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

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

Militat omnis amans (Every lover is a warrior) Part 2d/?
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.

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The two women spent the next few minutes washing themselves, and each other.

Things were just beginning to heat up from their activities when they heard
a knocking at the door.
"Damn," Willow said extracting her hands from several of Buffy's sensitive
spots, "just when things were starting to get interesting."
"Come-in," she yelled to the door giving Buffy a quick kiss as she left the
tub and grabbed a towel. 
She turned to her lover and said. "We will definitely finish this later."

Willow went into the sitting room to great Amana and two other women who had
arrived with several items. Principle amongst them was several items of
clothing.
"I hope you slept well," asked the mage. "I trust you are rested and are
ready for what looks to be a very busy day." She continued as she and the
other ladies laid out the several items of clothing.
"We have brought several items of clothing for you," she continued pointing
out the robes, dresses and other apparel. "We have also brought
under-clothing and other toiletries for the two of you."

"Thank-you," replied Willow as she proceeded to look over the various items
of underwear and finding that all of the items were in their sizes.
"I think however, that Buffy is going to need clothing that isn't a dress,"
she continued not seeing anything resembling pants in the pile.
"We know," replied Amana, "however, since I understand that Buffy will need
to be fitted for armour, albeit leather armour, she can wear the clothes
that we have brought here in the meantime."
"These will be fine," said the slayer as she emerged from the bathroom with
a towel wrapped around her body. "Just so long as the clothes are warm,
I'll be happy," she continued joining Willow in choosing appropriate
underwear and other garments.

"Wait," Amana said, as the two travellers were starting to dress, by
dropping their towels, figuring that modesty was definitely going to lose
out to warmth, "I have brought Aiofe and Bridie along to be your
assistants." Amana said as she pointed out the two other women. Aiofe was
tall and dark-haired, while her companion was a little shorter than Willow.
Both women had pale complexions and deep jade-green eyes.

"But, we don't need help to dress," Willow complained. "After all we have
been doing it ourselves since we were small."
"It's not that you need help dear," explained Amana, "its just that two
persons as powerful as you and Buffy are required to have assistance as part
of your station in our society. Others you will come in contact with will
not give you the respect that you deserve if you do not have the symbols of
your rank and position."
"Oh," exclaimed Buffy as Bridie began to help her to dress, with Aiofe
performing the same task for Willow. "Will they cut our food and help us to
eat also?"

"No, that they won't do," replied Amana with a smile in her eyes, "however,
they will serve your food and keep your suite tidy."
"That will help," replied Willow as she tried to come to grips with the
situation.

Within minutes, the two women were dressed and were heading out of their
suite. Amana led them down two fights of stairs to a large room, which was
obviously a dining hall. Like the other rooms in the castle it had
stonewalls. Several heavy oak beams spanned the hall, forming the support
structure for the roof. The floors were thick pegged oak boards, and there
were a number of chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

"This is where we will break our fast," she said leading them to three
chairs. "After we have eaten we will retire back to the study and continue
our conversation of last night." 

The serving girls with several platters of fresh fruit, breads, cheeses,
yoghurts and beverages, quickly filled the table in front of them. The
three women quickly fell to eating.

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Later they returned to the study area, which had already begun to fill with
the other mages. The women took the same places that they had the night
before. After allowing everyone time to greet each other, Grael stood up to
continue the discussions from the previous night.

"I trust that you will want to know what we have planned," he said starting
the conversation. "We have gone ahead and made some preliminary plans,
which we will discuss with you, however, I would prefer to continue
discussing our present situation first."

"That sounds ok to me," replied Willow, "I do have a number of questions."
"Well, ask away."
"Okay, first, why is it so cold, second, why do you speak English, and third
what gives with the weird technology level?" Willow continued. "I mean you
have plumbing, some heating and very fine textile weaving, but no
electricity or mechanical devices."

"The answers to your questions are all related to the same cause, and will
sum up the background left out last night," answered Grael. "It has to do
with the differences between your world and ours, and the impact that the
flood of demons has had on our world."

Frankel then took up the conversation, "we have studied, as best we could,
your world. It would appear that for the most part our world followed yours
in societal and scientific development up until a hundred or so years ago.
For example, we had the same Judeo-Christian influence, the Middle Ages, the
reformation and the beginnings of the industrialized era. We also
experienced the same waves of exploration."
"What happened then?" Asked Buffy.
"Two things," answered the sage. "First, we entered into a mini-ice age due
to a series of massive volcanic eruptions, and second we began to experience
the increased demon activity. We are still not entirely convinced that the
two events are not related, since the demons do appear to love the results
of the cold," he continued, as he once again got up from the table and began
to pace around the room.
"Both of these events had an immediate retardation effect on our scientific
progress, in addition to massive bouts of war, famine and social upheaval.
As a result we are approximately a century behind your world," he concluded,
staring out of a window.

"Well, that does answer my questions," replied Willow. "I do have one other
before you go on with your agenda."
"What's that?" Asked Amana.
"Why is magic apparently more advanced here?" asked the redhead.

"In part due to the upheavals we talked about," answered Amana, "we have
been required to develop other methods to deal with our problems and with
the demon plagues, however, we have now come to the end of our resources."
"Hence our need for you," concluded Grael.

"Okay, then," said the slayer, "what are your plans for us then?"

"Right, down to business," replied Grael. 
"First, we would like for both of you to be fully assessed in your magical
talents," continued Amana, "then, we are going to arrange for you to be
outfitted and appraised in your fighting skills Buffy."
"We would then like to take some time to have additional talks with the two
of you on slayers and slaying," interjected Frankel, continuing his personal
agenda.
"That will probably take most of today," added Grael, "then, over the next
few days we will start to train the two of you."

"Heavy workload," commented Buffy. 
"At least it will keep us busy," replied Willow, "in fact, sounds like fun."

"We will also be training you in several Martial arts Willow so that you
will be able to protect yourself when you don't have time for magic," added
Amana.

"Oh, boy," exclaimed Buffy, "sweaty witch-girl, I love it."

"Alright then," said Grael, "lets get down to work."

Just then, Buffy felt a familiar unpleasant cramping in her loins. She
turned to Willow saying, "Will, watch-out, my spidey sense is tingling!"

Suddenly the door to the study area burst open and six demons burst in, with
the leader, a green imp like creature yelling, "Ok - scum, now we are going
to get some answers!"

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Finis Part II

To be continued...