FIC: REPOST: Militat omnis amans (Every lover is a warrior) Part 6a/?

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

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.

This story contains sexual acts between consenting adult women, and was
written in a jurisdiction where it was legal to do so. If this offends you,
don't read.

Rating: 
PG-13ish, not much sticky stuff this time folks, but lots of ritual action.

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 < >, in addition, the ritual I have
detailed in this chapter has been done in English, rather than the Gaelic
that would be usually used for the spoken parts.

mailto:kevin.beckett@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

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A priori:

Buffy and Willow were nearly driven insane by the results of what Buffy had
to do to heal Willow. They have been able to build the necessary tools to
maintain their sanity while using their new gift to its greatest potential.
They have also become involved sexually with Aiofe and Bridie, and have
learned that they are not in fact servants, rather they are also mages. The
demon army has struck and Willow has been put in charge of a strike force
tasked with the job of closing the hell-mouths. The two women have also
discovered another side effect of their link, they are both pregnant, how
and why has yet to be determined.

Synopsis for part VI:

Willow leads her strike force towards the first of the hell-mouths. She
will gain some experience in dealing with the amount of power she now has
available to her. Buffy chafes under the restrictions of the mage's
counsel, and Willow will find a way of handling her annoyance. The two
women will start to come to terms with their pregnancies, and will try to
determine exactly how they became pregnant. Buffy will be initiated as a
priestess, or will she.

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Part VI - Dux femina facti (A woman was the leader of the endeavour)

I sat on the mountainside with peace of mind
I lay by the ocean making love to her with visions clear
Walked for days with no one near
And I return as chained and bound to you

Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover
Sophie B. Hawkins, tongues and tails
(c) 1992 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.

In a brightly lit tavern seven people sit around a table eating supper and
chatting softly. At a nearby table, four others are also sitting and
eating, while keeping careful watch on the occupants of the first table.
The tavern is located in an old four-story inn in the town of Smiths
Crossing. The building housing the inn is a double-bricked post and beam
structure with large windows and a slate roof. The tavern was designed to
serve not only the guests of the inn but also the townspeople, and is a
cheery place, capable of seating forty or so people. This night the people
sitting at the two tables, the other guests of the inn having eaten and
retired to their rooms earlier, are the only ones to occupy it. The trestle
tables that the guests are sitting at are made of heavy pine, and their
wooden captain's chairs are padded, well worn and very comfortable. The
lighting is provided by three large overhead candelabras, and augmented by
two large fireplaces. Outside the late winter wind howls down the streets
and occasionally rattles the thick panes of window glass. The food being
served by the waitresses is hot, hearty and plentiful; the inn has a
reputation for providing excellent board and bread, and being only one day
from the Capital it is usually full to capacity. These are not usual times,
and everyone in the inn is aware that only the night before the demon armies
had struck, and were even now on the way to lay siege to the Capital. 

Most of the non-combatants in the city and in the surrounding towns and
villages had been evacuated South, away from the approaching army. The inn,
however, is in the direct path of the approaching army, being North of the
city. The inn will be evacuated in the morning, with the staff and most of
the guests heading south; that is all but the guests eating their late
dinner.

The larger group are talking about several pressing issues, primarily the
impending war and their role in it. They have also been celebrating the
news that two of their number are expecting, probably around the Winter
Solstice. 

"I still can't believe it," Willow exclaimed to the assembled members of her
strike-force, "I mean, how?"
"We've been over this love," replied Buffy, who was herself still very
confused by the situation.
"I know," replied the arch-mage, "but just saying it has to do with the link
between us still doesn't answer the how."
"It's the only answer we have right now though."
"But I'm not ready to be a mother," Willow said, the terror of the unknown
evident in her voice, "I mean, what do I do, how do I do it?"
"I'm not ready either," Buffy said comfortingly, "but we'll deal, like we
have always done."


Both women had woken up that morning with Willow's unanswered question of
the night before first in their minds. They had done without their usual
exercise routine and had quickly bathed and gone of in search of Amana.
They correctly assumed that the older woman would be the best person to
discuss the subject with. Amana had not disappointed them. After a series
of questions to determine if they had had any male sexual partners in the
previous month, she had performed a simple pregnancy test spell, which had
indicated that the two of them were somehow pregnant. After conversing
briefly with Grael, the three women decided that detailed questioning would
have to wait since they were leaving before noon to head North to the first
hell-mouth. The rest of the morning had been spent in hectic preparation
for the trip; co-ordinating with the military for the needed communication
codes, collecting Daithi and the other three guardsmen and finally packing,
mounting up and heading out on the Northern road. One surprise that morning
had been the addition of the Sage Frankel to the party. He had asked to
join them since they would probably need his specialized knowledge for some
of the work they were going to do. Once they had left the city they
initially travelled with a reinforced company of troops, which was going out
to support the delaying tactics, which were being employed by the army,
which were being used to give Willow time to start closing the hell-mouths.
They had met a constant stream of people heading away from the impending
conflict and back into the city and as a result of this traffic had only
made the town of Smiths Crossing just as night was falling. 


Thinking back on their journey Willow commented, "I still can't get over the
people we met on the road today. I mean they were desperate, scared and
trying to carry everything they owned on their backs."
"War brings out the worst in society," commented Aiofe, who was sitting
between Bridie and Willow, "it is especially bad on the civilian
population."
"Particularly if your enemy has sworn to kill everyone," commented Frankel,
"the demons have never attempted to hide the fact that their goal is to have
all humankind dead or enslaved to them."
"I guess that's where we come in," commented Willow, "I mean we, or rather
I, have to give these people enough time to get to safety."
"That's work for tomorrow," Amana said, "but, I think that details can wait
until we are closer to the hell-mouth. I think that we should spend some
time on another subject."
"What would that be," asked Buffy.
"Well," the older woman replied tentatively, "we've never really had the
time to discuss the matter, what with both you and Willow so sick, and in
truth we don't even know if we have the right to bring it up."
"And that is?"
"The ethics of your actions towards Willow."
"What!"
"You have got to be kidding," interjected Willow dumbfounded, "I mean she
healed me, when everyone else, myself included, was thinking I was going to
die."
"I understand," replied Grael, "but the fact of the matter is that she used
magic on you without your permission, and that is against the laws of the
counsel."
"The counsel be dammed," replied the offended slayer, "I did what needed to
be done. Its not like I knew what I was doing."
"We understand," Amana said, "and we are not trying to reprimand you."
"It certainly sounds that way," replied a hurt Willow. It was looking like
another group of people were trying to meddle in her life, again.

"Don't take us wrong Willow," pleaded Amana, "we are not angry that you were
healed, its just that as a result of Buffy's actions we have been rethinking
some of our premises."
"Huh."

"We realised that our prohibition against using magic without the other
person's consent had to have this situation as an exception," replied Amana,
"and we are going to train other mages to become healers, since Buffy has
now demonstrated that it is possible."
"Oh," said Buffy, "well as long as they don't have the side-effects Willow
and I had. I can't see any harm in having other people who are able to
heal."
"There is one other thing," said Grael, "that we would like to see happen."
"And that is?"
"We would like to see you initiated as soon as possible," replied the older
man, "We think that it will help you and Willow in the upcoming work."
"Ok," replied the slayer, "when?"
"Tonight," replied Amana, " we will have to wait another four hours till the
moon is right, so I suggest that the four of you bathe and get some rest."
"Sounds good to me," commented Willow, "after all before we crossed over to
this Earth that was our plan."
"Okay by me," agreed Buffy as she stood up from the table, "lets go dears,
to the baths."