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

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

Militat omnis amans (Every lover is a warrior) Part 5e/?
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.

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

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He moved to the front of the room where he uncovered several maps that had
been set on easels. The maps were covered with obscure symbols representing
the various force distributions and the direction and strength of the major
demon attacks. "However," he continued, "it appears that they have been
rushed in their preparations," he looked over at Buffy and Willow, "due to
the botched assassination attempt on our visitors earlier this month, and
the realization that we now knew that our security had been compromised."
He pointed out several areas on the map which had had limited, if any, demon
activity, "from what we know so far it appears that the demon leadership has
taken the 'strike now, strike hard and hope that we were unprepared
strategy...' unfortunately for them, we were ready."

"Can you give us some additional details," Grael asked.
"Some," replied the General, "in most cases we have been able to at least
hold back the demons long enough for the civilian population to retreat to
safe areas," he pointed out these areas on the maps, "in other areas we have
been able to stop them cold."
"However, there is one area of concern."
"That is," asked a concerned Amana.
"Here," he said pointing out one area of the map where a red arrow,
indicating a major demon offensive, was pointed like a dagger at the
Capital, and the castle, 'we were totally caught out of position for this
attack, and it appears that they have massively increased the pre-attack
forces available for it."
"Why have they done that," asked a very alarmed slayer.
"You," replied the General.
"Oh."

"So what are we going to do," asked a troubled Frankel, "are we evacuating,
or are we fighting?"
"We fight," answered Grael for the General, "that has never been in
question, however, we will do two things."
"They are," asked another of the senior mages in the room, a small woman
with flowing purple hair.

"We will evacuate as many civilians as we can, and we will launch a series
of diversionary attacks to slow the demons down," replied General Humphries,
"in addition, we have accelerated our plans to use our visitors, we will be
sending them out to start sealing the transfer portals as soon as we can.
This will have three desired results; one, it should demoralize the demon
leadership; two, it will start to stem the flow of their reinforcements and
three, it will let them know that the objects of the attack on the capital
are no longer here. That we hope, will result in their breaking off the
attack, and allow us additional time to regroup."

"How soon is soon," asked a worried Willow.
"Tomorrow at dawn, and I must add, if you do not figure out a way of closing
the hell-mouths, and giving us hope, we will not be able to stop them from
overrunning the castle, and the balance of our forces."
"Oh," replied Willow, echoing the comment of her lover a few minutes
earlier.

"What's the plan," asked Buffy, now going into full battle planning mode,
all worries submerged back into her subconscious for the moment.
Grael answered, "I believe that you now know that Aiofe and Bridie are mages
and have also been assigned to guard you," receiving answering nods from the
two travellers he continued, "well they will accompany you on this little
adventure. Also, Amana and myself will join you and we will have a company
of Daithi's guardsmen along as backup."

"Ok," replied the slayer, "that answers, who and when - we already knew why,
now what and where?"
"You already know the what we have to accomplish," replied Amana, "and the
first location we will try is about two days North of the castle."
"Now for my question," Willow asked softly, "How?"
"That is for you to decide," Grael answered carefully, "based on what we
find at each site."
"Oh," replied the arch-mage."

"I take it you will be leading this circus," Buffy asked, only slightly
ironically.
"Oh no," replied the older mage.
"Who, then," asked Willow, already fearing the answer.
"You will dear," replied Amana, "you are after all, the arch-mage."
"Oh," replied Willow for the third time that morning.

The meeting immediately broke up into smaller groups to discuss specifics of
the defence of humankind. Willow and Buffy meet with Daithi, Amana, Grael,
Aiofe and Bridie for the rest of the morning discussing specifics of the
route they would be taking, the supplies they would need and spending some
additional time in the library hastily researching the transfer points and
any weaknesses about them. They decided that travelling fast and light
would be their best defensive move. Willow had also taken her first command
decision and decided, after much debate and argument from Daithi and Grael,
to limit the number of guardsmen coming along to four, reasoning that with
fewer people travelling together it would raise less attention to their
activities. When he was finally convinced of the argument, Daithi
determined that he would be one of the four guardsmen.

After a hurried lunch, which they all ate in the study, Willow's strike
force went down to the training halls in order to requisition arms and
armour. They had already decided on light, leather, body armour and swords
without shields. Buffy also made arrangements for her usual supply of
stakes, and a crossbow. They had decided to travel by horse, and therefore
carried only the minimum amount of supplies that they would need. Grael
believed that they would be able to find shelter most days, since no two
villages or towns were more than a day apart.

The conversation at dinner that evening was subdued, few people wishing to
bring work to the table, yet reluctant to discuss anything else. Most
people ate quickly and headed off to obtain as much sleep as they could. In
the morning the majority of the mages would be heading off to provide
support to the various battle companies, the balance would be remaining
behind to advise senior members of the government and the military. Aiofe
and Bridie told the other two women that they would prefer to sleep in their
own chamber that night. Neither Buffy or Willow had to be told why; they
knew and felt the same way.

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Later that evening Willow and Buffy lay awake in each other's arms. They
had made quiet gentle love and were now in the semi-wakeful period before
sleep.
<You ok,> Buffy asked her soul mate, wanting to use the intimacy of the
mind-to-mind contact.

<No,> replied her very flustered lover, <I mean yes, but...>
<Worried?>
<More than that, I am scared stiff. Here we are, about to go traipsing
through the woods, with me in charge. I mean how am I supposed to lead, I
can't even get myself organised, let alone watch out for eight other
people.>
<Nine,> replied the slayer, unhelpfully.
<Eight, you I would worry about even if I weren't leading this show.>
<You will be fine,> reassured Buffy, <You will have Grael, Amana and Daithi
to help, and I will always be there to support you.>
<I know, but what if I make a blunder and everyone suffers, especially you.>
<You'll make mistakes, hopefully nothing major, and you'll learn. I will
trust your judgement and help you with everything.>

The two lovers began to slip off to sleep, just before she went under for
the evening Willow sent one last question off to Buffy, <Hey, slay-girl, you
still conscious?>
<Yep.>
<I was just thinking.>
<Dangerous.>
<I mean, we have been on the same cycle and regular as clockwork for months
now, and I'm late by three days or so.>
<So am I.>
<Oh!> As the two finally drifted off to the arms of Morpheus for the
evening, the unanswered questions would have to wait until morning.

"Meow," called Shadow-cat as she jumped up onto the bed after having
successfully hunted for the evening. She happily thought to herself as she
burrowed into her usual place on the pillows, "Meow, my human is having a
kitten."

Deep within the bodies of both young women, a ball of rapidly dividing cells
lodged into their uterine walls.

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Finis part V

To be continued...