FIC: Royalty Redux (Chapter 4)

["Cilia" <cilia@xxxxx>]

Title: Royalty Redux
Author: Cilia
Archives: List archivers go right ahead.
Notes: The rewrite of the classic B/W story Royalty, the story that set
the stage for the epic Two Worlds story and made many of the characters
that are still around and kicking in Prophecy's Twilight. 
Relative to the show, this takes place after the events of Graduation,
so those are still in continuity while, but I have take some liberties
and this is very much an alternate universe story.
Summary: Buffy finds herself in San Francisco looking for Willow, but
the young witch has gone missing, both of them struggle with their
emerging affection for each other and new enemies. Along for the ride
are Spike, Giles, Anya and Xander, every single one of them with a
mission of their own.




Chapter 4: Power Revealed


Daniel Night's stood on a hilltop outside the city, overlooking the city
and the bay, it was a massive compound and the trio that stood outside
was stunned to say the least.
"Wow!" Buffy exclaimed as she stared at the front of the mansion. 
They'd just stepped out of the limo that had brought them there and
already this was looking up to be a very good idea indeed.
"Too bad Anya and Xander decided against coming," Giles commented as he
stepped out and gazed over the mansion.
"Well I'm not regretting coming along," Spike said as he came up behind
them.
"Welcome!" Came the voice of Daniel as he descended down the front
steps.
"This the wanker we're supposed to keep alive?" Spike asked in a low
voice.
"A wanker with very keen hearing and William the Bloody I assume,"
Daniel said extending his hand.
"Not the last time I checked," Spike said as he shook it.
"Well I'll give you the grand tour," Daniel said as a motioned for the
carriers to get their bags.
"And this is your room Elisabeth," Daniel said as they entered the last
of many rooms they'd been shown. They'd already seen the ballroom, the
dining room, the den, the gym, the library which Giles was most likely
itching to get back to, the indoor swimming pool and Buffy could have
sworn she saw a bowling lane somewhere in there. Now her eyes traveled
over the canopy bed, the walk in closet and the door leading to her
personal bathroom. 
A girl could get used to this, she thought.
"Well make yourself at home," Daniel said. "And someone will be around
shortly to take some measurements," he added.
"Measurements?" Buffy asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You'll see," Daniel said with secretive smile.
"Alright William let me show you your quarters. I'm sure Elisabeth would
like her privacy," Daniel said as he motioned for the men to follow him.

Buffy waited for the door to close and the footsteps to fade away,
before bolting for the balcony doors. One foot over the rail she was
stopped by voice that outright demanded it.
"Oho no you don't," Came a very sharp Irish voice. Buffy looked back and
saw a woman, not old as in old, but still old, respectable old, the kind
of old that demanded respect, or something like that.
"You're not going anywhere until I've measured you," she said as she
stepped out onto the balcony. Buffy pulled the foot back and stood
straight. Bringing herself to her full height, but one stare from the
woman and it all crumbled.
"That's better, now come along dear," the woman said and walked back in.
Some measurements later Buffy had found out that the woman's name was
Jillian June, but most people around here just called her Auntie June. 
"So who's the lucky boy?" Auntie June asked as she was measuring Buffy's
bust.
"Who?" Buffy asked a little confused.
"The boy you were sneaking off to meet?" The older woman asked again
with a soft smile.
"Oho no I wasn't. I mean there is no boy." Buffy stuttered.
"Oho a girl then," June said as she took Buffy's wrist. "Lift!" 
Buffy gave a shocked look, before trying to stutter something in
response.
"Don't be so shocked dear, I've been around for awhile you know," the
older woman said as she measured the length of her arm.
"There! All done," she said after a long silence. "Go on I know you want
to," she said as Buffy's eyes wanderer to the balcony.
"You're not undying are you?" Buffy asked.
"No, afraid I'm just plain old human," June said with a smile. Buffy
nodded and bolted for the balcony.
"Young love, or in this case soon to be love," June muttered as she
watched Buffy jump down from the balconies before leaving the room.

*~*~*~*

Three hours later Buffy had found no sight of Willow and as she dusted
yet another mortally challenged person she gave thought to just going
back to the mansion.
Sure are a lot of them around for this time of year. I thought Daniel
had this place under control. Buffy was so deep into her thoughts that
she didn't noticed the green cloaked figure who floated in the shadows.
"Great, more soon-to-be-dust straight ahead," she muttered and she was
almost upon them when she felt hands around her neck.
"Hey!" she yelled as she threw the attacker over her head. Amazingly the
attacker somehow managed to land on his feat.
"You are a strong one," he commented. 
"And you're dust," she said and threw a stake that the attacker just
grabbed.
"I am afraid that is not going to work," he stated as the vampires Buffy
had sensed earlier came up behind him and Buffy kicked into fighting
mode.
"How do you want it?" she asked. "Fast or slow?"
"Phu-lease, you won't even get close," the man said and waved his hand
in front of his face.
"Just wait and see," Buffy said and charged them. 
One, two, three went down, but the group was still large. Four, five,
six and still there was no end in sight. Seven, eight. Then all of a
sudden the battle stopped and a booming voice could be heard echoing
through the street:
"Get away from her!" it thundered and a green cloaked figure stepped out
onto the street and clouds started gathering around the moon behind her.

"Or what?" the leader asked. There was a smile under the hood and green
eyes could be seen flaring. Then a small pale hand appeared from under
the cloak and made a gesture.
"Something like this," The figure stated in a calm voice.
The leader muttered something along the lines of: "Oh crap," and then
felt something slam against his chest, half a heartbeat later he was
flying through the air. Morphing into a bird as he went and then soared
into the night sky.
"Damn!" The cloaked figure muttered and turned her gaze upon the
vampires surrounding Buffy.

Buffy found herself staring at the cloaked figure who'd just saved her
neck, or at least saved her from some serious trouble. The figure stood
tall, maybe three inches taller than she did, the cloak which she wore
was green, lined with gold and those eyes that seemingly shone from
under. Buffy thoughts where cut short when she felt a blow to her head.

The cloaked figure watched as Buffy was knocked out, the vampire in
question quickly found a piece of exquisitely carved wood sticking out
off its chest. Then the battle begun anew. One vampire found itself on
the receiving end of a fireball, another lost its head to an animated
blade, two fell to a single word.
"Pyro," The cloaked figure muttered and the last seemingly fell by a
sweep of a hand from the cloaked figure.

Then all was quiet and the moon shone once again on the street. The
figure knelt by Buffy's side and pulled back the hood revealing silver
streaked red hair and soft features. Running her palm gently across
Buffy's face, Buffy's eyes fluttered open.
"Willow?" she whispered.
"Hello Buffy," Willow said a soft voice.
"The vamps?" Buffy asked.
"Gone," Willow said with a small smile, happy to see that her friend was
safe.
"You?" Buffy asked.
"Guess so. Come on lets get you off this cold street," Willow said and
heaved Buffy off the ground with ease.
"You okay," she asked, as she watched Buffy steady herself.
"Fine," she said looking at the dust on the ground. "Your stake," she
muttered as she carefully bent down and picked up the decorated stake,
turning it over in her hands.
"It's magical if that's what you're wondering," Willow said as she
pulled the hood back on. Buffy looked at Willow's cloaked face.
"What happened Willow?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" Willow asked back.
"All this," Buffy said as she swept her hand across the ground. 
"I grew up. I came here to do just that," Willow answered.
"You did it awfully fast," Buffy commented.
"This all began long before I came here," Willow stated.
"When?" Buffy asked.
"Don't know for sure. When Oz left, maybe even sooner," Willow said and
looked into Buffy's eyes and there was a long drawn out silence.
"Why did you leave?" Buffy asked finally.
"I live in different world now. My life is more complex, hell I am more
complex," she burst out and then lowered her voice down to a whisper.
"And I thought what I had become would scare you away," she added.
"Willow." Buffy said and reached out to touch her.
"Don't, please," Willow said as she flinched away.
"Why are you doing this?" Buffy asked tears welling up in her eyes. "I
thought you were my friend, my best friend," she said.
"I am and I'll always be, it's just that." Willow said and the ground
became very interesting.
"What Willow, please tell me." Buffy said gently stroking Willow's
cheek.
"I don't trust myself around you," Willow whispered.
"You what?" Buffy asked a little too loud.
"I don't trust myself around YOU!" Willow screamed and threw up her
hands. Clouds gathered in the night sky. There was a thunder and then
the rain poured down. The wind blew up, blowing back the cloak and the
hood, revealing wild green eyes and flowing red hair and as quickly as
it all began it stopped. That said Willow grabbed Buffy and kissed her
hard and long.

Buffy couldn't believe her ears and then there was wind and rain and
then Willow, sweet caring Willow, crushing her lips against her own.
Buffy felt hands slide up her back as she struggled to make sense of the
things running through her. Then she felt an almost electric jolt shoot
through her as Willow broke the kiss.
"I need time?" Willow whispered as she collapsed against her.
"I can give you that?" Buffy whispered back as she stroked her friends
wet hair.
"You wouldn't be my Buffy if you didn't?" she said and leaned closer.
"I have to go now," she whispered after a few minutes.
"I know and I'll be here when you're ready," Buffy whispered back and
Willow pulled back and took Buffy's hands in her own.
"You won't have to wait forever I promise," Willow said.
"I know," Buffy whispered.
"Before I go," Willow said, slit her palms together and pulled out a
crystal tear glistening on a golden chain.
"A reminder," she said and laid it in Buffy's hand and with that she was
gone.
Buffy sighed as she looked down at the tear. She held up the tear and
when it spun Willow's face seemed to appear inside it. Buffy smiled, her
friend was safe.
"I love you Willow," she whispered into the night and she could have
sworn she felt a finger on her cheek for just a moment and then it was
gone.

The wind carried the whisper down the street. Willow looked back from
the shadows and smiled.
"I love you too Buffy, more than you could ever imagine," she whispered
back and then disappeared as mist.

To Be Continued.