She was about 20 years of age with brilliantly colored green hair that came down to her knees. She couldn’t see what her face looked like, but she guessed it must be quite remarkable, seeing as how she had that odd hair. She wore a typical maid's uniform; black with white lace. Whoever this girl was, she didn’t seem to notice that Filia was awake. She just set the tray of food she had on her hands on the table and pushed it towards the bed. Filia caught a glimpse of her face. Her eyes were hidden behind blue sunglasses. Inside the house? I wonder why… Filia could have sworn she heard the girl snicker/giggle as she walked out the door.
She heard HIS familiar, chipper voice on the stairwell leading to her bedroom.
“Is she awake, Miss Sora?”
“Yep, I think so!”
“Good.”
Footsteps coming down the stairs. Knob turned. Door opened. Xellos walked in, that misleading smile on his face.
“Hellos again, Filia san.”
Filia muttered something unintelligible.
“Chipper as always, I see.” Xellos took a couple steps towards Filia. “ Are you hungry?”
Filia sighed. She hated being and acting weak in font of her enemy. It made her feel so…so…like Xellos had one the never-ending war between them. However, she certainly was hungry…
“Yes.”
“You’re quite lucky then. My servant Sora had a nice meal prepared for you.” Sora…that was the woman with the green hair and sunglasses, Filia assumed. “ She’s quite a good cook, if I remember correctly. Can you eat it yourself?”
“Of course I can! Do you think us dragons are stupid? We know how to eat!”
“That’s not quite what I meant…”
“Give me that fork!” Xellos handed her a fork with a small piece of steak impaled at the end. Filia gingerly picked up the metallic fork and brought it too her mouth. Her hand started to shake a little and she dropped the fork on the floor. A sigh of frustration and embarrassment escaped Filia’s mouth.
“That’s all right, Filia. I’ll just get you another fork.”
Xellos got up and left. Filia idly stared at a spot in the ceiling. Moments later, Xellos arrived a second time, with a shiny new fork in his hand.
“He walked over to Filia’s tray and stabbed another piece of meat with the new fork. He brought it to Filia’s mouth.
“Hey! What do you thing you are doing, namagomi?!”
“Don’t be so disagreeable, Filia! It’s quite obvious that that you can’t feed yourself.”
“Let me try again!” Filia took the fork from his hand only to have the same outcome as before.
“I guess I’ll have to feed you…”
Filia really hated this. Feeling so weak and helpless in the face of the enemy. Especially Xellos. Yet the rumbling in her stomach continued. She had to do something about her hunger… Filia reluctantly opened her mouth. Her whole body cringed, even her toes, as the juicy steak went in her mouth. I hate this, I hate this, I hate this, I hate this, I hate this, I hate this, I hate this! What would the other dragons think of me now? Her life was ruined if they knew what she was doing.
Filia barely noticed as the Mazoku stuffed piece after piece in her mouth. Something wasn’t right. Or rather, something else wasn’t right, besides the fact that a loathed enemy was feeding her.
Xellos saw the look on her face. “What’s your problem now?”
Ooh! He was always so arrogant! “Namagomi, what’s in this food!”
Xellos frowned while smiling, something only he can pull off and said: “I didn’t make the food…”
Filia’s head felt like it was spinning. Her body became very, very hot to the touch. Her face had gone slack and damp with perspiration. Her stomach was churning. Not good. It’s all happening so fast.
“Xellos, I think I need a bucket…”
Xellos nodded and disappeared. A few seconds later he returned, bucket in hand and not a moment too soon. Filia ralphed in the bucket as soon has he gave it to her.
“Oh my, Filia. It seems as though you’ve gotten the flu.”
Xellos left.
Where’d that piece of filth go! Filia tossed her cookies again. This is terrible! How could I get in this condition in only a few seconds? Her vision dimmed, then returned. Filia relaxed herself and stared up at the wall. She heard a familiar swoosh at the side of the bed. She didn’t bother to turn and look. She knew who it was. Her vision dimmed again.
“Filia?”
“I can’t see very clearly namagomi…”
He looked at the frothy mug in his hand. It was the cure for Filia’s condition, the one she needed to regain her dragon strength. He had forgot to give it to her before and he hope that she wasn’t too out of it to drink it.
“Filia…you need to drink this.” Xellos wondered if she could hear him.
But she responded…barely. He put the mug to her lips and slowly tilted upwards, emptying the contents into her mouth.
There. Now, how do you cure a fever? He had never had one, so he didn’t know.
“Sora! Will you come here a moment please?”
A voice floated down from two levels above. “Yes, Xellos!”
Xellos didn’t have to wait long for Sora to appear in the doorway, she was a very reliable servant and she appeared to have a slight crush on Xellos.
“Yes, Xellos?”
“Would you be a dear and tell me how to cure this?” He pointed at Filia, who had either fallen asleep or passed out.
Sora walked over to the dragon priestess and put her hand to her forehead. It was burning hot. With a small yelp, Sora yanked it back and held it in her other hand.
“Ah! Xellos, go to Seyruun and get some fever medication from the local healer! I’ll stay here with her and bath her forehead.”
“It’s that serious?”
“Of course it is!”
“Well…in that case, I’ll stay here.”
“Why?” Sora was trying to conceal her disapointment.
“Oh, I’m doing a favor for someone by taking care of her. She’s my responsibility and if I let her die, she’d be very angry with me.” A half-truth, of course. He hadn’t told Sora that he was a Mazoku. Nor did he intend to. It was much simpler this way.
“I see...”
Xellos traced a hint of sadness in her voice. He almost laughed in spite of himself.
“Well Xellos,” Sora said, in a lighter tone, trying to pick up her spirits, “This is how you do it.” She dipped a washcloth in a basin of cool water and blotted Filia’s forehead with it.
“OK, I think I can manage that.”
“Alrighty then, bye!” Sora left.
Oh gross, I have to tough this nasty dragon?! He imagined an image of chibi Zelas screaming at him and he answered his own question. I’m a Mazoku, I’m supposed to be killing Dragons, creating chaos, and destroying the world. Not tending to some pathetic dragon’s fever.
Why had Zelas sama given him this mission? Xellos thought of the possible reasons. Maybe he had been insolent? Perhaps this dragons was more important than her had originally thought? But if that was so, why did Zelas-sama cast the weakening spell and leave him to cure her?
Of course. He understood now. Zelas made him cure her so that Filia would gain his trust. Then maybe, Zelas would talk Filia into becoming a Mazoku. A dragon turned Mazoku are very strong, like Valgaav. But why would Zelas want more power?
Hmm…this means that Zelas had made that spell and taught him the cure only for this reason. How clever.
All Xellos could assume now was that Zelas had intended Filia to trust Xellos. He had to play his part better, he supposed.
Shrill screaming interrupted his train of thought. He instantly recognized Filia’s voice. Startled, he knocked over his chair and looked at Filia. Her eyes were wide open, but she didn’t seem to be awake. He stood there for a moment, drinking in her screams.
“Demented Beekeeper! Demented beekeeper!” Filia was saying, obviously delirious. “Demented beekeeper!”
Xellos slowly walked over to Filia.
“Say, Filia?” He took a damp washcloth and began to wipe her forehead. She didn’t respond.
“Ne me mori facias!”
Xellos put a hand on her forehead. It was too hot. Way too hot. The delirious Filia kept on wailing and screaming.
Oh dear. This situation isn’t desirable. Ideas started to form inside Xellos’ mind.