Everything was finally ready. The wedding party was gathered outside in the garden, the late afternoon sun still shining brightly. In the end Zelas had brought a different wedding gown and Filia was now dressed in a fairly traditional long white gown with little bits of purple trim. Zelas was surprised that Filia had so bluntly refused the first dress she brought. It wasn't often that people dared defy her so openly, and she wasn't sure what to think of it. She couldn't understand why Filia would want to wear that much clothing anyway. She couldn't possibly hunt in something like that! Oh, well. Zelas decided to just play along and watch what happened. She had a special interested in the whole affair, and wanted to see it through.

Nearby, at the edge of the garden, was a large table covered with food, but a magical barrier kept anyone from getting too close. Xelloss had made very it clear that no one got any until after the wedding.

Gourry gazed at the food longingly. He was hungry (as always!) but it looked like he would just have to wait. Ohhhh. It had already been a whole 2 hours since he last ate. There was something else that was bothering him too, "So... this is a wedding, right?"

Lina smacked him, "Of course! Haven't you been paying any attention?!"

"Then where is the priest?"

Xelloss sweatdropped, "I knew I was forgetting something! Mazoku don't normally get married! I guess we'll have to follow Ryuzoku traditions. Filia, who would usually perform a ceremony like this?"

"I guess it would be the Chief Elder, Saichuro." Filia replied.

"Saichuro, huh? Okay!" Xelloss grinned.

"Wait you're not going to..." Filia gasped.

"I'll be right back!" Xelloss disappeared.

"XELLOSS!!!!! COME BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!!!!!" Filia's tail popped straight out as she screamed, "XEEEELLOOSSS!!!!!!!"

Saichuro was sitting in his study reading a tome of archaic law, when he sensed something unpleasant behind him. He looked up from his book and turned to see a most unwelcome guest.

"Hello, Saichuro-san." Xelloss said smoothly, "I'd like to ask a little favor of you." Without waiting for an answer Xelloss pointed his staff and they both disappeared.

Saichuro was startled to see the room fade to be replaced by a sunny garden. The first thing he noticed was Filia who was still screaming at the top of her lungs in the opposite direction, "XELLOSS!!!!!!! DON'T YOU DARE BRING SAICHURO!!! I CAN'T TELL HIM!!!!" Filia had her mace out, but seemed to be lacking a target.

Xelloss appeared right behind her "What's wrong, Filia-chan?" he asked, tapping her shoulder.

Filia jumped and turned to glare at him. "There you are!" Then she noticed that Xelloss wasn't alone, "Saichuro-sama!" she gasped, dropping her mace.

"What is going on?" Saichuro demanded, "What can't you tell me?" Then he noticed the wedding gown.

"Don't mind Filia." Xelloss replied, "She's just exited because we're getting married. She wants you to perform the ceremony." Saichuro's mind was quickly going into shock, so it took a minute to register that Xelloss, too, had exchanged his normal clothes for a tuxedo.

"I'm ruined!" Filia wailed, "How could you do this to me?"

"Didn't you say he should perform the ceremony?" Xel asked innocently.

"Not for a filthy Mazoku!!!" she yelled back.

"Filia, is it true? Are you really getting married to this... this demon?" Saichuro gasped.

Filia nodded feebly.

"I simply can NOT allow this. A Ryuzoku can never marry a Mazoku! I forbid it!" Saichuro declared.

Amelia suddenly decided to take action and leapt to the top of the nearest tree. "You are trying to prevent a marriage just because these two are different races. That is WRONG!" she pointed dramatically at Saichuro.

Zelgadis sighed. She's using a justice speech to defend a Mazoku against a Ryuzoku?

In the background Zelas started laughing to herself. These people were definitely entertaining! They seemed to have forgotten about her presence too. It was never a good idea to forget about a predator.

"When people fall in love they deserve every chance to be together, no matter how different they are." Amelia continued, "I will not allow you to stand in the way! The power of their love can overcome racial differences! Can't you see the TRUE LOVE shining between them??" Amelia gestured to Xelloss and Filia.

Everyone sweatdropped and Xelloss and Filia fell over. "I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH HIM/HER!!!" they yelled in perfect unison as they jumped up from ground and pointed at each other. They both twitched in annoyance. At this, the entire party facefaulted except for Zelas who was bent over laughing.

"Then why are you getting married?" Lina asked, raising her face just enough to speak.

Xelloss looked at Filia a little confused, "Well, it was Filia's idea."

"NANI!?! You tricked me with that stupid game and now you say it was my idea!?!?!" Filia yelled, "Take responsibility for your actions!"

"You're the one who suggested marriage. Not me. Take responsibility for your own actions!" Xelloss yelled back, "All I wanted was to..."

Filia turned bright red, "Eeek!! No way!!! That was a protest, not a suggestion! And what do you mean you don't love me?? This morning you said..."

"I said I THOUGHT I loved you." Xelloss folded his arms and turned his back to her. "It's not MY fault if you misinterpreted what I said. What about you?" He looked back at her over his shoulder. "You certainly seemed to enjoy kissing me this morning!"

Filia blushed even redder, "Well.. You didn't seem to mind it either. In fact you did a lot more kissing than I did!"

"It takes two to kiss. You're the one who started it all the other day at that tavern!"

Filia was shaking by this point from sheer annoyance, "I just wanted you stay still long enough for me to hit you! And it worked!"

Xelloss twitched, "Really? Why don't I believe you? Anyway if you really don't want to get married we could always go back to the original plan."

"ENOUGH!!" Lina interrupted "You two are getting married right now!"

"Stay out of this!" Xelloss and Filia exclaimed in unison.

"No!" Lina replied bluntly, "You said we couldn't eat until you were married and I'm hungry!"

"I thought so. Me too!" Gourry said.

"So unless you want me to Dragon Slave some sense into you you'd better save this little love spat for the honey moon! You already made me wear this stupid dress. There had better be a good reason for it!" Lina indicated the pretty but flowery dress she was wearing.

"Lina, I think the dress looks nice." Gourry said.

Lina decided to overlook the ill-timed compliment and turned to Saichuro, "I can't eat until you perform this ceremony. That means YOU are keeping me from my FOOD! Do you know how dangerous that is?" Lina asked through her fangs.

"She has a point. Let's get on with this before Lina-san decides to eat someone." Xelloss ignored the dirty look from Lina and went on, "I suggest you co-operate Saichuro-san."

Saichuro shuttered. However calm Xelloss may have seemed that was definitely a threat. "Are you really sure about this?" he asked Filia. He continued in her head: Filia, you know about the spells worked into this ceremony. It is more than just words. You will truly be bound to this... demon.

"Hai, Saichuro-sama. I HAVE to." Filia replied.

Saichuro shook his head and reluctantly began to chant in the ancient holy language. It sounded like a fairly standard ceremony but there was an unusual quality to the words accompanied by a quiet power. The spell that was slowly forming was so subtle that it went largely unnoticed. The spell drew most of its power from the couple being wed and the emotions between them. It then focused that energy to create a magical bond between the two. The Ryuzoku had found this useful to make marriages last with their long life-spans. Now, no matter how many years passed, couples would stay together. The spell's main weakness was that it was dependant on the couple themselves, so there had to be some feeling already there for the spell to be able to accomplish anything. In this case the emotions between Xelloss and Filia were strong but unacknowledged making the spell powerful, yet more subtle than ever.

Zelas was standing a short distance away, and she couldn't help but notice the spell winding around her son. She simply shook her head. He really has no idea what he's gotten himself into! Then she smiled. This is proving to be quite entertaining.

Filia was also aware of the power flickering between herself and the trickster. She was surprised by the magnitude because knew that the spells had no power without a source to draw on. Surely this couldn't be from her feelings alone! Unrequited love did not make for the best of bonds. Was this another sign that he really did care? She found herself reaching out her hand to take his.

"Filia?" Xelloss looked at her, feeling something important happening but quite not sure what. Something was making it hard to think straight. Then he saw the look on Filia's face and he completely lost his train of thought. Instead he felt compelled to take the hand she was offering him.

"Noooo!!" Saichuro exclaimed, breaking off the ceremony. He had never seen a bond as powerful as the one that had been forming. He had suspected Filia's secret feelings for the Mazoku but he never imagined this! Something about the combination of Mazoku and Ryuzoku power seemed to grow exponentially when combined rather than canceling each other out. Quite frankly it scared him. "I cannot allow this. No matter what you say I simply refuse to continue."

Xelloss glared at Saichuro in annoyance "You seem to have forgotten who you're dealing with. If you refuse to perform this ceremony, then you are of no further use to me." Xelloss raised his staff preparing to attack.

"Wait!! Xelloss, Stop it! Saichuro!" Filia cried. Saichuro began to cast his own spell in self defense. "XELLOSS!!!" Filia jumped to stand between them just as Saichuro released a massive attack spell.

Xelloss! Zelas warned seeing what was about to happen, Get Filia!

Xelloss teleported to Filia and snatched her out of the way of the attack, reappearing about 30 feet above the ground.

"Xelloss! You saved me!" Filia cried happily wrapping her arms around him. She was still rather giddy from the effects of the wedding-spell. It had proved to her beyond a doubt that Xelloss really did love her, no matter how impossible it seemed. She tried really hard not to think about the fact that it also proved she loved him back. That was still a scary concept. Xelloss' love for her was probably one of the most dangerous that could have happen to her. The fact that she'd fallen for him too just made it completely hopeless. Fortunately she wasn't thinking straight, being far too distracted by Xelloss' closeness.

"I couldn't let you get out of the deal that easily!" he teased in reply.

"Shut up, Namagomi!" Filia exclaimed. He would go and ruin the moment like that! She decided to make him shut up by covering his mouth with her own.

"Mmmm." Xelloss tried to warn her about an incoming attack. Finding his mouth too (enjoyably) occupied he simply teleported both of them to the astral plane where they would be undisturbed. With the immediate danger gone he had a chance to think about the recent events. Just what was going on during that ceremony? Why is Filia suddenly so affectionate? His mind kept returning to the image of Filia about to be hit by that spell. I can't believe I was so careless! I could have lost her! He found himself returning her kiss desperately.

"So, are you finally ready to admit it?" Filia asked him, peaking off the kiss.

"Admit what? Are you drunk, Filia?" Xelloss asked, confused by her behavior. Come to think of it he felt rather strange himself.

"No! You are so impossible!" she exclaimed, "Admit that you're in love with me, you Namagomi!"

Xelloss hesitated, "What makes you think that?"

"It's obvious! Even Zelas knows it."

What!!" Xelloss gasped, "How did she find out??"

"So you admit it!" Filia exclaimed.

Where did that come from? Xelloss thought to himself, It did sound like a round about admission. But that wasn't possible. Was it? "Filia, please tell me what Zelas-sama said!" Xelloss pleaded.

"Sore wa himitsu, Xelloss-chan." Filia smiled evilly "Now, I want you to say it again."

"Filia..." Xelloss started to whine. He didn't like the way this conversation was heading. How did he feel about her?

"I'll sing the 'Life is Wonderful!" song!" she threatened.

"Ok! Ok! 'What!! How did she find out??'" I DO love to tease her! I love to make her angry.

"~Life is Wonderful" Filia started to sing.

"That's harsh!" Xelloss cringed. She is so impossible! She infuriates me!! Yet, I like it.

"Then repeat after me: I Love You."

"I..." I want her. But it's more than that. Xelloss looked around for a way to escape but Filia gave him the Look of Death making it clear that he wasn't getting out of this. "I..." Something must be affecting my mind, because I'm starting to think she might be right. He sighed and hastily mumbled "love you."

"I love you, too!!" Filia cried kissing him. She would have to work on his articulation skills later.

Xelloss knew he was in trouble when he found himself enjoying this even without a trace of negative emotion from Filia. But he wasn't so far gone that a bit of inner turmoil or some general annoyance and anger wouldn't have been welcome too.

Author's Notes:
Cheesy Excuses for Plot Hole:

1. The story takes place during Try, before Saichuro dies (please ignore the new plot hole created by the fact that I refer to the marriage ball episode, but Xelloss doesn't travel with them between that time and when Saichuro dies.)
2. Saichuro didn't really die, Amelia cast the resurrection spell on him after we stopped looking and it worked.
3. There is another Golden Dragon named Saichuro (it just means Chief Elder, so when one Chief Elder dies a new one could be appointed in his place.) I don't think Milgasio died at the Ancient Dragon shrine, so maybe it's really him or one of his people.
4. Xelloss traveled back in time to get Saichuro before he died.
5. The story takes place in an alternate reality in which Saichuro was smart enough not to attack, so he didn't die.
6. The very idea that someone was writing a fanfic about Xelloss and Filia getting married disturbed Saichuro enough that he had to return from his grave to try to stop it.
7. Valgarv grew up really fast and Filia told him so many stories about the wonderful Saichuro that he decided to be just like him and even change his name. (This one for all the people who are mad I made another plot hole by leaving out Valgarv. But my preferred excuse for that one is that he hasn't hatched yet. I read somewhere that he isn't supposed to hatch for 50 years anyway.)
8. It's my fanfic and I can do what I want. So there!
9. Um, I think I'm running out of cheesy excuses.
10. Monkeys... Lots of monkeys. (Thanks to CD for the suggestion.)