FIC: Royalty Redux (Chapter 9)

["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 any 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 taken 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 9: Inner Fires


Willow had carefully wrapped her arms around Buffy, when the Slayer's
eyes snapped open.
"Buffy," Willow gasped as Buffy pushed her away.
"You lied to me!" Buffy whispered. Willow looked at her friend with
sadness in her eyes. "I saw everything, the battles, the training. all
the secrets." Buffy paused as a tear ran down her cheek. ".the lovers."
"Buffy I." Willow began.
"Don't say anything, just don't." Buffy said holding up her hand.
"I never meant, I mean I didn't fully realize until recently that.,"
Willow tried again.
"What that you're gay?" Buffy shouted as she sat up, the pain replaced
by burning anger.
"Buffy please don't," Willow whispered.
"Wasn't I good enough, you had to sneak away to get your kicks," Buffy
shouted.
"You were. are my best." Willow tried to explain as a tear ran down her
cheek.
"Then on top of all that you hide everything from me, I mean I'd
accepted the fact that you'd grown up but."
"I wanted to tell you." Willow pleaded, but Buffy blinded by anger and
the feel of utter betrayal didn't stop. Each of her words acted like
hammer blows to the carefully erected walls Willow had build in her mind
on the promise to always remain calm and in control. They were there to
keep her power in check and to keep her from doing harm to others.
".this, I mean how you could have done some of those things. seen and
not told me, I'm supposed to be your best friend."
"STOP IT!" Willow shouted. "You dare to accuse me?" she said in a
trembling voice. "I left because of you, I left to protect you!" Her
eyes flared up. "Do you even realize how much power I have," she shouted
as a faint glow seemed to come over her and outside a thunder could be
heard.
"Willow." Buffy whispered and for the first time in what seemed like
years she felt truly afraid.
"I left to spare you from what I've had to go through. The lovers were
something to ease the pain I felt because of you! I've seen things no
one should ever see, I know things that make the things in the Codex
look like fairytales. You think these streaks of silver are highlights
think again," Willow shouted, she lifted slightly from the bed.
"I."
"You know nothing," Willow said through gritted teeth and then Buffy
felt herself being pinned down. "You could have had me long before I
started down the road I now walk, no questions asked, I would have
forgiven you if you'd left by dawn, but you never saw it," Willow
shouted.
"Will." Buffy was cut off as she felt Willow forcefully enter her mind
and mouth. Hands caressing her, but the caresses weren't ones of love,
but born of rage, stored up anger and frustration.
"Willow please don't." Buffy pleaded as she tried to struggle and she
couldn't remember when she'd ever felt this helpless. Then salvation
arrived.
"Get off her!!" Spike bellowed out in utter outrage as he pulled Willow
off Buffy. "Have you completely lost your marbles Red?" he demanded as
Willow struggled in his grip.
"Spike let me go!" Willow commented and Buffy curled up into a fetal
position, as Willow broke out of Spike's grip.
"I don't want to fight you Red," he said solemnly. Willow drew a slender
sword from underneath her cloak.
"This isn't you Red. You don't hurt your friends," Spike said as Willow
struck, but the sound that was heard was one of clashing metal.
"Look who's talking," Willow hissed as the flames in her eyes flared and
her eyes turned completely green. Spike pushed her back and glanced at
Buffy, who lay curled up at the head of the bed, sobbing.

Spike felt the anger growing, but forced it down and attacked, moving
fast, catching Willow slender blade in one hand and brought the other to
her throat.
"Look what you've done!" Spike ordered in a low voice and forced Willow
to look at Buffy while blood ran down the blade of the sword onto the
floor. Buffy was curled up into a ball, the nightshirt June had dressed
her in was now torn in several places and there were claw marks visible
on her thighs. 
"Take a good long look at your handy work," he said as Giles burst
through the door. Willow dropped the sword and looked down at her hands,
the flames in her eyes fading.
"Get out!" Giles hissed after he'd examined Buffy's tear-streaked and
terror-stricken face. Willow didn't move she just stared down at her
hands.
"Get the hell out of here before I do something I might regret, which at
this moment is doubtful," Giles said in an eerily calm voice and half
drew the dark blade from its sheath. Willow looked up at Giles and then
at Spike and finally at Buffy. She then closed her eyes and was gone.
"What the hell happened here?" Giles demanded.
"The reason she didn't wish to see you," June said as she quietly
entered the room again.
"What do you mean?" Spike asked as he wrapped up his hand, the blade was
one of magic and therefore the wound was permanent.
"I was approached by Willows mentor after I left the room, she told me
something important," June said as Giles gathered Buffy into his arms
and started rocking her back and forth.
"The green glow," Spike said as he rubbed his chin.
"Among other things, it would seem that your friends powers are not
growing hand in hand with her control. So when her control over her
emotions broke. sadly to say your friend didn't do this to Elisabeth,"
June said softly.
"Well it bloody well looked that way to me," Giles said as Buffy began
to cry into his shoulder.
"No, she was overcome by her power. It brought everything to the
surface, every hidden emotion, every primal wanting," June said in
solemn voice. Buffy's sobs got louder and Spike growled as his honor
and, strangely, his demon, both demanded revenge.
"I'll make her sorry she was ever born," he said in full game face and
picked up the blade Willow had dropped.
"You will do no such thing," Anya stated as she marched into the room
with Xander following close behind.
"Anya?" Spike stated in disbelief.
"Buffy!" Xander shouted as he ran into the room, dropping his fighting
staff along the way. Spike glanced outside, the guards were standing up,
looking rather angry, but he motioned for them to stand down.
"I told you I'd be needed," she said as she extended her hand. "Give me
the sword," she stated and the pair glared at each other for a moment
Spike reluctantly handed it over.
"What will you do now?" Spike asked.
"I'll go and find Willow. Then we'll sit down and talk. If that doesn't
work I'll just have to knock some sense into her" Anya said with a
smile.
"How about we skip the first part?" Xander suggested, but there was no
humor in his voice as he looked up, only anger and hurt. Willow had
been, was his friend, but he'd never thought her capable of something
like this.
"Xander stay with Buffy, she'll need to have her friends around her,"
Anya said as she turned to leave.
"Let me send some guards with you," Giles suggested.
"No Giles. I will go alone, no reason to scare Willow further," she
explained and left.
"Well that was unexpected," Giles said and carefully laid Buffy's now
sleeping form down on the bed.
"What do we do now?" Xander asked looking between the two.
"They won't kill Daniel until the time is right. Which is in a month or
so," Giles said.
"We take control," Spike stated simply. "The clans will need leadership
in the Princes absence and we're it," he explained as he picked up the
parchment on the nightstand.
"How? We have no authority." Giles began.
"Leave that to me. Politics are my game," Spike said with cocky grin
then glanced at Buffy and left.
"Xander?" Giles asked.
"I'm staying with Buffy," Xander said firmly.
"Of course and June please take care of her?" Giles said and checked the
guns and stakes in his coat.
"You're leaving?" Both Xander and June asked.
"Someone has to protect the city tonight," he stated as he took of his
glasses then bent down and kissed Buffy's forehead.
"You're not going to do anything stupid are you Giles?" Xander asked and
got no reply since Giles had already gone. "At least call Faith or
something!" he shouted after the Watcher.

To Be Continued.