FIC: REPOST: Militat omnis amans (Every lover is a warrior) Part 5a/?

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

Militat omnis amans (Every lover is a warrior) Part 5a/?
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: 
R 

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 will say yes.

Spoilers and other ramblings:
Everything up to the middle of season four - I diverge then.

Thanks to all who have commented, I appreciate everything that was said. As
before, all meaningful criticism, support and suggestions are welcome. 

Please be patient, it takes me awhile to get everything down, as I have very
little free time for writing.

Please note that things perceived by characters other than by the five
acknowledge senses have been enclosed in < >, kpb.

mailto:kevin.beckett@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

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A priori

The forces arraigned against Buffy and Willow have struck. It was only
through Willow's link with her familiar Shadow-cat that she was able to
intercept in time the knife thrown by a traitorous human at her lover.
Willow was mortally wounded in the attack, and Buffy, with the depth of her
love and in desperation, resorted to barely learned magical skills to heal
her. By using the psychic link between the two of them the slayer was able
to support Willow and repair the damage done to her. However, the efforts
expended in this healing has had at least one unforeseen side effect, since
both Buffy and Willow are now mentally linked to each other, and are
therefore able to communicate and read each other's mind. This bond between
them is permanent both spiritually and magically. Unknown to the two of
them, other changes are also happening to them on both a mental and physical
level. It's also become apparent that the banner of war with the demons
will shortly be raised.

Synopsis for Part V

Buffy and Willow will come to partial terms with the reality of their new
skills. They will find new, close, friends, and will learn that the time
has come to begin their work. They will also find out about another change
in them, due in part to the near death experience of Willow.

-----------------------------------------------
Part V - Ipsa scientia potestas est (Knowledge itself is power)

I met you again in my sleep last night,
these are days of slow boats and false starts.
Hearts remain under lock and key,
you will be the one to set them free.

Miles From Our Home
Cowboy Junkies, Miles From Our Home 
(c)1998 Geffen Records Inc.

Two women were asleep in bed; however, they were not getting the relaxation
they needed since their sleep was uneasy. It had been ten days since the
vicious and treacherous attack on them and things would not be returning to
what had passed until then as normal. The suddenness of the attack,
combined with the events that occurred after it was one of the primary
reasons for their sleepless nights. Both women were also exhausted due to
an expanded training regime that had been put into place four days
previously. They had been told that time was no longer a luxury, and that
they would have to begin the work that they had been called to do within
days. They had both become very concerned when told that piece of news, and
each had privately wondered if they would be able to survive the upcoming
exertions. 

They had nearly gone insane from the extraordinary events that had occurred
as a result of the attack. This was due to the continuous presence of
having both of them in each other's mind and memories. The ability to know
what the other knew, feel what the other felt, see what the other saw was
devastating to their psyches. What saved them from psychosis was the deep
and eternal love they had for each other, combined with the tolerance and
understanding of the two mages, Amana and Grael, who had spent several
untiring hours over the last nine days helping the women to develop
stratagems for working with each other, and with the new gift that they had
been given. As a result of this hurried work, the two were able to keep
some parts of their mind and memories concealed from each other. In
addition, they had been able to build filters so that they would not be
overwhelmed by feedback from each other. However, when dreaming, emotions
and worries had a way of revealing themselves.

Both women were now in fact dreaming, and as had happened in previous
nights, they were sharing their dream. They were walking together, hand in
hand, on an endless, sunny plain where soft spring breezes were blowing
through their hair. It was a safe place, with no hiding places for demons
or other evil creatures and no sign of anyone other than themselves.

<Where are we?> Asked the red-haired women, now nearly unrecognisable from
the person who had boldly walked into the portal just over three weeks
previously. She had bulked out due to the intensive exercise program she
had been following, and had lost a significant proportion of her body fat,
while gaining an additional twenty percent of her body mass in muscle. She
was, without a doubt, in the best shape of her young life. 

<Somewhere safe it looks like,> replied the other woman. Buffy was still
physically similar to the woman who had travelled with unquestioning love
her soul mate into the portal, however, internally she had changed as much
as Willow had. She had gained a deeper understanding of the magical forces,
which surrounded the physical world, and she had gained some significant
skill in the processes used to manipulate them. She had also learned
several things about herself, not the least of which was that someone had
deliberately tampered with her genetic material before she had been born.
The most likely suspect in their minds was the watcher's counsel, if so, as
soon as they returned home they would be demanding answers. More
importantly she had discovered that her love for Willow was complete. She
would literally trust her with her life, it was both a comforting and a
worrying realization of the total dependence that they had for each other.

<How you doing Buff?> Asked a concerned Willow, she too had come to realise
that the other woman was the world to her, and that she would put everything
on the line for her. They had, of course, discussed the attack and what
Buffy had done, but words are often not enough to convey the depth of
emotions they both felt for each other, <are we going to cope with all of
this?>
<No choice red,> Buffy replied tenderly, <at least we won't be automatic
candidates for the room with the rubber wallpaper now.>
<Thanks to Amana and Grael.>
<We do owe them a lot, but...>
<But what, love?>
<But, I think we will start repaying them soon.>

Both women stopped their dream walking and sat down on the soft grass and
began to drink from the glasses of wine, which had suddenly appeared in
their hands.
<I love you Red.>
<I know.>
<I mean I love you more than anything, even more than I love myself, and I'm
worried about that.> Buffy was expressing her most deeply suppressed
thoughts through their dream, things that she herself would not have
acknowledged while awake, things that were primal to her personality, things
that could only surface through her subconscious into her dreams. She was
aware that regardless of actions and statements taken by the conscious mind,
self-preservation was uppermost in the human sub-conscious. 

<What do you mean?>

<I think I love you so much that I would kill myself before placing you in
the way of danger.> Buffy, startled at the worried look of concern which
crossed Willow's face, continued rapidly, <not that I'll be committing
suicide any time soon, but that I would be so worried about you in any
conflict that I would sacrifice myself to save you. I never want to see you
taking another knife for me.>

<I wouldn't let you sacrifice yourself, and I reacted to the knife from
instinct, I didn't even pause to think, and I would do it again,> Willow
replied, completely certain of her response. She too was expressing
unconscious thoughts, things that were now part of her innate being. She
was internally amused at how calm the two of them were discussing this
potentially life-threatening situation. She knew it was a product of the
dream state they were sharing, but it also had to do with the complete and
total insight that they now had for each other, which resulted in an immense
depth of trust between them and faith in each other and their abilities.

<I know,> continued the slayer, <and I think that this potential conflict
might allow others the time to hurt both of us.>
<Hadn't thought about that, but what can we do?> 
<Have to check with Amana, she might be able to help.>