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Birth Rite	By : tsutsuji Category: +S to Z > Slayers Views: 6413 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 22
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Birth Rite chapter 23: Return of the Princess
Author: tsutsuji
Chapter summary: Zelgadis and Xelloss face an awkward moment with the Loremasters, and finally take a break from studying and research.

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Kemara was just inside the door of the dining hall, and as much as Zelgadis wanted to slip past unnoticed on the way to the grab their dinner to go, he had to ask if there was any change in Plover's condition. With a barely audible sigh, Myona shuffled on toward the kitchen. Zelgadis stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Surely you're not going back to work there now? You've already done a good day's work, in my opinion! You're a better guide to the Library of the Asmalaths than The Mala himself, hm? Besides, it doesn't look like they're short on help here tonight."

"I.. .guess so?" Myona looked to his sister for confirmation.

"They're fine," Kemara said. She waved a hand in the direction of the kitchen, almost as if she was shooing them all off in that direction. "In fact, I was hoping I'd catch you all here. I encourage you to go ahead and excuse yourselves from dinner for a... ah, but, well...."

She paused and fidgeted as something within the dining hall caught her eye. Her lower lip briefly caught in her teeth before she turned back to them and went on.

"I'm afraid I let it slip that there are passages in the Princess of Fate that are most pertinent to the lore of the Temple," she said quickly, then winced. "That has already stirred up a bee's-nest-buzz of questions and curiosity, as you might expect, and..."

At that moment, Zelgadis saw what she'd noticed inside the hall. The plump figure of Loremaster Erta came bouncing toward them in a flutter of dark blue robes, followed closely by the scowling archivist, Spearos. Others in the dining hall turned toward them, frowning with curious glances or tipping their heads together to whisper.

"Oh dear," Xelloss said quietly, catching sight of them as well. "I assume your Loremasters are hoping to hear a more accurate description of the events?"

Zelgadis swore under his breath. He couldn't blame Kemara; of course she'd feel compelled to share the information about an actual manifestation of the Temple's deity. It was as much his own fault for giving her the book. They would have gotten their hands on that sooner or later anyway, but maybe not until he was out of sight and mind of them.

Even aside from his normal reluctance to be spotlighted and grilled with questions, he wasn't sure he could explain the appearance of the Golden Lord any more clearly than Martina must have done. There was almost a low note of warning in Xelloss' voice, as if he was even more reluctant to reveal his deeper understanding of the matter, at least not to these particular Loremasters.

Kemara blushed and twisted her hands together, although there was a gleam of curiosity in her eyes as well. The look on her face reminded Zelgadis of the embarrassed yet curious looks she'd given them in the Hall of Disrobing in Shimeria.

In fact, Loremaster Erta's eager, predatory smile, while not as unnerving as the grins of the Soldiers of Shimer, gave him quite the same sensation of exposure as if he'd just been stripped of cloak and tunic in a public place. The difference here was that Xelloss didn't seem to find the same delight he would if that were the case. He stiffened as the Loremasters came winding toward them between the tables, and stood unnaturally still and quiet beside Zelgadis, the way he might if he were about to turn his full, threatening gaze upon an approaching enemy.

"Stories aren't owned by the heroes inside them," Myona murmured, "and heroes are not beholden to their tales."

Kemara turned to him, her fidgeting paused by surprise. She grinned and ruffled his hair.

"True enough! They are not the responsibility of any of their characters to tell, even if Princess Martina did take that upon herself. And this is Lina-sama's tale if it is anyone's, anyway."

She made the last statement clearly enough to be heard by the Loremasters as they came up to the group at the door. Erta still managed not to hear it.

"Xelloss-sama, Zelgadis-san!" the Loremaster crowed as she flapped and fluttered to a halt in front of them. "I do hope you'll agree to the invitation I'm sure Kemara-sama has extended to you?"

Her small eyes darted between himself and Xelloss and the Acting High Priestess, completely unabashed by the mazoku's thin smile. At her shoulder, Spearos glowered, though it was hard to tell exactly where his displeasure was directed.

"I have not yet made the invitation, Erta-san," Kemara said firmly. "In fact we were just discussing the propriety of the matter."

Erta's mouth fell open in a round "o" of surprise. She drew breath as if she intended to offer the intended invitation herself, but Kemara blocked her by turning away and addressing Zelgadis and Xelloss quickly instead.

"As I told you when you arrived, Xelloss-sama, Zelgadis-san," she began, "we trade in tales and stories here at the Temple of the Golden Lord. You did not come here intending to entertain us, and as I also said, you've already provided enough of a tale to cover your room and board for the entire winter. However!" she said, and stopped.

Xelloss raised his head as if listening intently, and Zelgadis felt he was holding his breath waiting for her to continue.

"As Acting High Priestess, it is my honor to invite you - under no obligation whatsoever! - to lead a formal Recitation of the tale of the Princess of Fate, in your own words and at your leisure, for the great benefit of all here at the Temple."

Zelgadis felt his limbs seize up, frozen with dread. Beside him, he thought he felt Xelloss twitch, but he was too distracted by a sense of impending doom to even look at the mazoku. Erta beamed at them and, after a moment of silence, nodded quickly, encouragingly. Spearos raised one dark eyebrow.

"As you said a moment ago, Kemara-sama," Xelloss spoke up quietly, "This is not really our tale to tell. Besides that, I am only here to accompany Zelgadis-san on his quest, but as such, I would hate to see his studies interrupted."

"Oh, there's no rush and no hurry," Erta chirped up, flapping her hands at them. "You could take all the time you'd like!"

"There will be a Recitation," Spearos stated, his gravely voice breaking in for the first time. "A Tale such as this is far too important to be confined to a mere book. Scribes have already begun to convert the document into a more fitting form to be conveyed for the benefit of all. I expect we will be ready to begin soon after hallow night."

Zelgadis gaped at him, too startled to be much relieved. At least this didn't sound like he and Xelloss would be expected to recite the tale themselves, but the glare of disapproval that Spearos leveled at all of them when he spat the word "book" had him clenching his fists.

"Any such Recitations," Kemara said, taking a step forward, "will be subject to the approval and authorization of the High Priestess, in any case."

That announcement prodded both Loremasters to shut their mouths and draw backward as if a door had slammed in their faces. The hawk-man's thick eyebrows V'd into an even deeper frown, but he dropped his head in a curt nod. Erta lowered her eyes although the determined smile still clung to her lips.

"Why yes!" Xelloss said brightly. "Of course, we should consult with the High Priestesses, just as soon as they're free from their duties as healers, caretakers, administrators, and any other more pressing concerns!"

Kemara's mouth twitched as that not very subtle reminder made the Loremasters draw in quick breaths. Erta raised her head.

"Well yes, of course, accidents and such will happen," she said dismissively. "It's unfortunate that so much of the High Priestess' time is taken up by people who insist on doing irresponsible things. However, the preservation and dissemination of Lore is also an important duty of this Temple...ah... of course," she conceded as Kemara's stern smile bore into her, "it is not for us Loremasters to dictate duty to the High Priestess!"

She tittered with awkward laughter and bobbled a quick curtsey toward Kemara. Spearos was not as much intimidated.

"Naturally," he said, leveling his gaze at Kemara, "the Loremasters must always bow to the greater wisdom of the High Priestess. That is why we estimate at least a month of preparation. During that time, we would, of course, welcome any corrections of fact to the written text, as it is bound to be filled with frivolous distractions and inaccuracies, as all such artifacts are."

He had inclined his head toward Zelgadis and Xelloss with the last few words, but the glower in his sharp, yellow-eyed gaze made Zelgadis feel it was more of a threat than an invitation. Evidently Spearos did not expect an answer on the spot, however, as he turned away from them and then, with the stiffest of bows to Kemara, stalked out of the dining hall.

Zelgadis realized they had attracted an audience among the diners in the hall, most of whom had stopped their own conversations to listen in, some staring openly from their seats at the tables. It definitely felt like the Hall of Disrobing all over again. At least it did not seem likely to lead to as much of a disaster in the next few minutes, and this time Kemara was clearly determined to provide escape.

"No more can be said of the matter at this time," she announced, and when Erta opened her mouth as if to say something more of the matter anyway, Kemara stepped in front of her. "No doubt our honored guests are hungry and tired after a long day of study and reflection," she said graciously. "Please do not let us detain you any longer!"

Erta stammered something in the background, agreeing and yet wheedling for more of their attention at the same time. Zelgadis took his cue from Kemara to ignore her. He put his hand on Myona's shoulder.

"Our guide needs his dinner as well - he's certain earned it!" he said. "He's served us very well so far. I hope it's not a problem if we continue to rely on his services?"

"Not at all!" Kemara said. She beamed at Myona.

The boy flushed pink, but one corner of his mouth turned up even as his sister hustled him off toward the kitchen. Zelgadis thought Xelloss was nearly as relieved as he was to get away from the Loremasters and follow them.

"I have to admit," Xelloss said quietly after they'd turned a corner out of sight of the main door of the hall, "I've become very curious about these books. If they include all the adventures Martina-san shared with Lina-san, there must be quite a few memorable scenes! But I do wonder how those adventures looked through the eyes of the 'Princess.' Rather different than if you or I wrote the same story, don't you think? I suppose a recitation of Lina's adventures in search of a Claire Bible manuscript could be quite entertaining!"

He turned to Zelgadis with a smile that was not nearly as innocent as it might appear to one who didn't know him well - as well as Zelgadis had come to know him on those very adventures, in fact. That included the memorable moment when Lina had revealed to her shocked companions (except for Gourry, who had inexplicably figured it out earlier) that their tag-along fruitcake of a mysterious priest was really a high ranking mazoku.

"She wasn't around when you first weaseled your way into Lina's life," he said thoughtfully, ignoring the hurt sound Xelloss made, "and started to plague me in my quest," he added with a sharp glare. He had to think a minute to remember just how the vengeful princess had become part of their group. "That's right; you and Martina caught up with us again at Seyruun, after the business with Prince Phil, and then..."

Then he remembered where they had gone next, and next after that. Before the fateful confrontation with "the dragon" Gaav, their quest had taken them to the haunted tower of Almay, a shrine on a treasure map, and a village full of shrine maidens - except not.

The reason for Xelloss' cheery curiosity became all too clear. Zelgadis pressed his palm to his forehead and groaned.

"Of course she wrote about all of that, I suppose," he grumbled. He raked his hand down his face, glaring through his fingers at Xelloss. "Recitation or not, don't you dare start going on about that town with the shrine maidens, or about singing spells, or about.. oh good lord... bunny costumes," he growled.

Not that Xelloss keeping silent would change the fact that many of these people had already read about things he'd rather pretend had never happened at all. It was almost enough to make him regret attacking the book burners.

"More things I'm not allowed to discuss, dear me!" Xelloss said. "I'll run out of conversation topics entirely if this keeps up!"

Zelgadis raised an eyebrow.

"The consequences in all cases being the same, perhaps that's for the better, don't you think?"

Xelloss tipped his head to the side, put on his most innocent pout, and raised his finger in a familiar gesture.

"It's a secret?" he offered.

Zelgadis didn't give him the satisfaction of a direct reply to that.

"Let's get dinner," was all he said, and headed for the kitchens.

---

"What time shall I come by tomorrow?" Myona asked when they all had dinner baskets in hand a few minutes later.

"Anytime at all, but not too early," Xelloss answered cheerfully. "You know our chimera likes a leisurely start to his day!"

Zelgadis winced; he was sure Myona's smirk widened and Kemara blushed at the innuendo, but she said nothing before nudging her brother to be on his way, with orders to "go straight home! Mother will be expecting you by full dark and no later!"

By the time he and Xelloss got back to their cottage, Zelgadis was considering making good on his threat of keeping Xelloss at arm's length, at least for one more night. The only problem with that idea was that he didn't want to. He kept thinking of the way Melly and Shuno had hung all over him all day, and how relatively innocent and nondestructive Xelloss' prank on them had been in spite of this, and how strangely touching it was that Xelloss had apparently let him alone to study and sleep the night before.

He managed to hide his true intentions all the way back to the cottage, but he only made it part way through dinner before Xelloss' silent, subtle plea for attention broke through his defenses.

Xelloss had scooted his chair close to Zelgadis with the excuse of being curious about any notes he'd taken. With a sort of patient sigh, as if to say "oh, if you must!" Zelgadis casually hooked his arm around Xelloss' arm - the same one Melly had been hanging onto all day - and then pretended to ignore him while he pretended to read his notes on Beast tribe lore concerning Skye. Scowling at words he wasn't really reading, he stroked the crook of Xelloss' arm absently where Melly had hooked him and led him away, until Xelloss sighed and pressed his chin to Zelgadis' shoulder like a cat seeking headrubs.

Zelgadis bit his lip to keep from grinning. Xelloss certainly seemed to want the contact, but still held back, not with the weird reluctance he'd had before but just as if he was really trying to be... considerate? Perhaps too considerate. It was a little alarming; he had to wonder if the mazoku could hurt himself by being so nice and helpful. At the same time, though, he had to admit it was arousing in a way, to feel Xelloss wanting him so hard and holding back, denying himself...

"You're cute," he said finally, "when you're begging so nicely."

Xelloss raised his head in surprise.

"You are a terrible tease, Zel-san! But if that's what you think, I'll be glad to beg as nicely as you please!"

Zelgadis ran his hand down Xelloss' forearm and covered the mazoku's gloved hand with his own, as Melly had done nearly the same when he was looking at something in the lesson book. He nuzzled Xelloss' shoulder where Melly had leaned over him so many times. Even though Melly had not ever quite rested his chin on that shoulder as far as he noticed, Zelgadis did so now, and then nuzzled closer and rubbed his rough face against Xelloss' ear and his chin.

Xelloss leaned into the touch but still didn't turn toward him, and didn't do anything more at all. Zelgadis started to wonder if there was another reason he was holding back, until Xelloss sighed and spoke.

"Ah, Zel-san, you are not planning to only use my shoulder for a pillow again tonight, I hope?"

Did I really do that? Zelgadis wondered. He almost chuckled at the thought. If he had, it was because Xelloss had let him fall asleep - such a sweet gesture that it clearly explained his need to make that horrible joke the morning afterward.

Zelgadis didn't want to point out to Xelloss that he was being awfully damn nice for a mazoku. He had quite a different intention tonight, though, so he reached over and nudged the mazoku's chin around to face him, brushing their lips together.

"I might just do that... eventually..."

Not right now, though, because right now he needed to kiss Xelloss and make sure the mazoku responded as readily as all his begging and teasing and holding back promised.

Xelloss did indeed welcome the kiss, a breathless sigh in his throat, lips and tongue eagerly pulling him in. Zelgadis spread his fingers and moved his hand back along Xelloss' chin to curl lightly around the side of his face and his throat. Dark hair fell across and between his fingers with a whisper like silk and shadow. Welcome heat under his palm seeped through his stone skin, even if it was the heat of magical energy rather than human warmth. Xelloss tasted dark and rich on his tongue, felt both delicate and strong as wire against his rough hand, the muscles of his throat and jaw moving as he deepened the kiss.

Xelloss twisted around in his chair to turn toward him, and Zelgadis, with an encouraging little murmur, slipped his arm down to pull him closer. He still held back on the astral side. For the moment, he wanted to concentrate on reclaiming Xelloss from Melly's touch, as meaningless as that touch may be, and to indulge his fascination, once again, with the amazing illusion of Xelloss' physical form. It may well have been designed to be innocuously attractive, a perfect masquerade to put humans off their guard - as effective in its way as the humiliating games played by the puppet-master at Almay tower or any other mazoku trick. As far as Zelgadis was concerned, it could have been molded to the specification of his own desires.

He intended to let Xelloss know how much he appreciated this happy accident, although perhaps happy was not the most apt word to use in relation to lusting after a mazoku. Maybe there was a word in the old language that would fit better. If there was, he couldn't be bothered to recall it now, and he didn't want to remind Xelloss of his lessons anyway, not when he was doing his best to replace any hint of Melly's presence at Xelloss' side.

The best way to do that, he reasoned, was to be exactly as intense and forceful as Melianthus Asmalath could never be. He clutched a handful of Xelloss' collar - mindful of the fact that it was as much a part of Xelloss as his skin - curled his other arm around the mazoku's waist and pulled him hard against his chest.

Xelloss squirmed, whined, and suddenly Zelgadis felt the swell of astral energy pulse against his spirit. Finally, Xelloss was reaching for him. Zelgadis allowed his awareness to split, thankful that this was far easier than it used to be. On the astral side, he reached to pull Xelloss' spirit in and hold him as he already did on the physical plane, first with the kiss and now with his arms.

Before he could take hold, though, Xelloss' spirit spiraled all around him. Disoriented by the swirl of dark astral energy, Zelgadis scrambled to keep his focus and keep his grip on the mazoku's body. The astral force rippled across and around his spirit, pulsing across his senses. He groaned and gave in to it for a moment, then squirmed around to entwine with it and curled his fingers into Xelloss' skin.

Xelloss whined again, low in his throat, but then chuckled softly, the low sound echoed by a vibration humming through his astral form.

"Oh? do you think you can hold me back, now that I've got your full attention again?" he murmured as he nibbled at Zelgadis' lips. "This is not the time I want you to practice your defensive magic, silly chimera!"

Zelgadis grunted, an attempt at laughter that was waylaid by Xelloss pulling his head back and latching his mouth over the pulse in his throat. Gloved hands slid in between their bodies, which had to be a mazoku trick because there was not so much as a paper's width of space between them at that moment. Heated fingertips like fiery claws scraped over Zelgadis' shirt, down his chest and torso, sending an arc like spell-fire right down to his cock.

Of course, this was exactly why Zelgadis had failed so far to raise any astral shields against Xelloss, even in their battle practice. He never had the slightest desire to hold the mazoku at bay, no matter how much some part of his soul still screamed with horror at the inhuman thing that embraced his astral body. Sometimes he could make defensive magic work to the same effect, though. He put that principle to work now and threw all his will into the desire to hold onto Xelloss on every level of his being.

It might well have been exactly what Xelloss was expecting, for all he could tell; at any rate, it worked, at least for the moment, as the mazoku's grip on him swirled more loosely around him. That gave him the opportunity to drag Xelloss up to his feet and kick the chairs aside, and then tumble them both to the floor.

Zelgadis had the upper hand, for now, but he chose to use it to roll onto his back, trapping the startled mazoku between his legs and pulling his head down for another forceful kiss, even as he let his astral body curl and wind, around and under the mazoku's grasping spirit.

Surprised again, Xelloss stared down at him for a moment. Violet eyes gleamed in the firelight. Zelgadis moved, squirming under him just enough to make his arousal felt. Xelloss' mouth stretched slowly into a smile as he rolled sinuously and clamped Zelgadis to the floor from groin to chest.

"Hohhohkuh!" he said approvingly.

"Hohhohk," Zelgadis groaned, twisting for more contact, until Xelloss thrust sharply against him. The mazoku's erection ground against Zelgadis almost painfully, forcing a gasp from his lungs. He closed his eyes and winced, but it was every bit as much in desire as discomfort.

"Ah, it's good to know my lessons have not gone entirely to waste..." Xelloss said.

"Much... harder," Zelgadis panted, not bothering to recall the foreign word this time. He could not remember the grammatical form that would turn the word into a plea, anyway, but he made sure the meaning was clear enough in the way his spirit reached for Xelloss.

"Certainly," Xelloss said, grinning into his face. "But first..."

The mazoku's clothes vanished. Zelgadis eyes went wide; he raised his head enough to look down the length of the mazoku's naked form, pale skin glowing with firelight, rippling sensuously as he moved to pin Zelgadis down again. He pulled Xelloss' head down, brushed his lips with a quick kiss then pressed his face against the mazoku's skin, nipped at the hollow of his throat, tasting the scent of shadow and astral magic.

Annoyingly, his own tunic and trousers remained twisted around his body. Of course, Xelloss could evaporate them with a thought if he wished. For that matter Zelgadis could do it himself, if only he could pull his thoughts together enough to think of the spell words for it, but Xelloss used the constraining friction to tease him into a state of incoherent pleading.

Zelgadis gave in to the desperation Xelloss wanted. He squirmed harder and swore, creatively and sincerely, and let the pressure build into fury and finally into desperation. Every growl and every struggling movement increased the friction and heat of Xelloss' touch, until he whimpered Xelloss' name and whispered, "please...."

Xelloss paused and drew back, just enough for Zelgadis to look up and see his eyes glittering like violet sparks. Beyond words in any language, all Zelgadis could do was swallow hard and fix Xelloss with a glare as sharp as a spell-glamored sword.

Amethyst-shard eyes fell closed for a second. Then Xelloss finally slid his hands inside Zelgadis' clothes and quickly tugged them all off and out of the way. Naturally, he managed to do this without letting Zelgadis up from where he was, laid out under him on his back on the cottage floor, not that Zelgadis tried very hard to get free of him. Once his clothes were gone, Xelloss leaned down over him again.

"You're so," Xelloss began. He paused, and his grin spread wider when he continued, "so delicious when you're begging so desperately," he said.

All Zelgadis could think in response to that was I know...

Knowing this was what Xelloss craved, he gave in to all of his desperate need, letting it flood his senses. Even though he had Xelloss begging at the start, even though he was the one who had kissed Xelloss first this time and pulled him to the floor, Zelgadis was, as usual, the one who ended up begging aloud for the inevitable conclusion of things. If he was holding back now at all, it was only to make the desperation more intense, flooding Xelloss with it as well, until there was nothing but need and release between them.

He made sure to nestle his head against Xelloss' shoulder again before sleep overcame him, but by then he wasn't sure the mazoku had enough wit left to notice.

---

By the time Myona arrived at a very reasonable hour the next morning, Zelgadis was ready to greet him at the door, already coffeed and showered and dressed. Xelloss sat beside the fire, calmly sipping tea. For some reason, this seemed to amuse Myona; he looked from one of them to the other and bit back a grin before turning away. Blushing, Zelgadis wondered just how much the kid really did understand about their relationship. Clearly he wasn't quite as unworldly as he seemed.

On the way along the path behind the village, he remembered that he never did ask Kemara about Plover's condition the day before. Myona could only report to them that Plover had still not awakened.

"He's still in a nightmare, somewhere deep inside his mind," Myona said, his voice gone small and thin. "That's what Mother said."

Zelgadis fell silent, almost wishing he hadn't asked. Xelloss tipped his head thoughtfully, and then, in a surprising show of tact, changed the subject.

"What were you reading so intently yesterday, Myona-kun?"

Myona blinked. "Oh, um. That? I was, um... " he stammered. "Those old Hawk tribe tales... I've heard them before, but... "

While they walked along the path in the crisp, bright autumn air, Myona began to tell them about the stories he'd read. By the time they reached the Mala's garden, he was fairly chattering away, a far cry from his usual brief spurts of conversation and quiet tones of voice. He'd gone beyond relating the tale he'd read into analyzing it in comparison to the oral versions of the same story, pondering the differences between the two forms of storytelling. Zelgadis wondered what else swirled around inside the boy's head besides gruesome mazoku legends and a disturbingly shrewd awareness of his elders' personal relationships.

"You would really make a fine scholar, Myona," he said. "You should be studying at a Guild school, not slaving away in a scullery! No offense to the teachings of the temple," he added quickly.

"On the contrary," Xelloss argued, "I'm afraid the Sorcerer's Guild would only stifle such a lively and inventive imagination!"

Myona blushed crimson and shook his head, but his eyes were big, shining, staring ahead to Melly's mansion and the library.

"I don't know about that...." he murmured. "Books... books are really... I like books," he said finally.

Zelgadis grinned. Even with all the trouble they'd caused him, he had to agree on that point.

They were greeted by Melly himself at the door this time. There was no juggling today, but The Mala proved himself to be every bit as bad at language lessons as he was at keeping multiple oranges in the air. Zelgadis couldn't even guess what word he was trying to recite in all its forms as he drifted along toward the library with them. It could certainly be a word he didn't know, but from Xelloss' pursed lips and his exclamation of "Oh my, A for effort, certainly, Melianthus-sama!" Zelgadis guessed that he'd come up with something that wasn't a word at all. Or, conversely, it was a very rude word.

He didn't ask. If it was bad enough, he was sure Xelloss would find an excuse to explain it to him later.

The rest of the day passed much as the previous one did, with Melly clinging to Xelloss on one side and Shuno leaning over him on the other, and Myona floating among the book stacks or curled up somewhere with his head deep in a book. The only difference was that today, Zelgadis finally had the opportunity to dip into some of the books he'd come here for in the first place, thanks to Myona surreptitiously gathering them for him the day before. He varied his time between making notes about the Seven Beast Tribe tales of Skye and making another set of notes, in a personal code he'd adapted from Rezo, about the magical lore he found in the other books.

As it turned out, though, he needn't have worried about Melly or anyone else in the room questioning what he was really studying. Shuno was entirely involved in the language lessons, and Melly was, at this point, simply hanging on to every word Xelloss said in whatever language he spoke.

By mid afternoon, Myona had casually grabbed The Warp and Weft of Spellweaving off the shelf and deposited it at his table. After watching the other three for a few minutes, Zelgadis threw all caution and concern out the proverbial window, and spent the rest of the afternoon immersed in that intriguing tome.

It was even more fascinating than he'd hoped. There were definite hints of ideas that could have inspired Rezo as well as Shimer, both of whom had invented significant original spells and magical techniques. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be anything related to the creation of chimeras, unless it was in the most abstract and theoretical parts, but those were the most difficult to read in the lost language.

Several times while reading these sections, he was tempted to ask Xelloss to clarify a word or phrase for him, but he couldn't do so here without alerting the others to what he was reading. It seemed like a particularly bad idea to tempt Shuno's interest in these theories; Chaos only knew what poorly-conceived experiment they might inspire! Zelgadis simply added those questions to his notes, took his best guess for the time being, and went on as well as he could with the rest.

Time passed in the lurching way it always did when he lost himself in a book. Once gain, Dulcinea had to come banging and clomping in to the library to growl that dinner was ready, if the Mala cared to eat.

Melly, as if nudged half awake from a trance, tapped his finger to his chin and hummed as if this were a the most baffling of questions. Dulcinea groaned, threw up her hands, and slammed back out the room.

She had not said whether enough was prepared for guests today or not. Melly invited them to stay and share dinner anyway, and Zelgadis even considered taking him up on the offer, with the hope of getting back to the library and Warp and Weft for another hour or so afterward. However, Shuno nodded and said "we can keep right on with lessons while we eat!" and Zelgadis thought he saw Xelloss shudder and droop, like a delicate plant left out too long in the hot sun.

"We have a dinner engagement," Zelgadis improvised quickly.

"Ah yes, so we do!" Xelloss agreed immediately, knowing perfectly well that they didn't. "Perhaps some other time! Although we do have ah, well, things to do at the temple, you know," he added apologetically.

"Oh, yes, I imagine the Loremasters all want their time with you and their stories," Melly said airily.

"Yes, they do," Zelgadis affirmed. It was true. That just didn't happen to mean he and Xelloss were actually giving them that time.

In fact, knowing that the Princess of Fate would most likely be on the mind of every Loremaster and acolyte in the place soon, they cajoled a few day's worth of extra food out of the kitchen staff when they got back to the Temple grounds a short while later. They intended to avoid the dining hall entirely, at least for the first wave of burning curiosity and speculation that was sure to follow. Zelgadis made sure they sent Myona home with a few extra servings as well. Not that he was likely to be badgered by curious Loremasters, but it would keep him out of range of the baleful, sullen glares the other servers threw in his direction whenever they saw he was once again free of kitchen duty.

"Dinner with the Mala might be the lesser evil for a day or two," Xelloss said unhappily as he and Zelgadis Levitated back to the cottage.

"Next time we come upon a bunch of Shimerian book burners, let's make sure to incinerate the books along with them, please?"

Xelloss grinned. Of course, Zelgadis guessed the mazoku would be only too happy to do so. Unfortunately, there was not much either of them could do about the copies that had now become part of the archives of the Temple.

Settled in with dinner once again, Zelgadis pulled out the notes he'd made in the library and asked Xelloss his questions about them. They spent the next couple of hours going discussing magical theory, and that led to practical lessons, which led, inevitably, to other, more personal and pleasurable matters entirely.

Lying limp and half awake in bed (this time) in the aftermath, staring at the darkness, and sensing Xelloss settling nearby like a wild wind settling after a storm, Zelgadis thought that if this were to become the routine of their days for a while, he would not mind at all.

---

The next day dawned clear and bright again, a little warmer, as if the threat of winter had retreated after giving its first warning. Villagers and Temple residents alike seemed determined to make the most of this reprieve before the next storms hit. It seemed like everyone in Wyndcliff was out, sweeping or scrubbing, putting a garden to rest under leaves or brushing up a coat of paint. They even spotted Myona's mother directing a group of Temple acolytes, who, with various degrees of enthusiasm, shoveled pungent compost onto flowerbeds.

Zelgadis had already received a report of no change in Plover from Myona, so he didn't see any reason to interrupt the High Priestess at her duties, however mundane those duties might be. For all he knew, the spreading of manure onto fallow soil was a serious autumn ritual here.

At the mansion, they passed Dulcinea whacking at statuary with a frazzled feather duster in one of the anterooms. Melly meandered out from the maze of corridors to join them on the way to the library, and Shuno was waiting for them at the door.

Melly swept past him and took up his place at the lesson table, but Shuno stood in the doorway, blocking the way for the rest of them. He looked Xelloss up and down intently, and then gave a similar once-over to Zelgadis as well.

"What are you wearing?" he asked.

Zelgadis could only stare back at him for a second, baffled. Simultaneously, he and Xelloss turned to each other with the same sort of once-over glance, and then did the same to themselves. Blushing with no idea why, Zelgadis wondered if he'd accidentally forgotten to dress completely, or if perhaps they'd put on one anothers' clothes that morning. Nothing seemed out of place on either of them.

"What we always do?" Xelloss answered, helpful but uncertain.

It appeared to be the correct answer. Shuno nodded once and turned away.

"Good. So am I."

This did appear to be true, as far as Zelgadis had ever noticed, he wore the same gray and black tunic and trousers that many students wore at the Temple, as he had ever other time they'd seen him.

Myona had ducked his head and turned away as soon as Shuno had asked the question, and now was already pulling a large bound volume, almost as tall as the length of his arm, from a shelf. Zelgadis couldn't see his face but had no trouble imagining the eye-rolling amusement there.

Dork! Zelgadis thought as Shuno took his usual place next to Xelloss' chair. After one more glance to assure himself that he wasn't missing any clothing - or that Xelloss hadn't pinned some strange object to him as a prank - Zelgadis shrugged and went back to his studies.

The more Zelgadis read that day, the more quietly intrigued he became. He stopped taking notes, as ideas began to rush together in his mind too quickly for his pen to follow. He didn't want to commit these thoughts to paper yet, anyway.

In fact, he decided, he did not want to give any hint of this fledgling idea at all, not even to Xelloss - perhaps especially not to Xelloss. Nothing might come of this at all, he reminded himself, and better to avoid the disappointment and the inevitable teasing that would follow when his strange new theory fell apart.

He forced himself to still the excitement that was starting to build inside him. If he was reading this correctly, if this new idea would work as he thought it would, it would be the perfect magic to use against Shimerians, and against many other enemies as well. It might even be enough to get Xelloss to stop hassling him about defensive shields. Or, if nothing else, he supposed the idea would amuse Xelloss, whether it succeeded or failed miserably.

It was just as well that Xelloss' students were slow learners, because he needed to do a great deal more research before he'd know if this new idea would really work. He'd do what he could to make up for all the boredom and aggravation of trying to teach two fools a language that no one ever used, but they were definitely going to be here for a while.

_________________________________________________________________________

TBC! coming up: Xel and Zel attract an audience, and find out more about the traditions and habits of various residents of Wyndcliff than they really wanted to know.
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Birth Rite