FF: Two Worlds (Chapter 33: Returning)

["Cilia" <cilia@xxxxx>]

Yes, I'm back once again, having suffered system crashes, midterms and real
life I'm back with more of Two Worlds,
Cilia


-Two Worlds-
Cilia

Chapter 33: Returning

Stjar'a walked slowly through the halls of the Imperial Palace. A gentle
swishing followed her as the floor-length coronation dress floated around
her legs. It was beautiful purple gown, with its high pointed shoulders,
pearl lined collar, and silver cuffs. She hadn't taken it off since her
official coronation earlier that day when Cordelia had been declared her
consort and a Knight of Necris and, in fact, of the Alliance. Then she left
with Buffy on a quest to see if Willow was alive or not. It had been a
closure for them in a way and she just didn't feel like taking the dress off
yet.
Royals from four different species had attended her coronation, King Einar
of the Clan Thunderfoot, King Vitor Solonus of the Elves, Queen Piratess of
Necris and finally, Prince William Blood of the Undying, a traveler who had
taken part in battling the Warlock only to disappear afterwards. Now he had
returned to honor his friend and aid her widow in her quest for peace of
mind.
"This was so foolish," Stjar'a muttered with a small shake of her
head. She knew that accepting her heritage would change her, and it had. She
felt more alive now, as her innate chaos was no longer contained and hidden
away, but she was also a moon elf and that helped in controlling the chaos,
but not completely.
Oh my Moondancer. how I need you now, she thought as she entered the
councils meeting room which had been set up the day after the victory, just
like the one in the City of Elves and the one to be built in the Halls of
Clan Thunderfoot.
"Alliance of races. who would have thought," she muttered as she
tried out her seat.
"Willow did. So did Vitor and Al'x," a figure sitting in the
chairman's seat spoke, but without the torches lit yet, she was hidden in
shadows.
"What? Oh, Mage Amy," she greeted with a nod to the mage.
"Princess Stjar'a," Amy said as the torches leapt to life. Her
features were still the same, but her eyes had new sense of determination to
them, she would fight to keep this Alliance together. Until either Willow
returned, in which case she would, without doubt, step down, or she was
confirmed dead and then the new mage would just have to plow on.
"Remember this, I will not be stepped over when it comes to this
council," the mage said firmly as sparks danced in her eyes.
"Save the intimidation Amy," Stjar'a said as she slipped out of what
Cordelia had called Drow Princess mode.
"So you're still under all that?" Amy asked with a small smile.
"More or less," she answered with a smile of her own.
"You're mad at Cordy for leaving?" Amy asked as she leaned back in
the chair.
"No, I understand that she must find her way and for a Guardian of
Order, that. cannot be done here," Stjar'a answered as she took off her
tiara and studied it. Placing it back on her head, she straightened her back
and smoothed her dress as the first Royals started filtering into the room.

-

Tark stepped through the gates leading into the herbal gardens. He had been
ordered to return home with his soldiers and rest before the upcoming
battles. After he had disbanded them, he went to keep a promise made before
heading out. Closing the gate behind him a high-pitched voice greeted him.
"You came back!" Litni shouted as she came running down the path.
"You came back!"
Tark smiled as knelt down to greet his little friend. "I promised you I
would, didn't I?" he asked as she hugged him tightly.
"Are you gonna stay?" she asked with wide blue eyes, "Grandpa said
he always wanted to teach a drow," she added.
"I bet he would," Tark said with a smile as he rubbed her head,
mussing her hair. "And I think I will stay, little one," Tark added as he
stood up and took her hand.
"Until you are called and hafta go fight again." she pouted.
"Yes, well, I am a warrior. That, I cannot change over night," he
answered.
"Well." the girl said, "Give it time," she said with a cryptic
smile.
Tark's eyebrows wrinkled as he looked down at the little girl, "You
are far too wise for some one so young," he commented.
"I know," Litni pronounced matter-of-factly as she skipped along
beside the drow.
When Tark saw the huge tree where he had first met Xare, he stopped
and let go of Litni's hand. He walked slowly towards it with the girl
following. The pair stopped at the trunk and just looked at the tree.
"Lady Xare isn't here anymore is she?" the girl asked sadly after a
moment.
"No, little one, she isn't here," Tark answered as he fished a piece
of cloth out of his pocket, it was a square piece of black cloth with a
golden rose embroiled in it. He knelt down and scooped up some dirt, he then
placed the cloth, along with a single seed, in the ground and pushed the
soil over it.
"Lets got talk to your grandfather," he said as he stood up and
dusted the dirt of his hands. They walked towards the low hunt at the far
corner of the herbal garden, located in the ruins of the old castle.
Behind them, a green shoot began to crawl up from the dirt.

-

Stepping into the sunlight after the trek through the Nether and then the
Halls of Clan Thunderfoot, she drew in a lungful of the crisp mountain air.
"Too bad you don't breathe, Spike," she said with a grin.
"Ha, bloody, ha!" the undying exclaimed as he gathered his cloak
around him and adjusted his wide brimmed hat.
He looks like Gandalf, Buffy thought with a grin.
"Bah, quit yer banterin," Gymli huffed as he adjusted his pack.
"What's the story with you two any way?" Grimm asked.
"It's a long story," Cordelia exclaimed. "You see, first, they were
enemies, with no lack of UST, mind you, then Spike got a chip. but she-"
"Cordy, don't let the knighthood go to your head. I still outrank
you," Buffy threatened as the ranger was about to drag up every single
detail of her life.
"Sorry," Cordelia said in small voice, but the sarcasm was there.
"Um.UST?" the dwarf asked in a confused voice.
"Unresolved sexual tension," Cordelia blurted and earned a look from
Buffy that promised pain and suffering during the next stop. "Sorry," she
said again. "I'm just a little. impulsive right now."
"Understatement, luv. You're like a frigging bouncing ball, what
gives?" Spike asked as they made their way along the narrow path in single
file.
"I'm out of the Nether and far, far, far, did I say far, away from
Necris," Cordelia explained with a little twirl.
"So."
"I'm a guardian and a ranger, I like order and trust me, Necris does
not stand for order," she explained.
"But still, you're a Knight of Necris," Spike said and pointed to
her swords.
"A necessary evil. It makes it easier for Stjar'a and me to be
together," she retorted.
"But still, you're leaving," Spike said, not about to lose this
fight.
"Ouch, that was harsh. considering the source," Cordelia played the
trump card and Spike's temper flared, something that didn't happen often
these days, but Cordelia could get to anybody if she put her mind to it. One
could only change so much and maybe she just sensed the pinch of chaos that
made Spike what he was. The ruthless bastard and able leader he was.
"Now you listen here," Spike said drawing himself to his full
height, "I came here to make sure Willow, who's a friend to us all, was
alive and if not, to honor her. My fiancée understand this, just like your
consort," he exclaimed.
"Calm down, you two," Buffy said calmly, "Lets just enjoy the
scenery." She knew that if it hadn't been for her love towards Willow, which
had always been evident to Spike, he himself might have courted the mage.
Courted? Man I've been here too long, she thought.
"Gymli, are we going to run into any trouble?" Buffy asked as the dw
arf as he made his way up to walk beside her. Behind them, Spike and
Cordelia argued about everything from Spike's sense of dress, to Cordelia's
blind acceptance of a religion she knew nothing about. Grimm brought up the
rear, chuckling as his eyes wandered across the landscape.
"A few goblins, maybe a troll er two," Gymli answered. "Could run
into a goblin tribe on da other side of the Wall though."
"Ah, Beth," Grimm called out from behind. Buffy had insisted he call
her anything but General, and since the thief was not about to call someone
that he respected Buffy, so he'd opted for Beth.
"What is it, Grimm?"
"We've got company," he said as his eyes drifted across the
landscape.
"Friend or foe?" Spike asked as he sniffed the air.
"Oh, I would say friend," Cordelia said with a grin.
Buffy groaned.
"Ziel! Get your half-elven behind out here," she ordered, and a mop
of dark hair popped up from behind a rock outcrop, followed by the customary
white robes.
"I just. couldn't stay behind. with you undertaking something this.
heroic," she said with a grand gesture to the group as she walked towards
them.
"But, I thought you were staying with mom?" Buffy asked, looking the
priestess over.
"Al'x and Theris are with her. Al'x hasn't even left her side. Well,
once, when he bathed, thank heavens, but otherwise he just sits there," Ziel
explained.
"How is the old mum?" Spike asked, having just glimpsed at the body
from afar.
"She's. fine. aside from being in-between, of course," the priestess
said, as she looked the stranger over. "So. ah, need a priestess?" she asked
innocently.
Buffy looked over the group.
"Priestess' are good," Spike said with a nod. "We'll need all the
help we can get."
"I agree with Spike," Grimm said. "Extra coverage could be useful
and seeing as how we're without a spellcaster of any strength, no offense
Cordy."
"None taken," Cordelia smiled as small dots of light danced around
her raised finger.
"Touché," Grimm retorted.
"Gymli?" Buffy asked, ignoring the bantering. Yep, this was a great
idea!
"Ye know me answer," Gymli huffed, throwing a glare to his daughter,
who just shrugged.
"Okay, you can come, but remember this: we are not seeking glory
here, we're just. looking for a friend," Buffy said in a firm voice.
"I understand," Ziel nodded.
"Now lets move on, I want to be at the top of the Wall by tomorrow
noon," Buffy said as she motioned them to continue walking.
"Ya 'erd th' lass," Gymli said as he followed.
"You're dead," Ziel exclaimed, as she looked Spike over. Spike just grinned
and placed an arm around the priestess' shoulders.
"You see, it's like this." he began as they walked toward the Wall that
separated the dwarven and elfin lands from the human City-states.

In the Kingdom of Tharon, a red haired woman walked through the streets of
the city, reveling in the fearful respect she was shown. She remembered this
feeling from. before, but that she had given it up for the love of a woman
with blue eyes that could see into her soul. Still, she sensed that her
power was tainted with a darkness, a darkness she'd. taken into her. Why she
had done so, she did not know. As she passed a vendor selling polished metal
mirrors, she glanced into an ornate handheld one and paused for a moment.
Her hair was completely red, and short like the young men wore it and her
eyes were a brilliant green, but flaked with blood red.

With Ziel joining us, our number had grown to six, but as I think back, I
may have neglected to elaborate on my knighthood and what it entailed. As
royal consort and a hero of the Battle of Necris, it was something talked
about even before the city had been cleansed of the occupying force. Yet, I
didn't accept it because of my love for Stjar'a, not that I felt I'd done
anything particularly heroic in the Battle. Although, my love for Stjar'a
might have played into it.I did it because it simplified the joining of two
worlds, a ranger, although human, accepting a Drow knighthood, it doesn't
get better then that, does it. Well it made me sick to my stomach.
-The Writings of Lady Cordelia

TBC.... we'll see....