Lina stood in the garden which Xelloss and Filia had just left and she was getting really mad. Being forced to wear a dress had made her grumpy, and now it looked like she wouldn't even get the promised food. Someone would pay, and since Xelloss had disappeared again she would have to start with that Dragon Elder. She'd never liked him anyway. "Darkness beyond Twilight..."

"Lina wait!! You'll destroy the food too!" Gourry yelled.

Zelas was also less than pleased. Several ideas came to mind of things she could do to Saichuro, all of them very unpleasant. How dare he disrupt her plans like that!? Since she'd noticed Xelloss' fascination with the dragon maiden she had been calculating ways she could use it. They had learned about effectiveness of combined Mazoku/Ryuzoku powers. She decided to allow Xelloss' obsession with the dragon to progress and see what happened. Even if Filia refused to have anything to do with Zelas herself, just her continued contact with Xelloss seemed to be making him more powerful. It appeared there was truth in the saying that conflict makes you stronger.

When Zelas realized where that Ryuzoku ceremony was leading she immediately saw the possibilities. She was very interested what would happen if Xelloss and Filia were to combine their powers on a permanent basis. That was worth experimenting with! She was a little worried about the effects on her favorite servant. Xelloss was more like a son to her, but he'd gotten himself into this mess and it really was too late to do much about it. He was too involved with the dragon to give her up now.

Now Saichuro had to go and mess things up even further! Zelas took a deep breath. How to salvage this mess? If she did something herself then Xelloss might suspect that she had some interest in seeing the wedding to completion. She really would prefer if Xelloss took care of the dragon elder himself, but if he didn't return very soon she would lose her patience. She doubted he would figure out her motives anyway. Even if he did she could always order him to marry Filia! Now that would be ironic. She was just starting to wonder how Dragon Elders taste when Xelloss reappeared.

"Filia! Lets go! We've got a wedding to finish! Hmm.. Do you think I could borrow your mace for a bit, please?"

"Whatever for?"

"You'll see!" He put her down so he could snatch the mace from her "Now let's go!"

"Wait!" Filia protested, then saw that he had already disappeared. "Namagomi!" she muttered, but without much conviction. She smiled again and then teleported after him.

Xelloss appeared right behind the rebellious Dragon Elder with Mace-sama raised directly above his head. "Hallo, Saichuro-san!" he called cheerfully as he used Filia's own mace to smack him in the head and knock him unconscious. He took a quick survey to see what had happened during his absence and noticed the dangerous look on Zelas' face. Yare, yare! Good thing I stocked plenty of extra wine for the reception; if he was lucky, just maybe, she'd get drunk enough to forget whatever was annoying her. For the moment he'd better find a distraction.

"Lina! You weren't about to Dragon Slave my wedding were you?"

"So, you're back?' Lina pounced on the trickster priest and grabbed him in another headlock (That would work for a distraction!), "Can't you even stick around for your own wedding?!? I WANT MY FOOD!!" Choking people was such a good stress relief, almost as good as blowing things up.

"LINA!!" Filia reappeared to see Xelloss' face approaching his hair color. "Let go of my fiancé right now!"

"What did you say?" Lina growled at her, loosening her hold on the mazoku.

"Thank you." Xelloss said to Lina as he dusted himself off.

"Saichuro!!" Filia exclaimed running to the unconscious elder. "What did you do?" she glared at Xelloss.

Xelloss offered her the mace back, "Thank you for lending this to me. It was most effective." Xelloss smiled as Filia snatched the mace back. Then he produced a very heavy chain and began to tie Saichuro up.

"Eeek! What are you doing?!" Filia demanded.

"You don't want him to attack again do you? I think he needs a little more persuasion to co-operate. Now," Xelloss had finished with Saichuro and he was completely covered with chains. "We just need to wake him up. Zelgadis, I believe you are the expert at waking up sleeping dragons."

"Do it yourself. I'm staying out of this." Zelgadis said, crossing his arms.

"DIGGER BOLT!" Xelloss and Filia jumped narrowly avoiding being caught in the shock. "Is that what you wanted?" Lina asked innocently. That was for the Dragon Slave that had been interrupted earlier.

Saichuro tried to sit up, only to find himself completely immobile. "Who? What?"

"I'm sorry Saichuro-sama." Filia said helping him stand under all those chains. "Xelloss chained you to prevent you from attacking again. Once the ceremony is over he WILL let you go."

"Filia," Saichuro sighed, "You are still determined to go through with this?"

"Yes, Saichuro. Please." Filia continued speaking directly into his head Think about it. It is the perfect revenge. Xelloss has no idea about the binding spells. He thought he was tricking me, but if we finish this then we can deceive him. He was expecting to embarrass and use me but instead he will find himself permanently bound to a dragon. Even a mazoku can't break this spell. He'll be mine forever and won't be able to do a thing about it.

But Filia, Saichuro protested, you'll be just as much his as he is yours.

I'm willing to make that sacrifice. Filia didn't like deceiving Saichuro but she couldn't tell him that it was no sacrifice. She actually wanted to marry that namagomi! The fact that she could trick him back and bind him to her permanently in the process just made it sweeter. That mazoku was definitely a bad influence on her.

Saichuro sighed sadly and gave one last look at Filia before he resumed chanting. The ceremony went much quicker this time and the fragments of the spell quickly came back together. However, the charge in the air was a little more noticeable. Lina looked up warily, sensing a magical field growing.

"What is that?!" she asked her companions. The wedding party was gathered together in a little group.

"I don't know but I feel it too." Zelgadis replied, "I think it's coming from Xelloss and Filia!"

"It's the power of their true love!" Amelia said dreamily, and for once she was surprisingly close to the truth.

Lina rolled her eyes at the princess. "I don't trust it."

"Just watch." Zelas commanded from right behind the sorceress. "This should be entertaining."

Lina jumped. How long was that mazoku lord standing there? But then her attention was brought back to the ceremony by Saichuro's chanting.

"Now, and for all eternity, you are bound to each other as Man and Wife." There was a flash of black light streaked with gold as the two finally took each other's hands. Xelloss' eyes opened in shock.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing." Filia replied smugly, "Just the binding spell."

"Binding spell?!"

"Yes, it's a traditional part of Ryuzoku weddings. Don't tell me you didn't know?" Filia tried to look innocent but she couldn't keep herself from smirking.

"You tricked me!!" Xelloss exclaimed. How could I have fallen for something like that?! Ohh, she will pay for this. Later... He glanced at Zelas, afraid of what her reaction would be. Instead she seemed strangely smug, and that scared Xelloss even more. Did she know??? What is she up to?? She had better not hurt Filia! Hey!! Where did THAT thought come from!?

"Don't start!" Filia told him unaware of the silent byplay going on. "The Ryuzoku ceremony was your idea. Now I believe it is time for you to kiss the bride." Filia again squelched his response with a kiss. He was so much less annoying when he wasn't talking.