FIC: REPOST: Militat omnis amans (Every lover is a warrior) Part 2a/?

["Beckett, Kevin" <kevin.beckett@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Militat omnis amans (Every lover is a warrior) Part 2a/?
K. Beckett (c) 2000 
 
Disclaimers:
Buffy, Willow and all of the other characters and places from the show
belong to Joss Whedon, WB and Mutant Enemy etal. Everyone and everything
else is mine. None of my characters are meant to resemble anyone living,
dead or un-dead, if you see yourself you are looking way too hard.
 
Rating: 
PG-13+ - heading to the R level
 
Other:
The Latin and Gaelic are mine; I take the responsibility for any
translations of them. In addition, the descriptions of the rituals, spells
and other craft work come from my traditions, so please don't take offence
if something described here does not match your traditions or what you think
it should.
 
Archiving etc.: 
Ask and I'll say yes.  
 
Spoilers:
Everything up to the middle of season four - I diverge then.
 
Please be patient, it takes me awhile to get everything down, as I have
little free time for writing.
 
More set up in this part, however, I promise to get to some serious action
in part three.
 
mailto:kevin.beckett@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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A priori
 
Its Imbolg eve, Willow had just started to Invoke the Guardians when she was
contacted by persons from elsewhere who were in desperate need of her help.
Quickly handing over the night's ritual to Giles and another of her senior
witches she and Buffy left the circle by means of a portal which had been
created by the other group linking Willow's circle to the location of the
people looking for help. Buffy and Willow, along with Willow's very
confused, and stowaway, cat, enter the portal and travel for a great
distance arriving in a cold, unfamiliar place.
 
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Part II - Amantes sunt amentes (Lovers are lunatics)
 
Raise a white sail if you love me
a black sail if you don't
Seal me up in an impregnable tower
or surround me with an impassable moat
I've heard all the stories told about love
(unattainable and pure)
but there is one love of which I'm sure

Your fear as honed as a battle axe,
I'll bear my neck, I'll wear the scar,
and if my nerve should fail the task
I know your faith will not roam too far
I've heard all the stories told about love
(two souls into one)
but this tale of love is one we've just begun
 
White Sale
Cowboy Junkies, Pale Sun - Crescent Moon
© 1993, RCA Records
 
 
"Damn, its cold," thought the blond girl shivering on the floor. Buffy took
another look around at her new surroundings. The room that she and Willow
had arrived in was large, easily twice the size of the workroom from where
they had just left. Candles and large torches lighted the room. In
addition, there were four large fireplaces adding their heat and light to
the room. Despite all of the fires, the room was cold, barely above the
freezing mark. Buffy noticed that they were surrounded by at least twenty
people standing in a dual circle, all dressed in heavy robes which had
embroidery similar to the work on her robe.
 
"Quickly, get some blankets and boots," Amana said, "they will be freezing
in this temperature."
 
With that, several things happened simultaneously. Grael quickly dispelled
the portal with the words "dorrys skeaylley!" As other members of the group
broke the circle, which allowed them to collect several heavy blankets,
which they proceeded to wrap around the two shivering women who were in the
centre of the work circle.
 
"Where are we? Who are you? What's going on? Shadow-Cat, what are you doing
here?" babbled Willow as she was being wrapped in blankets with thick fur
boots being shoved onto her feet.
 
"We will answer all of your questions," Amana replied as she finished
putting the boots on Buffy's feet, "however, we need to get you warm and fed
first. Come, we will adjourn to more comfortable surroundings."
She then helped Buffy to her feet and indicated that they should leave the
room.
 
The entire group left the workroom and headed back down the corridor to the
study. The two travellers were given chairs in front of the fireplace and
mugs of mulled wine were handed to them.
 
Two of the group proceeded to drag the table up to the fireplace and then
had platters of meats, breads, sweets and cheeses placed in front of the two
women. In addition, several pitchers of various beverages - ales, wines and
ciders, were also placed on the table. 
 
"Ok," Willow said a few minutes later, after having drunk half of her wine
and beginning to feel warm for the first time since arriving. "Q&A time,
deal us the skinny."
 
Buffy was eating and drinking thinking to herself "better let Willow deal
with this, she is better on the witch stuff and she can fill me in later."
 
"Fair enough," Grael answered Willow. "Where do you want to start?"
"I guess with introductions," Willow continued feeling strangely content in
this extraordinary company. "After all," she thought, "they did ask for my
help, I have no way of getting home without them, so I might as well deal.
"My name is Willow," she said to the assembled group, "my companion's name
is Buffy." She continued pointing out the slayer. "The cat that unexpectedly
also came along is mine and is named Shadow-Cat, I guess she will show when
she feels like it."
 
"Welcome, and well met." Answered Grael. "My name is Grael, and this is
Amana," he continued pointing her out. "We are the leaders of this group of
mages and are the ones who lead the effort to bring you here to help us."
 
"Speaking of here, where are we?" Willow asked looking around closely, for
the first time, at the room its furnishings and the lighting. "It looks
very not modern here."
 
"Here is not a simple question Willow." Answered Amana. "Nor is when, if I
can anticipate your next question.  
"Where we are is in the mage's wing of Castle Maldor. The castle is located
in our capital city of Maldorstat. The building is modern in so that we have
plumbing, heat and a few other conveniences that you are used to, however,
we do not have mechanical lighting sources." She continued rising from the
table and moving towards the other end. "Frankel here is our most senior
sage and he will try to give you what we understand is happening." She said,
standing behind an elderly man who had until that point been sitting quietly
at the other end of the table.
 
"The simple answer is that you are still on Earth." Frankel said, rising
from the table and taking up the conversation. "However, it is not your
Earth, so to speak."
 
"That's the simple answer? I'd hate to have a complicated on," stated
Buffy, speaking for the first time, and beginning to think that she was back
in professor Walsh's psychology class.
 
"It has to do with multiple dimensions and differing realities between
dimensions." Continued the old sage, beginning to pace around the room. "We
have determined that there are several Earths which occupy the same
location, however, they are layered on top of each other creating different
realities or versions of the same place, your 'Earth' is one such, ours is
another." 
 
"Okay," replied Willow, "I've read something about this, however, I didn't
think it was possible." She was beginning to feel a bit more comfortable
about what was going on, now that she was starting to receive data.
 
"Only our great need has made it possible," replied Frankel. "My early
researches determined that the 'layers' existed and I was able to determine
some of the basic characteristics of each."
 
"Such as?" Prompted Buffy.
"Well, such as the basic geology and atmosphere. The primary life forms and
which of them were dominant. In addition to the general level of
technology."
"Sounds like you were able to learn a lot," answered Willow.
"I guess you're right," the sage continued. "I was also able to determine
that there was major differences between the 'layers'. Essentially, that
the closer the layers were, the closer the various characteristics are.
However, once you move significantly away from your home layer the
differences become major."
"How major?" Asked the slayer, convinced now that this guy was a male
psychology professor, all talk and little answers.
 
"Different biology, life forms, climate and technology to name a few." He
answered.
"Ok, I can deal with this so-far. But why us?" Asked Willow.
 
"I'll answer that in a few minutes," answered Grael, "however, there are a
couple of points that I would like Frankel to finish up with first."
 
"Ok then, to finish," the sage continued. "In my research I determined that
there were weak points between the layers, which potentially could allow
communication or transport between them. Also, it appeared that some of the
dominant species on some of the layers were able to innately use this
transport ability." The sage paused to sip from his mug of wine. "In fact,
I think that a large amount of what we call 'demons' on our worlds are in
fact residents of one layer, who have transported to another," he finished
sitting back down at the table.