FIC: Royalty Redux (Chapter 9)

["Cilia" <cilia@xxxxx>]

Title: Royalty Redux

Author: Cilia

Archives: List archivers go right ahead.

Notes: The rewrite of the classic B/W story Royalty, the story thatset the stage for the epic Two Worlds story and made any of the characters thatare still around and kicking in Prophecy’s Twilight.

Relative to the show, this takes place after the events of Graduation, so those are still in continuity while, but I have taken some liberties and this is very much an alternate universe story.

Summary: Buffy finds herself in San Francisco looking for Willow, but the young witch has gone missing, both of them struggle with their emerging affection for each other and new enemies. Along for the ride are Spike, Giles, Anya and Xander, every single one of them with a mission of their own.

 

Chapter 9: Inner Fires

 

Willow had carefully wrapped her arms around Buffy, when the Slayer’s eyes snapped open.

“Buffy,” Willow gasped as Buffy pushed her away.

“You lied to me!” Buffy whispered. Willow looked at her friend with sadness in her eyes. “I saw everything, the battles, the training… all the secrets…” Buffy paused as a tear ran down her cheek. “…the lovers…”

“Buffy I…” Willow began.

”Don’t say anything, just don’t…” Buffy said holding up her hand.

”I never meant, I mean I didn’t fully realize until recently that…,” Willow tried again.

”What that you’re gay?” Buffy shouted as she sat up, the pain replaced by burning anger.

”Buffy please don’t,” Willow whispered.

“Wasn’t I good enough, you had to sneak away to get your kicks,” Buffy shouted.

”You were… are my best…” Willow tried to explain as a tear ran down her cheek.

”Then on top of all that you hide everything from me, I mean I’d accepted the fact that you’d grown up but…”

”I wanted to tell you…” Willow pleaded, but Buffy blinded by anger and the feel of utter betrayal didn’t stop. Each of her words acted like hammer blows to the carefully erected walls Willow had build in her mind on the promise to always remain calm and in control. They were there to keep her power in check and to keep her from doing harm to others.

“…this, I mean how you could have done some of those things… seen and not told me, I’m supposed to be your best friend…”

”STOP IT!” Willow shouted. “You dare to accuse me?” she said ina trembling voice. “I left because of you, I left to protect you!” Her eyes flared up. “Do you even realize how much power I have,” she shouted as a faint glow seemed to come over her and outside a thunder could be heard.

”Willow…” Buffy whispered and for the first time in what seemed like years she felt truly afraid.

”I left to spare you from what I’ve had to go through. The lovers were something to ease the pain I felt because of you! I’ve seen things no one should ever see, I know things that make the things in the Codex look like fairytales. You think these streaks of silver are highlights think again,” Willow shouted, she lifted slightly from the bed.

”I…”

”You know nothing,” Willow said through gritted teeth and then Buffy felt herself being pinned down. “You could have had me long before I started down the road I now walk, no questions asked, I would have forgiven you if you’d left by dawn, butyou never saw it,” Willow shouted.

”Will…” Buffy was cut off as she felt Willow forcefully enter her mind and mouth. Hands caressing her, but the caresses weren’t ones of love, but born of rage, stored up anger and frustration.

”Willow please don’t…” Buffy pleaded as she tried to struggle and she couldn’t remember when she’d ever felt this helpless. Then salvation arrived.

”Get off her!!” Spike bellowed out in utter outrage as he pulled Willow off Buffy.  “Have you completely lost your marbles Red?” he demanded as Willow struggled in his grip.

”Spike let me go!” Willow commented and Buffy curled up into a fetal position, as Willow broke out of Spike’s grip.

”I don’t want to fight you Red,” he said solemnly. Willow drew a slender sword from underneath her cloak.

“This isn’t you Red. You don’t hurt your friends,” Spike said as Willow struck, but the sound that was heard was one of clashing metal.

”Look who’s talking,” Willow hissed as the flames in her eyes flared and her eyes turned completely green. Spike pushed her back and glanced at Buffy, who lay curled up at the head of the bed, sobbing.

 

Spike felt the anger growing, but forced it down and attacked, moving fast, catching Willow slender blade in one hand and brought the other to her throat.

”Look what you’ve done!” Spike ordered in a low voice and forced Willow to look at Buffy while blood ran down the blade of the sword onto the floor. Buffy was curled up into a ball, the nightshirt June had dressed her in wasnow torn in several places and there were claw marks visible on her thighs. 

”Take a good long look at your handy work,” he said as Giles burst through the door. Willow dropped the sword and looked down at her hands, the flames in her eyes fading.

”Get out!” Giles hissed after he’d examined Buffy’s tear-streaked and terror-stricken face. Willow didn’t move she just stared down at her hands.

”Get the hell out of here before I do something I might regret, which at this moment is doubtful,” Giles said in an eerily calm voice and half drew the dark blade from its sheath. Willow looked up at Giles and then at Spike and finally at Buffy. She then closed her eyes and was gone.

“What the hell happened here?” Giles demanded.

”The reasonshe didn’t wish to see you,” June said as she quietly entered the room again.

“What do you mean?” Spike asked as he wrapped up his hand, the blade was one of magic and therefore the wound was permanent.

”I was approached by Willows mentor after I left the room, she told me something important,” June said as Giles gathered Buffy into his arms and started rocking her back and forth.

”The green glow,” Spike said as he rubbed his chin.

”Among other things, it would seem that your friends powers are not growing hand in hand with her control. So when her control over her emotions broke… sadly to say your friend didn’t do this to Elisabeth,” June said softly.

”Well it bloody well looked that way to me,” Giles said as Buffy began to cry into his shoulder.

”No, she was overcome by her power. It brought everything to the surface, every hidden emotion, every primal wanting,” June said in solemn voice. Buffy’s sobs got louder and Spike growled as his honor and, strangely, his demon, both demanded revenge.

”I’llmake her sorry she was ever born,” he said in full game face and picked upthe blade Willow had dropped.

”You will do no such thing,” Anya stated as she marched into the room with Xander following close behind.

”Anya?” Spike stated in disbelief.

”Buffy!” Xander shouted as he ran into the room, dropping his fighting staff along the way. Spike glanced outside, the guards were standing up, looking rather angry, but he motioned for them to stand down.

”I told you I’d be needed,” she said as she extended her hand. “Give me the sword,” she stated and the pair glared at each other for a moment Spike reluctantly handed it over.

”What will you do now?” Spike asked.

”I’llgo and find Willow. Then we’ll sit down and talk. If that doesn’t work I’ll just have to knock some sense into her” Anya said with a smile.

”How about we skip the first part?” Xander suggested, but there wasno humor in his voice as he looked up, only anger and hurt. Willow had been, was his friend, but he’d never thought her capable of something like this.

“Xander stay with Buffy, she’ll need to have her friends around her,” Anya said as she turned to leave.

”Let me send some guards with you,” Giles suggested.

”No Giles. I will go alone, no reason to scare Willow further,” she explained and left.

“Well that was unexpected,” Giles said and carefully laid Buffy's now sleeping form down on the bed.

”What do wedo now?” Xander asked looking between the two.

“They won’t kill Daniel until the time is right. Which is in a month or so,” Giles said.

”We take control,” Spike stated simply. “The clans will need leadership in the Princes absence and we’re it,” he explained as he picked upthe parchment on the nightstand.

”How? We have no authority…” Giles began.

”Leave thatto me. Politics are my game,” Spike said with cocky grin then glanced at Buffy and left.

”Xander?” Giles asked.

”I’m staying with Buffy,” Xander said firmly.

”Of course and June please take care of her?” Giles said and checked the guns and stakes in his coat.

”You’re leaving?” Both Xander and June asked.

”Someone has to protect the city tonight,” he stated as he took of his glasses then bent down and kissed Buffy’s forehead.

“You’re not going to do anything stupid are you Giles?” Xander asked and got no reply since Giles had already gone. “At least call Faith or something!” he shouted after the Watcher.

 

To Be Continued…