Howdy, I guess you've read the chapter 35 now, so just read on and remember: "Trust Cilia, for Cilia will make it better" and if you have complaints, bodily threats or any other maiming, please take it up with my Beta, Cilia -Two Worlds- Cilia Chapter 36: Shores of Tharon The huge anchor chains thundered out of the ship and splashed loudly into the water, after twenty-nine days at sea, they where here finally on the shores of Tharon. Buffy had at last found her sea legs and had become more alert as they got closer, the last few days she'd been all over the ship acting like a caged wolf. "She's here," Buffy affirmed as she stepped onto terra firma once again, with Cordelia following closely behind, ever vigilant of the Slayer. Gymli sighed blissfully as his feet made contact with the solid rock of the harbor. "Dwarves don't like the sea much, eh?" Spike asked as he stepped onto land. He had almost enjoyed the voyage, but then again he didn't have anything to throw up. "Hey, we're not all undead," Grimm said as he jumped the last step onto land and then stepped back to hoist Ziel onto land, causing the priestess to blush slightly. "So what now, we ask around for an all-powerful, little red-haired mage?" Cordelia asked as she inspected her surroundings. They were strangers in a strange land, and the last thing they needed was another confrontation like the one in Altran. One thrashed inn was more than enough. "Ziel, any ideas?" Buffy asked as she adjusted the collar of her cape. Spike had insisted that they all change into respectable clothes before coming ashore, since they were, after all, representatives of the Alliance here. "The mage guild, I would think" Ziel suggested as she straightened her robes. "Good idea, I'll take Cordy and Spike and try to find it. You three find us some rooms... and, ah, make them tolerable this time," Buffy said with a grin. "Will do, commander-Slayer, SIR!" Grimm said with a salute, but his smile broke through. Buffy felt her stomach tightening, as she got closer to the mage guild compound. She felt Cordelia's reassuring hand in hers offer a comforting squeeze and the anticipation seemed to ease somewhat. Spike walked a step behind, trying not to frown at the display between the Slayer and the Ranger. "Wow!" Buffy muttered as she looked upon the white towers that stretched into the sky, maybe Willow was in one of them. "Uh, you think we should we knock?" Spike asked as he inspected the gateless arch that led into the gardens surrounding the towers. "Magical barrier," Cordelia muttered as she ran her hand over the invisible wall inside the gate arch. A slight crackle in the air was followed by a burst of light and a short figure stood before them. "You are far from home, soldiers of the Alliance," a deep male voice said. His hair was completely gray and his impressive bulk made up for what he lacked in height. "You know who we are?" Buffy asked stepping as close to the barrier as she thought safe. "The news of the Battle of Necris reached us weeks ago," the man answered. "Then you know why we are here?" Spike asked. "Yes, we know, but... I fear you will not like what you find," the man said and with another burst of blue light, the barrier disappeared. "It's safe to pass," he said. Buffy's mind whirled. Willow's here, Willow is alive, but why am I not happier? She looked down at hers and Cordy's grasped hands. Then she looked into the eyes of her friends. The trio looked at each other before Spike took a careful step through the arch, when nothing happened, the rest quickly jumped through. The short mage smiled at them. "Come with me," he said as he led them through the gardens surrounding the towers. They walked across the grounds and came to a stop not far away from a red leaved tree with a bench underneath it. The mage stopped them with a raised hand and turned to face them. "It's been many years since one like her has been with us and we're lost in what we should do," he explained. "What you mean... like her?" Buffy asked as she watched a red haired girl sitting on the bench. Could it be... the girl looked straight at her, it was... "Rosetta," a blond girl called out from the other side of the garden, causing the red haired girl on the bench to turn away from them. "Rosetta?" Buffy asked with wide eyes as she watched her wife, or a person that looked exactly like her wife, hug and kiss the girl. Her grip on Cordelia's hand tightened. "When she arrived, her mind was shattered and most of her memory gone. We tried to help her, but in the end... she gave up and decided to move on," the mage said in a sad voice. "Master Regis, who are your guests?" the woman named Rosetta, who had Willow's face and Willow voice, asked as she and the blond girl walked towards them hand in hand. "They are travelers from the Land of Elves," Regis introduced. Rosetta's eyes traveled across the faces of the travelers. As they passed over her, the Slayer noticed her eyes were green with hints of red in them. Just like in my dreams. Buffy thought, as she tried to keep a brave face. "Do... do I know you?" Rosetta asked as her eyes came back to the Slayer. Buffy didn't know whether she should laugh or cry, but she did know that her heart felt like it was starting to shatter, along with her world. Her Willow didn't know her, she stood before her like a stranger wearing Willow's body. "We fought together honored mage," Cordelia said before Buffy could form a reply. "At the Battle of Necris," she added. "I have no... memory of that battle," Rosetta said in a confused voice. "I used to call you Red, back home, on Earth," Spike said trying to bring up memories of the past. Something seemed to connect in Rosetta's mind. She looked at the girl on her arm and something past between them. The girl nodded and left. Once the girl was out of the gardens, the green and red eyes flared. "Explain yourselves!" she thundered. "How dare you come here, claiming to be my comrades from a war I have no memory of fighting in..." she stopped as she spotted a silver band on Buffy's finger. A memory flashed through her mind, of herself kneeling before the girl and creating the ring for her. "Who... are... you?" she demanded of Buffy. Buffy's mouth was working but it didn't seem to want to cooperate with her brain as if speaking the words would confirm her worst fear. "I- I'm your... wife," Buffy said finally, trying to keep the sobs out of voice. "We... we were married under the stars on a warm summer night... Please, Willow, you can't have forgotten that!" she pleaded. "I have no memory of you. And even if it were true, you are just a ghost of my past..." the ring on Buffy's hand started to fade. "...Just a shadow of what I once was... I died. I died fighting for something I can't even remember and I don't intend to go back," she said as the ring completely disappeared. "Go!" she ordered and turned away. "Leave this place. There is nothing for you here." Buffy was in tears, looking down at where her ring had been. Cordelia had murder in her eyes as did Spike. Regis looked between the Red Mage and the group of friends. The blond woman was in tears looking down at her hand and the tall dark one was protectively holding her. The short mage took a step back as he saw the Ranger's aura flare to life. "How dare you," Cordelia whispered in a low, dark voice as the golden glow returned to her eyes and she lifted from the ground slightly. The winds picked up and the sky darkened as red dots of light danced around the Rangers raised hand. Willow turned around, her face calm in the light of Cordelia's rage. "How dare you," Cordelia said in a louder voice, as she got ready to roast the arrogant woman that she had once called friend. "Cordy stop," Buffy shouted as she straightened herself. "Just...stop..." Cordelia looked back at her friend and then at Rosetta. With a final snarl and a deep breath, she lowered her hand, the winds died down, and the glow faded. As her feet touched the ground, the Slayer spoke. "Lets go," she said and turned away from her wife. To be continued.... sure after the a week of BtVS 2117 <g>
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