FF: Two Worlds (Chapter 20: Wartime Reflections)

["cilia" <cilia@xxxxx>]

Title: Two Worlds
Chapter 20: Wartime Reflections
Series: Royalty (Book Three)
Author: Cilia
Edited and Revised by: Brndn
E-mail: cilia@xxxxx
Feedback: Please god yes
Distribution and Archiving: Sure go for it
Summary: You know this dont you?
Missting Parts: E-mail me and I'll send you what you need.
Notes: A Big Thanks to my beta "brndn" for getting me started on this again
and being my faithful beta and Ollie for plot line helping.

Two Worlds
Cilia

Chapter 20: Wartime Reflections

The pleasant times were coming to an end, Theris thought as watched the
entire Underground city of Clan Thunderfoot prepare for war and the steady
stream of warriors seeking blessings from the God of War was evidence
enough.
So how does the title of Avatar feel so far? she asked her friend.
Its heavy, but&pleasant, Joyce answered as she nodded to a passing dwarf
that had saluted her.
Alx is spreading himself rather thin, though, Theris nodded.
Hes just being himself, I guess, Joyce said as they strolled out of the
temple onto the bustling street.
Well be under way in a day or two with the first wave of soldiers. The
rest are scheduled to follow in one weeks time, Theris said as a group of
dwarven soldiers marched past them with their armour and weapons clanking
noisily.
Did you know Ziel and Gymli want to join our little group? Joyce asked.
Oh?
Well, its a priestess duty to stay with the avatar and Gymli is not going
to let his little girl out his sight& so I guess well be stuck with them,
Joyce said.
Im sure theyll prove&useful. Theris nodded.
Useful? Wow, I think thats the closest youve come to giving Gymli a
compliment, Joyce with a grin.
Dont& read too much into it, Theris said sternly.
Touchy, Joyce said, still smiling, as they entered the Sturdy Dwarf.

-

Lines of tents reached into the forest all around the City of Elves. They
represented the gathered might of the Elf Alliance, as its known among
common folk and royals alike. This is the stuff of legends I can feel it my
bones&
Hey Grimm, penny for your thoughts& Cordelia asked.
Well, my most recent thought was, I wonder what a penny is& the thief
answered.
Ha ha Cordelia pronounced.
I was just sitting here looking at the view.
The sun was just setting and the Drow army, which had arrived ahead of
schedule, was now setting up camp alongside the surface elves.
Its kinda great, isnt it? Cordelia asked and leaned over the
battlements to look at the vast encampment.
Impressive yes, but I dont think theres anything great about war, Grimm
responded seriously.
You know what I mean. she stated with a playful slap to his arm,
Sometimes you dont seem at all like a thief,
And sometimes you dont seem at all like a ranger, whats your point?
Well first off, Im not a ranger, and second you are a thief, she
explained.
Wisdom isnt judgmental. And as for you not being a ranger, well you could
have fooled me, he stated.
You are a strange man, Grimm, Cordelia said with a shake of her head.
Minutes went by as the friends watched the busied activities of the
soldiers below. Then, out of nowhere, Grimm whistled a catcall and poked
Cordelia in the arm several hundred times as he asked Hey, whose that? and
leaned further over the battlements.
Who? Cordelia asked as she smacked away the assaulting finger and leaned
out further for a better look.
That! Grimm said and pointed.
Wa-wa-way out your league, Cordelia said as her eyes settled on the
female in question.
Outta my league? Why?
Well first off, thats Queen Piratess and second& well, the first was
reason enough, Cordelia answered pointedly.
Still&wow, Grimm muttered as he leaned further over the battlements to
watch her walk only to be hauled back by Cordelia.
Get your mind out of the gutter Grimm, she said. There are a lot of
women out there ready to throw themselves at you.
Yea, *ahem*, I know, he responded smugly as he polished his fingernails
on his chest, but Im picky.
Get over it then, cause like it or not, she is your superior, Cordelia
explained dryly, In all ways.
Rank, blood, honor, blah, blah, blah. I know, I know& Grimm said with a
wave off his hand, but a guy can dream, cant he?
Grimm& your dreams scare me, Cordelia stated.
Well youre only in about half of them, so&
Um ew. Grimm, listen, youre my friend, but if you keep it up, I will hurt
you, Cordelia stated, oh wait, youd probably like that.
Hm&well&
Dont say it!
Why? Is Stjara going to hurt me?
Well& yes.
Okay, Grimm said in a small voice. Speaking of your lovely astone,
where is she? he asked and looked around.
She got a message from her grandmother and went to see her, Cordelia
said. Now Xare, theres someone thats in your league, Cordelia nodded as
their second in command ran passed, below them.

-

Buffy walked among the drow encampment with a little spring in her step.
Life was good. She had ended up spending almost the entire day with her
wife. Not to mention picking up the newest gossip, too. However, now that
the sun had set and the main drow army was arriving, life was probably not
going to remain so good.
Im here to see the Queen, she stated formally when she arrived at
Piratess tent. The guards let her pass with a stiff nod.
My Queen, she said and bowed.
Sit, General. There is much to discuss, Piratess said and offered her a
seat.
How is your wife? she asked.
Shes sleeping. She ah&just recently fought&something on the spirit
planes& Buffy explained, The healers say that she should be alright in a
day or two,
And you wish to leave your post to pursue this&something? Piratess asked.
Buffy had to smile at the queen, You know me too well. No, I will remain
with you until this war is brought to an end. That was my promise and I will
keep it, Buffy answered firmly.
Im glad to hear it, Piratess nodded.
Alx Sun has talked the dwarves into marching on Necris, Buffy reported.
Good, I feel we may need their strength, Piratess nodded.
Other than that, there isnt really much else going on. Well march after
the celebrations. Buffy said. But, there is some gossip,
The celebration was Willows idea. She hoped to bring the elves together and
show them that they were not that different. Plus, elven spirits helped to
lower ones shields.
Gossip? Piratess said and leaned forward, Please, do tell.
Buffy smiled, some things are universal, but then again gossip was a fairly
good source of information.
Amy broke up with King Vitor, Buffy began.
Smart girl, Piratess nodded.
General Tark has been seen reading poetry and stories in the herbal
gardens, to a common girl, no less, Buffy said.
Interesting& Piratess said with a raised eyebrow.
Well, it turns out that hes quite popular with the handmaidens, but that
could be just a rumor, Buffy said.
Anything else of interest?
Not really. Apparently its been a dull week altogether, Buffy said and
leaned back in her chair.
Very well, I suppose you would like to return to your wife.
Well& Buffy said with a smile.
Go then, enjoy yourself, Piratess said with a wave of her hand.
Thanks Tessa, Buffy said and rushed out of the tent.
Ah, youth, Piratess said with a laugh. Moments later there was loud
shuffle as Stjara strode into the tent, and was extremely ticked off, by
the looks of it.
Explain this! she stated and threw a parchment onto the desk.
This, Piratess began and picked up the parchment, is an offer for the
position of Brigade Commander in the Imperial Phalanx, Piratess said
calmly.
Have you completely gone off the deep end? Stjara exclaimed.
Uh, excuse me? Piratess asked.
Sorry& have you lost your wits?
No., Its a position often held by the daughters and sons of the First
House. I would be breaking tradition were I to not offer it. Piratess
explained.
But you already know my answer. I will not have my heritage made public
knowledge. Stjara stated firmly.
Sooner or later you will have to come to terms with it. Im sure your ast
one has told you the exact same thing, Piratess said.
Do not drag Cordy into this, Stjara said with a glare.
But, dear, she already is a part of this, like it or not, Piratess
pointed out.
They just stared at each other for next minute or two before Stjara broke
the silence.
I cannot accept your offer, grandmother, but& she paused, perhaps one
day I may take you up on it, she said and walked out of the tent, leaving a
smiling, but slightly saddened Queen behind. Her granddaughter was the
future of her house and she was afraid that she might lose her. Things like
that seem to happen during wartime, the queen shook her head as she thought
to herself.

-

Xare stopped her run and sat down on tree stump to watch the sun completely
set. This was not at all like the horrible place that had been described to
her as a child; instead, it was full of life and laughter, a place worth
fighting for.
Breathtaking, isnt it? a voice asked.
Whose there? she asked as she stood and looked around.
Just a fellow drow, the voice said as a man landed next to her. Also
here to admire the view.
General Tark, Xare said with a bow.
Commander Xare, Tark greeted with a bow of his own.
Since when do drow males climb trees? she asked as she sat back down and
offered the male a spot on the grass.
Since they received the command of surface elves, Tark answered as he
crouched down beside her.
Xare cocked her head as her ears perked up, Theres someone following
you.
Tark offered a small chuckle, Thats just Litni, he explained, then in a
louder voice he added, Who should be home in bed by now. There was giggle
as elf child appeared and sat on one of the lower branches. He rose to step
under the branch.
Xare meet Litni, He introduced. Litni meet Xare.
Youre a drow, too? the girl asked swinging her feet playfully.
Guess so, Xare answered with a shrug and a look to Tark.
Its a pleasure to meet you, Litni said in a formal voice.
It is a&its a pleasure to meet you, too, Xare said with chuckle of her
own.
Come now, little one, time to get you home to grandpa, Tark said as he
reached up to lift her onto his shoulder.
Bye, Litni, Xare waved to the little girl.
Bye-bye, Xare, Litni said in high-pitched voice. The little elf waved
back as they walked off.
Yes, this place is worth fighting for, Xare thought to herself as she
watched a drow General carrying a surface elf child on his shoulders through
the gardens.

-

Buffy entered her quarters, her face scrunched in thought. She was torn.
Torn between her duty to her soldiers and the love towards her wife. War is
hard on the soul, she thought. Actually, its hard on the rest of the body,
too, but your soul takes much more to heal.
Willow Rosenberg, she chided when she saw her wife getting out of bed.
Buffy, dont say a word, Willow said, as she stood up, still a bit shaky,
but regaining her formidable projection of power.
But you should be resting, Buffy said as she crossed her arms over her
chest and took up position in front of the door.
No, I should be marshalling the elves, helping plan the feast, teaching
Amy&
No, no, you should be in bed, relaxing, Buffy said, no objections and
considering the magical energy youre giving off, its not easy is it? She
abandoned her position blocking the door and stepped closer to her wife.
Im needed Buffy, please understand that& Ive watched you hurl yourself
at death for a long time, now its my turn to be strong, Willow said as she
pulled the red robes around her and made her way over to Buffy. Its time
for me to patch up my wounds and go out again, she said and placed her hand
over Buffys shoulder. There was still the knot of a scar there. No matter
how fast you heal, being staked was bound to leave its mark.
I just& I want to protect you, Buffy said as she covered the hand.
I know you do, but we both have responsibilities here that cant be
ignored, Willow exclaimed and gathered Buffys hands in hers.
I know, but sometimes I just wish that& that we had normal lives, Buffy
said sadly as she lowered her head.
Willow hooked a finger under her wifes chin so she could look into her
eyes, Buffy, if we had normal lives, we wouldnt be married, you wouldnt
be pregnant with our child, she said and placed a hand on her lovers
stomach. Cordelia wouldnt have Stjara&
And Angel would still be alive, mom would be normal, Xander would still be
Xander&
Sshh, Willow whispered as she placed a finger on Buffys lips, Angel
died for what he believed in, Xander just grew up, and your mom, she has her
youth back. She has a second chance at life. Its all just a matter of
perspective, Buffy, Willow said with a smile.
The slayer had to smile back at her wife. She was right, of course, I
guess I just wish life was a little less not-normal then. The smile grew,
at least I have you in my not normal life. So& The smile stopped growing
and turned a little wicked, will you be home tonight? Buffy asked with a
gleam in her eyes.
Yep, Ill be home tonight, Willow said with her own smile and kissed her
wife softly.

TBC... of course you'd hurt me if I didn't...