very self-sacrificing and Just about this, and glared at the chimera with all the conviction of Right behind her, even as she hid away her own hurt. She hated seeing her two best friends hurting like this, and if she could do something about it, even at her own expense, by the hammer of Justice, she would!

Zelgadiss almots put a hand on Amelia's shoulder, but his stotic mask fell in place just in time, and he merely nodded instead. He hadn't realized just how deeply her crush went until then, when the pain had flashed momentarily through her eyes. Pain of something wanted so badly yet just out of reach, a pain he understood well. "Okay...And thanks, Amelia." He didn't know what else to say to her, but he found in himself a new respect for the young girl that hadn't been there before.

Quietly, he took up the princess's former spot on the log beside Lina and admired the way her scarlet tresses fell around her shoulders with the sunlight glinting chaotically off each wave of silken hair. For a moment he longed to reach out and touch it, but his own self revulsion and the memory of the Trickster Priest's arm around her stopped him cold in his tracks.

"Lina? Are you okay?"

No answer... but then, he hadn't really expected one.

"You had to know this was coming Lina, he can't help what he but it's not like you can't ever find someone else." HINT HINT! Slowly, as if afraid she'd bolt, he eased an arm around her petite shoulders. His eyes widened with the realization that they were trembling, probably with suppressed tears, and his heart ached for her.

She stiffened, and blinked when she felt his arm settle around her. "Zel, what are you-"

"Yes Zelgadiss-san, what are you doing?" an obviously forced cheerful voice interrupted her.

"Xelloss!!" She flew at him like a scarlet eagle diving at her prey, and her lips glued themselves to his even as she released a fireball into his gut.

"How DARE you make me worry like that!! Stupid, smiley, mazoku, WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?"

Xel grinned up at her from a prone, and rather ash covered position on the ground and coughed/chuckled, producing a tiny wisp of smoke. "I missed you too Lina-koibito." He chirped, snapping his fingers to magically remove the ash. "Mazoku business, I came back as soon as I could."

She gave him the Look™. He noted that Zelgadiss was giving him the Look™ as well. Let him glare, let's see how the chimera likes this.

"You know Lina-chan, you are beautiful when you glare like that." He floated up to face level with her and smirked, before sweeping her up in his arms for a very deep and tender kiss that left her breathless.

"Come on! While I was away I heard about a kingdom of magic with the most extensive magical library in any of L-sama's worlds and I think I know how to get us there!" he almost choked on the words, knowing what lie in store for his beloved and her friends within Tertus's walls; but his master had been very...'insistent', and he was a mazoku before all else. He had no choice.

As he led Lina-chan back towards the campsite, he trembled within, but managed to cheerfully carry on the conversation with the excited sorceress about their destination, without letting his anxiety and self loathing show. He had never felt so /dirty/ in his life, and he had never hated himself more, but memories of his mistress's displeasure rose in his mind, and he managed to hide his discomfort.

But not from everyone.

Zelgadiss saw, and his fists clenched in rage. ~I'm watching you Mazoku. You are up to something, and I won't let you hurt her.~

"Come on Zel! You'll want to hear this! That library is /sure/ to have something in it about your cure!"

"Is it done Beast Master?"

"Of course. I always keep my bargains. My servant will lead Miss Inverse directly into your hands, and you can do whatever you want with her."

"She must be unharmed. If she is harmed badly before I get her, her chaos energy will be useless to me."

"Oh don't worry. Xelloss won't hurt her." ~I don't think he /could/~ she sighed to herself. Yes, this was the best thing. She'd get her servant's attention back where it belonged and get rid of the one depleting the ranks of higher-level mazoku, all in one stroke.

Of course, he'd probably be broken after watching what this guy had in store for his lover, and knowing he had lead her to it, but it was his own fault for allowing himself to feel. He was already beginning to brake if he was experiencing such weak and embarassing emotions. She sighed. She'd need quite a bit of magic to fix him once this was all over, but perhaps she'd leave him with memories of his ruby-eyed beauty as a reminder of why mazoku weren't supposed to get attached to such things. Maybe it would serve to keep him in line next time.

It really was a shame he'd have to be remade, he hadn't shown any signs of disloyalty before this. The Beast Master had never had, or heard of a better servant. Ah well, happens to the best of 'em. He'd be good as new shortly, well new at least...He'd never be the same again.

The personality would definitly be lacking for a while, but that would come back eventually...mostly, if he wasn't to scared. She felt a small pang of regret herself, but before she realized what it was the was feeling, she quickly squashed the errant emotion. He was like a son to her. Deep in her subconscious where her thinking mind never traveled, she admitted to herself she loved him like a child.

...This was for his own good wasn't it? To keep him safely with her, where no one else would ever hurt him?

...Of course it was.

She needed a ciggy.

"I'll be expecting them shortly Greater Beast."

"I have strictest confidence in my servant's abilities," and she did too. Even though he would hate himself for it, and his horror at himself was already eating away at his astral form, he would obey her. He would lead his 'Lina-chan' to the slaughter like a blind sheep all for the love/devotion/fear of her, his master...his mother. For some reason, that didn't make her feel as good as it should have.

"Enjoy your purchase." She cut off the link and summoned one of her lesser minions to get her some more wine, and not the cheap stuff they's been trying to serve her this time either.

The customer smirked from the opulence of the palace of Tertus and leaned back in his chair, "Oh I will Zelas, trust me; I will."

A magical miniature of Lina floated life-like on his desk and he studied it intently. "So beautiful, so powerful, and soon my perfect one, you will be so MINE." a perfect smirk split his lips, carving his sculpted face handsom relief.

"Things go as planned I take it?"

"Perfectly Lasha, absolutely perfectly."

"Don't forget; the General Priest is mine."

"Oh I haven't forgotten M'lady Mazoku, I always pay my debts, you shall get what is yours."

"Good." The soft sound of the door 'snicking' closed behind her was the only sound in the room besides the soft purring of the rotating image of a red headed sorceress.