Xelloss busied himself in Filia's kitchen, making tea. He knew that Filia would be woken up by the smells of the tea and the selection of pastries he had picked up from the best bakery in the port where he'd booked passage. He had every intention of convincing Filia to stop at the particular bakery before they left that city.

Filia padded in softly, only wearing a nightgown. "Welcome back, Xelloss."

He grinned. "Did you miss me?" He knew the answer already, but he asked anyway.

Xelloss wasn't expecting to be kissed, but didn't mind the surprise at all. "The box smells good. What's in it?"

"Oh, just a selection of pastries I picked up at Suthaven. It's a nice port city, only a couple days hard travel from here and just below the southernmost border of the Desert of Destruction. Our ship leaves from there in five days, so we should have no trouble getting there if we set out tomorrow at dawn."

Filia made an appreciative noise as she ate a doughnut from the box. "That's good. I've already made our excuses, so all we have to do now is check my packing...and get reacquainted."

"Yes, and we should go to bed early. You should be well-rested tomorrow morning..."

Filia laughed. "I suppose there's no chance that we can save some of these for breakfast tomorrow? They're good."

"Oh, I can easily fetch a few more in the morning. They make wonderful cheesecakes, too. If you're willing, we could visit the bakery while we're in Suthaven."

"That sounds wonderful."

Xelloss mechanically smoothed Filia's hair, not quite connected mentally to reality but beyond caring. Since mazoku couldn't become intoxicated with alcohol, though they certainly could enjoy its flavor, he used to have only a vague idea why anybody would want to be drunk. It seemed an embarrassing and generally uncomfortable condition, and the hangovers it produced were quite definitely delightful for any nearby mazoku.

He understood why they got drunk now. It made a lot of sense. It felt amazingly good.

It might even be worth a possible hangover in the morning.

Xelloss moaned, not at all happy about getting to experience a hangover personally. Mazoku only rarely fed off their own negative emotions, as it had the nasty side effect of damaging their forms and unless it was a choice between that and complete destruction it was something to avoid doing at all costs. The only use he could ever have for a hangover all his own would be if he had to nurse an underling, and that was something he had no plans to ever have any need of doing, ever.

He was not going to willingly let Filia ever get so horny again.

Xelloss had covered up his hangover expertly, though. Now, he thought to himself, if only Filia would stop being so damn cheerful...

He paused, suddenly, feeling several people arrive outside, probably to wish them luck on their trip. Well, some were. He could taste the lovely, saccerine-sweet flavor of latent hostility and wonderful limy taste of not-so-latent jealousy among a significant number of them. He grinned, feeling better already.

It was so nice to know that other men had been interested in his Filia.

He quickly went out to join Filia. "Dear, we need to be leaving now if we want to be certain of sleeping in a bed tonight," he announced loudly. His hangover was unable to outlast the resultant wave of jealousy, and he was left with only a faint craving for key lime pie.

Filia smiled at him, completely oblivious to the existence of jealous would-be suitors. "Just a moment, Xelloss!" She quickly thanked the well-wishers, and soon they were walking away from the town.

After the last houses were a mile behind them, Filia stopped. "Is there anybody close enough to us to see me transform, Xelloss?"

"None who would notice it, at least. It is a shame you've never visited Suthaven, but that can't be helped. It was a minor port until a few years ago."

"Thank you," she said, ignoring his commentary. Soon, she was airborne and they were on their way again, this time moving much faster, though not without a few problems.

"Xelloss, stop riding on my back!"