Prophecy's Twilight: Following of the Rose #3

["Cilia" <cilia@xxxxx>]

Hiya
First of be warned this is totally unbeta read, since my beta is off on
vacation and with an author like me on the beta list who can blame her?
:) So this will be that last Twilight story for two weeks, but look for
a big update in two to three weeks time. Meanwhile look out for the
preview for a new story by ours truly at the end of the mail.
Catch you on the flipside
Cilia the Fairy Beanbag of the Woods Outback, Guard beast against the
BR's and on heads napper supreme.

Title: Following of the Rose
Book: Prophecy's Twilight
Chapter 3: Phoenix?s Flight
Author: Cilia
Beta: Cilia
Summary: Willow takes back what is hers.

FOLLOWING OF THE ROSE

Chapter 3: Phoenix?s Flight

I grew up in the Old Realm and though I didn?t stay long I realize that
it was there where I learned the lessons that would serve me so well in
my later years. Just a girl of sixteen, a bit insecure and awkward, it
was there where I became a woman. One such moment was when I saw my
mother reclaim her throne.
-June Xare Summers

The early morning sunshine filtered into Willow and Buffy?s room and
fell up on their bodies, lying entwined under the white sheets. Buffy?s
leg was slung over Willow and her head resting on her wife?s shoulder.
Buffy tanned skin was in stark contrast to Willow?s almost porcelain
white, but they had each other arms wrapped around each other and both
were smiling. All around the room were strewn clothes, boots and
undergarments. The general sword was propped up against the side of the
bed though, with white panties hanging of its hilt. 

Willow was the first to wake up and seeing that she had a busy day a
head of her she carefully disentangled herself from Buffy?s grip and
slid of the bed. Stretching her nude form in the first rays of the sun,
her body rejuvenated through magic and potions, she had seized control
of her destiny. Looking about she snatched her underwear of the sword?s
hilt and slid into them, before tiptoeing to the armory. She picked out
a crisp white robe and wrapped it around her body and fastened it at the
collar and the waste, then wrapped a red cloak around her shoulders she
checked herself in the mirror. Reapplying her golden lipstick and
untangling her hair, she nodded at her reflecting and returned to the
bedside were Buffy was mumbling something about missing her teddy. She
kissed her on the lips and smiled. They were bonded again and their
marriage revalidated through physical intimacy.


So now Willow Rosenberg-Summers, master mage and Head of the Alliance
Council, strode through the halls of the Alliance building in Larken,
her hips swaying and her white robe hugging her body, causing every man
and several women whom she passed to pause and look again after she had
passed. She was on a mission, having stopped at the library and the
kitchen for a brief snack while waiting for the council to be called
into session. She was ready to take back what was rightfully hers and a
piece of parchment held lightly in her hand was going to insure that.

Spike turned the corner, returning from his night of fun, with some of
the soldiers and of course his new best mate Gymli, whom he was
currently carrying over his shoulders. 
His eyes bugled slightly as he saw Willow marching down the hall towards
him and he slapped Gymli on the cheeks to wake the dwarf up.
?Wha? what ya want?? the dwarf muttered as he returned to the
land of the living. Spike just turned the dwarf?s head and the dwarf
seemed to wake up immediately and he rolled down Spike?s back and
somehow landed with the heavy thud on his stout feet.
?You two with me now!? Willow said without stopping as she
strode past them. Both men just shrugged and followed.
?So planning some chaos and mayhem Red?? Spike asked casual as
they well into stop beside her.
?Cause us just love mayhem and chaos,? Gymli nodded. ?Don?t we
lad?? he asked loudly.
?Oh yes, like chaos and mayhem, very much,? Spike nodded.
?Will der be battle?? Gymli then asked. 
?Hush, I just need Spike, but you noble dwarf you are my
insurance and backup,? Willow said and Gymli seemed to double in size at
the comment. ?Here read this,? she ordered and handed Spike the
parchment she had been holding.
?Let me see,? Spike muttered. ?Laws of the Alliance, inner
council, Hero of? blah, blah? dark prince?? his eyes lit up. ?Youare as
sneaky as ever Red,? he said.
?I know,? Willow said with a grin.
?So there guna be fightin??? Gymli asked again.
June was the next to join the party, with her new sword slung over her
back and going to training with Lor?a, she decided that it would be more
educational to watch her mother do some damage. Lor?a would understand,
she hoped.
?You didn?t come back last night,? she said to Spike.
?Later,? Spike hissed.
?There you are!? Buffy exclaimed bringing the group to a stop.
She stood in full black armor, her battle cape with her blond hair tied
back into a tight ponytail and her general sword on open display.	
?Buffy you don?t want to get involved in this,? Willow said
gently.
?Hey remember, for better or for worse,? Buffy said with a
smile. ?Also I brought backup too,? she said and stepped aside revealing
Cordelia and Stjar?a standing behind her with mischievous smiles on
their faces.
?Great, mind link, forgot,? Willow muttered as Buffy slung her
arm around her shoulder. 
?Well let?s got get you re-elected,? Buffy said with a grin as
the group made its way to the council chamber.

The Royals always showed up early and Amy sat in the throne like chair
at the head of the main table, listening as they squabbled. Reminding
herself over and over again that this was in her mentor?s best interest
and that she had clearly not been fit to lead, so the burden had fallen
upon her. By the goddess some days she wished it would just all go away,
then there was the matter of the heir, yes this is what happens after
happily ever after.
?Ladies and Gentlemen,? a loud voice thundered over the room and
all eyes turned to the main entrance. Well almost all eyes. 
?Oh for bloods sake,? Spike cursed as he rubbed his throbbing
head. ?I said sit down and shut up, or I?ll put the lot of you on pikes
from here to Necris,? he thundered and the room died down in an instant.

?Much better,? he said. ?Now I have the great pleasure of
introducing and old friend of mine, now returning,? he stated with a
pointed look at the gathered Council. ?After a mission entrusted to her
by this very council, so will you please all stand and pay tribute to
the Founder and Head of the Alliance Council, Mage Willow
Rosenberg-Summers,? he finished and nobody stood. ?Very well,? then he
said. ?Red it?s all yours,? he called out and stepped a side. 

Willow marched into the chamber with a Buffy and Gymli flanking her
making on odd sight indeed, while Stjar?a quietly took her seat at the
table along with Cordelia as her advisor. Behind her came June who was
trying very hard to not to laugh at Spike?s antics.
?Is it no longer a custom to arise when a Hero of Necris visits
upon this gathering?? Willow asked and gave a dangerous look around the
room. With an almost unified thud the assembly stood up.
?Much better,? Willow nodded as she made her way to Amy?s chair.
There was moment of conflict within Queen Amy Solonus. One was her duty
as co-ruler of the kingdom of elves, the other as Willow?s one time
student. Her loyalty to her friends won out and she stood out of the
council throne.
?Thank you,? Willow said with a nod as she slipped into the
chair and Buffy and Cordelia took up positions on either side of her. ?
?Send runners to fetch the rulers,? a courtier whispered and
four pompous looking courtiers scurried of to the four corners of the
building. There was an uncomfortable silence over the chamber as they
waited for the rulers of the three kingdoms. King Einar was the first to
burst into the room. He was in full armor, wielding his battle axe and
didn?t look too pleased about being called to the chambers of the
Council.
?What ya think ya are doing,? he demanded of the assembly, but
then he saw Willow at the head of the table and grinned. ?Oh ya finally
made a smart choice did ya?? he asked nobody in particular as he climbed
into his seat. 
?Welcome King Einar Thunderfoot,? Willow nodded. ?We apologize
for dragging you away from thy army.
?Pewy, a bunch of soft belies,? the king replied. ?Now what is
this urgent matter?? he asked and scratched his beard.
?All in good time my Lord,? Willow said with a small smile.
?Well let me take the time then to compliment yer new
appearance,? the King said.
?Yep, sure is a nice change isn?t it?? Grimm asked as he
swaggered into the room. ?Shame on you Willow for not telling me you
were staging a take over, I would have help,? he said with a mock hurt
look and took up his place behind Piratess? chair.
?This is of some importance I take it,? Piratess said as she
stepped into the room in her purple robes. ?I haven?t heard such silence
in this chamber since their construction,? she said and took her seat
which Grimm held out for her.
?Nowwe only need Vitor and the human seat holder,? Spike explain
June were they stood and the back of the room
?Then everything will go according to plan,? June nodded with a smile.
?This is all highly unusual,? was the only thing Vitor said as he
took his seat next to Amy and gave her kiss.
?I?ll say, haven?t seen those three in awhile,? the voice of the
human chair holder said. Buffy smiled when she saw who it was. Protector
Aslak of Larken, a man she had met on her march to Larken nine years
ago, walked into the chamber. He had seemingly not aged a day since
their last meeting, still had his regal bearing and his hair was still
streaked with grey. His yellow eyes were as roaming as she remembered
them and his purple cape flowed around him.
?Protector Aslak,? Buffy nodded from were she stood. ?Please
take your seat and everything will be explained,? she explained and the
Protector took his seat.
Willow stood up to her full height and the room quieted completely so
even the quiet squabbling and whispers in the bleaches died down.
?I am here as it is my duty through law and honor to resume my
duties as Head of the Alliance Council,? she stated. ?If there are any
objections speak nay.? There were some nays mainly from the larger
royal houses of both Drow and Elves, but the human seemed to be behind
her. This might just work.
?Very well then, I must resort to the written letter of the
law,? she said and rolled out the parchment she?d dug up in the library.
?As it was written; an elected Head of the Alliance Council can only be
suspended temporally through an act of the inner council and only be
resigned completely or reinstated through a vote by the entire Alliance
Council assembly,? she read. ?Temporally can be a long time noble
beings,? she stated and then went on reading. ?The claim of
reinstatement can be made either by the suspended Head or by a member of
the council. Do I have a request for reinstatement?? she asked after
moment silence she gave small signal to her trump card.
?I call for reinstatement,? Spike said and step forth.
?Who are you to make such a claim,? a noble of the fourth house
of Necris called out from her seat.
?I am Prince William Blood, the dark prince,? Spike replied and
tucked at his vest. ?As it is stated by your laws, I am to have a seat
at this table if it so occurs that I am present on this plane at a time
of crisis and this is a time of crisis,? he said. ?As it was written so
shall it be,? he finished with a bow. Piratess whispered something to
both Einar and Vitor, before standing up.
?The inner council recognizes Prince William blood as a member
of this assembly,? she said and sat back down. 
?Let us vote!? Spike exclaimed, clapped his hands and looked
around the room. 
The Voting was done by a simple call of ayes, nays or abstains. The
lower houses went first, followed by the human representatives and
finally the oldest houses in order of accession. There was rolling
series of ayes, interspersed with some nays from some of the older
houses of the land. But in the end it would all come down to the inner
council.
?I accept Mage Willow?s leadership,? Piratess said simply.
?She is a fine lass,? Einar exclaimed. ?I see no fault in her,?
he stated.
?I abstain,? Aslak said from his seat.
?I accept,? Vitor said simply and Amy smiled at him.
?I abstain,? Amy stated, seeing that she was bias in this
debate.
?The vote is three votes with, none against and two abstain,?
Piratess said. ?Master Mage Willow Rosenberg is reinstated as Head of
the Alliance Council!?
There was a thunderous applause that rippled through the chamber and
messengers were sent in all directions to spread the news. The room
didn?t quiet down until Willow stood and silenced the room with a
gesture of her hand and cleared her throat. 
Time to make history again, Buffy whispered into her mind with a
smile. 
?I thank you for your support and trust,? Willow exclaimed as
she started on the speech she?s been writing in her mind.
?Let it be known that from now on that we will no longer cover
behind our borders and inside our forts. We will no longer sit and wait
for the darkness to come to us. I order you, no I beg of you, brave men
and women whom rule over this Land summon here your entire armies, hold
nothing back or you will answer to me. For I have seen the darkness
which lies beyond the Great Wilderness in the Dark Lands of the Shadows.
I have foreseen what is to come and I know that we must face it on their
land or watch ours burn under the weight and heat of battle. The battle
shall take place and a time and place of our choosing and we shall be
victorious!? she thundered as her eyes pulsed with the green flame of
her youth. The Council was stunned, many had not come to know Willow
until years after the battle of Necris when her power had been dulled
slightly by the years. Many had considered her feats at Necris a myth,
but now nobody doubted that it was all true and that this was the
legendary Red Mage. That victory would be theirs. Then a single person
started clapping and again all eyes turned to the main entrance. 

To be contiuned in Prophecy's Twilight: Following of the Rose #4

And coming soon...

Slayer X by Cilia

The Eternal Struggle is upon us all?
In a world were the clashes between order and chaos have become ever
more frequent and violent, were thousands up thousands of beings have
been called as Slayers and ordinary humans live in constant fear or
denial of the world around them, there stand a singular girl one which
stands above all others. 
Working for the secretive Watcher Corporation she fights for the status
quo and it is her duty to seek out and rescue new slayers before the
forces of chaos or order discover them and since those who are called
are much sought after by both sides, to be their champions, their foot
soldiers and much too often their cannon fodder, she must act swiftly,
for many join willingly while others are forced to fight. Those forced
are the people she must safe and those who won?t see the light she must
naturalize. 

She is Slayer X and in a world of neither good nor evil, she stands
guard against the darkness of the Eternal Struggle.

Coming soon....