Thanks – Special thanks go to Diana Renee,
for all her help and patience Beta reading this story, pointing out problems
and solutions and all in all making this a better story.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Willow’s
eyes opened slowly, her mind was a complete blank, she yawned and stretched
feeling rested and completely relaxed for the first time since Buffy got sick.
“Oh
no Buffy!” Willow gasped and bolted up remembering her best friend’s serious
condition and the shape she was in when Willow saw her last.
“Be
calmed little one,” a soothing female voice told her, a warm soft hand touched
her shoulder. “Your beloved is resting quietly in another room. The sister of
my soul watches over her.”
Willow
felt a warm comforting feeling spread throughout her body from the hand. She
looked over and was mesmerized by what she saw. Seated next to the bed was the
most serenely beautiful woman Willow had ever seen. She was wearing white gown
with an emerald green cloak held by a pair of silver swan clasps at her throat.
Her long softly shining blonde hair hung to her waist. She had flawless soft
white skin and wore a compassionate caring smile on her full sensuous red lips,
but her eyes were the feature that held Willow’s attention.
They
were a pale grayish blue like crystal clear bottomless pools that seemed to
glow with their own soft light. Willow felt drawn into them letting them wash
away all her cares and sorrows. The woman had an air of grace and elegance
about her that made even the simple rocking chair she was sitting in seem like
a throne.
“What? Where?
How?” Willow stammered confused.
“All
fine questions.” The woman said with an amused smile. “And they will be
answered soon, but first rise and refresh yourself. We have replaced your
soiled apparel and when you are ready I will take you to see your beloved.”
“Ah...okay”
Willow said stunned and more than a little confused. Willow slid out the bed
followed as the woman showed her where the bath was.
“Pull
the bell cord when you are ready and I will return to take you to the one you
wish to see,” the woman said as she left.
Willow
heard the door close and looked around the large bathroom amazed by what she
saw. Everything was exactly the way Willow had it at home only on a larger
scale. The bath water was hot and scented with the perfect combination of oils
and herbs for her. Even the soaps and perfumes were all Willow's favorites. It
was kind of spooky but not in a bad way.
When
Willow was finished she reentered the bedroom and found a new set of clothes
laid out for her on the bed. As she put them on Willow was impressed by the
quality and intricate workmanship of each article. There were of course the
normal undergarments but the rest were anything but normal at least for
Willow's century.
There
was a long dark green velvet gown that nearly reached the floor, a pair of soft
leather slippers, and a long green cloak like the woman had been wearing but
with pentagram clasps instead of swans. To her further surprise everything fit
perfectly.
Willow
couldn’t help it she just had to look in the mirror. She almost didn’t
recognize her own reflection; she looked like a picture out of one of Giles’
medieval books. She stopped staring at herself and forced herself back to the
matters at hand. She pulled the bell cord she’d been shown and almost instantly
there was a knock on her door.
“Come
in,” Willow called out.
The
door opened and the woman stepped in. “Is everything to your liking?” she
asked.
“It's
perfect.” Willow replied then added, “except for one thing.”
“What
is that?” the woman asked with genuine concern.
“What
do I call you?” Willow asked “I mean ‘Hey you’ just doesn’t seem right and
after all you've done for us and ‘ma’am’ seems a little too impersonal.”
A
smile lit up the woman's face and her lyrical laugh seemed to fill the air.
“I
suppose we have not been properly introduced, but in truth we have done little
for you,” she began, then paused as if considering the best way to phrase her
answer. “However to answer your question at the time of my calling I was known
as Brigit though I have not heard that name for quite some time but it will do
for now.”
“Okay
Brigit,” Willow said. “You did say something about going to see Buffy.”
“As
you wish.” Brigit said then warned, “Before we go you should know we are unable
to cure the Chosen One. We have halted the progress of the ailment and she is
sleeping peacefully without pain, but she is no better and her infirmity is
apparent so do not be shocked by her appearance.”
“Ah...okay
so can I go see her now.” Willow persisted.
“Certainly
little one.” Brigit said calmly. “Come with me.”
She
led Willow through the door and down a long marble hallway. After passing
several large iron bound doors Brigit came to a stop at huge door with an
intricate silver hexmark on it. She knocked and ushered Willow through the
somewhat intimidating doorway announcing their arrival. Willow looked around
the room amazed at its size.
Her
gaze stopped when it reached the over sized bed in the center of the room,
Lying
in the middle of the bed propped up on pillows was the center of Willow’s
universe. Buffy was covered with a large fluffy looking bright red and silver
comforter. A heart-wrenching sob escaped Willow’s lips when she saw how small
and frail her normally strong and healthy friend looked in the huge bed.
Her
skin was pale and drawn making her bones protrude and her cheeks hollow, the
circles under her eyes were so dark it looked as if someone had beaten her.
Willow ran to the bed. “Oh Buffy what have I done?” Willow sobbed, “Why can’t I
heal you?”
“Perhaps
that is something we should discuss,” a man's deep voice said from behind her.
“Among other things.”
Willow
turned and came face to face with the man from the night before in the
clearing. He was still wearing the long gray robes and was still as impressive
as before.
Those
shining hazel eyes seemed to look straight into her soul and saw her every
secret.
“Who
are you?” Willow demanded, amazed at her own audacity.
He
smiled at her. “All will be answered soon my child,” he said his warm soft voice
filling her mind. “Come with me and we will explore your questions and possibly
find the answers you seek.”
Willow
tore her eyes away from the man’s hypnotic gaze and looked back at her
unconscious friend.
“No”
she said adamantly, “I won’t leave my Buffy.” It was a statement, not an
argument or request.
“I
will care for your other half,” replied a husky female voice.
Willow
looked toward this new voice and saw a shockingly beautiful and exotic looking
woman stepped out of a shadowed alcove. The first thing Willow noticed about
this new comer was her fiery red hair that fell in a wild cascade of waves and
curls to just past her shoulders. She was wearing a black leather tunic trimmed
with silver Celtic knot work over a dark blue knee length dress and knee high
leather boots. Hanging from her belt were two long silver dirks their handles
looked worn with constant use.
Her
smoky green eyes seemed to take in everything without ever breaking their
contact with Willow. That combined with the cat like grace of her movements and
her strong white teeth that flashed when she smiled gave her a feral predatory
look the exact opposite of Brigit.
“We
must talk,” the man said. “We won’t go far I promise. Nothing will happen to
her with Morrigan watching over her.”
Willow
looked from Morrigan to Brigit to the man and back again, she was confused and
very worried about Buffy.
“I
give you my oath; nothing will happen to your other half while she is under my
protection,” Morrigan said quietly, with a steel edge voice.
The
young girl’s mind suddenly flashed on an image of warrior standing tall on a
battlefield-but instead of Morrigan’s face the warrior had Buffy's.
“I
guess that’s okay.” Willow said unsure but something in the back of her mind
was telling her to trust these unusual people and that little voice had never
been wrong.
“Good,
please come with me.” he said, “we will be just outside.”
He
led her outside into a large tree filled courtyard in the center of which was a
small fountain surrounded by stone tables with benches. He chose one on the
sunny side of the fountain. Willow sat down opposite him and looked around in
wonder.
There
were trees and flowers of all kinds all around. There were birds and other
wildlife some that Willow saw she knew to be extinct. When the man sat down a
huge raven flew down and landed on his shoulder.
They
sat quietly for a few moments drinking in the peaceful beauty of their
surroundings storing the memory for later more turbulent times. Something was
tugging at the fringes of Willow’s mind, something about these people and this
place. Just as she was about to confront the man Brigit came out caring a large
silver tray filled with fresh fruit three glasses and a pitcher.
“Eat
child,” the man said. “Enjoy the Earth mother’s gifts.”
“The
meade too little one.” Brigit added “It will strengthen you for what lies
ahead.”
“Thank
you,” Willow said taking a sip of the potent liquid “This is really good."
Willow
savored the sweet honey aftertaste as the warmth of the meade flowed through
her body. Brigit smiled at her and she felt the warm spring sunshine in that
smile.
Brigit
sat down at the end of the bench and Willow gasped when a huge, shaggy gray
wolf padded over sat down next to the woman and began nuzzling her hand
demanding attention.
“Now
is the time little one.” Brigit said absent-mindedly scratching the wolf's
ears. “Ask Lugh your questions.”
At
the mention of the mention of the man's name Willow's mind clicked and she
remembered where she'd heard the names before.
“Lugh!”
Willow choked out her eyes wide with surprise and disbelief “That means...you
are...this is...you can’t...”
The
man she now knew as Lugh smiled at her surprise and confusion, he held up a
hand to stop her verbal melt down.
“You
are remarkably well informed child.” Lugh began “You apparently have heard of
us.”
“Heard
of you...yes” Willow blurted out. “Your legends...gods even!”
“No
child not gods.” Lugh assured her. “We are as human as you and your friend in
there. We are merely well educated and trained in the ways of our kind.”
“What
is your kind?” Willow asked a little calmer, “Are you immortals? I’ve heard of
them.”
“No,
not immortals" Lugh said smiling at her amused at the girl's undeniable
curiosity.
“It
is this place. Long ago our people saw the need for our people to have a
sanctuary away from your world so using ancient and powerful magiks and
combining our talents this place was created. It does not exist on your plane
it is adjacent to your world but only we know how to part the veil that
separates our planes allowing us to go back and forth as necessary.” Lugh
stopped long enough to take a drink.
It
had been a long time since he had talked this much and his throat was parched.
“Others
created many legends and folk lore about us, I have heard most of them. The
truth however is much more mundane,” he continued. “It seems that when we
created this place there was a side effect no one had anticipated.”
Lugh
stopped again to get a drink from the tall glass goblet that Brigit kept
filled.
Willow
could hear the strain in his voice.
“You
see time as you know it does not exist here” Lugh resumed. “We have done many
tests some with dire consequences to learn the laws that rule this plane. Here
we do not age. So when the time comes for those of us with the calling must
enter your world we have not changed. People misunderstood and thought we were
more than we truly are. Eventually superstition being what it is people came to
think of us as gods, a title we neither seek nor want.”
“Okay
so this place must be....” Willow began knowing but not believing.
“Yes
child we have brought you and your friend to Teach Tu Danann” Lugh told her.
Willow
speechless, she had read some obscure legends of this place, never much because
of the lack of written history about the Druids and their beliefs.
“I
never had any idea this place could possibly exist.” Willow said once her brain
began to grasp what she’d just been told. "Everything, all the writings
were so vague."
“That
was not an accident my child.” We did not want to give the outside world too
many clues and it worked.” Lugh sighed softly, “but now we have been forced to
once again to come into direct contact with your world because of you and the
Chosen One.”
“Why?
What can you do to cure her?” Willow demanded hopefully “Is that why we’re
here?”
“All
in it’s time child..” Lugh said cryptically.
“Lugh!
Really were you never young?” Brigit scolded him softly then explained to
Willow “No, little we can not cure her. We can only halt the progress of the
affliction the demon caused. We have saved her life but we cannot cure it and
what you must know is that it has progressed much further than we knew. If a
cure is not given soon her soul will be released and with that the fate of your
world will be sealed.”
“Quite
true,” Lugh interrupted. “Let me explain a little history and maybe you will
better understand our dilemma.”
Alright
I’m listening." Willow said with far more confidence than she felt.
They
all three took a deep drink of the potent meade, then Lugh looked deep into
Willow's eyes capturing and holding them with his eerily glowing hazel orbs.
“Since
the way to spin a tale is from the beginning that is where I shall begin.” Lugh
said, his deep voice, and lyrical accent reassured Willow, and helped her relax
and absorb what he was saying. “Let us begin with the dawn of creation.”