Summary: Buffy wakes to find herself not in Kansas or Sunnydale, anymore...
Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Joss Whedon, GOD of all
things Buffy. I am merely an emulator of his all mighty greatness. Hee.
Time Frame: After "The Gift", consider this your spoiler warning!
Rating: PG to PG-13: for adult language and content.
" O God! I could be bounded in a nutshell, and count myself a king of
infinite space,were it not that I have bad dreams."
- Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2
She moves swiftly towards consciousness, her movements in sleep hindered,
as if she is under water. A heavy weight seems to rest on her chest,
pressing down harder and harder until the air is forced completely from her
lungs. With a gasp of alarm, a harsh and desperate intake of air- Buffy
Summers sits bolt upright in her bed and screams.
Breathing quickly, she put a hand to her chest, as if to feel for the
physical pressure of moments before. It's then that she notices the bed that
she is in, is not her own. The sheets of creme satin, and coverlet of heavy
red velvet barely cover her deshabile. Involuntarily, she pulls the bedding
closer as she looks about the room that is clearly nowhere near her own.
A discreet tap at the door, distracts her from her perusal of the acres of
bed that are visible in the minimal light. Before she can even find her
voice to answer, the door swings open and a bustling figure swathed in black
robes enters with a tray in hand.
"Mistress, it's time to meet the day" a familiar voice says, as a tray
containing a cup of what appears to be hot chocolate and a scone is placed
on her lap. Staring dumbly at the tray, she is blinded when the heavy
curtains that have been blocking the morning light are thrown back and other
bustling figures enter the room.
"Um..." she begins, her voice cracking as she narrowed her eyes to slits to
see the woman at the window.
"Yes, mistress?" and the light glaring from behind threw her whole face into
shadow as she moved closer to the bedside and Buffy.
"I..." and her voice trailed off as she looked up into the warm, blue,
inquiring eyes of Tara.
"Tara?"
" Yes, mistress?" she asked quizzically, twitching her skirts. " You'd best
rise, Lady- the King and Queen await you."
" I don't understand, Tara. There was a fight, and Dawn was bleeding and I
fell, and I...I died." Buffy answered on a whisper, pulling her feet up to
her chest,holds herself a moment before hissing. "I died AGAIN!"
" My Lady, I am sure it was but a dream, " Tara responded with a humoring
smile as she stroked Buffy's arm. "Come you must dress, your Lady Mother is
expecting you in the Great Hall."
"My Mother...?" Buffy looked up suddenly in horror and shakes her head. "no,
that can't be."
Tara was nodding as she pulled Buffy from the bed and thrust her toward the
gathering ladies who were gathered around a steaming tub of water.
"I assure you, Lady, it IS so, and you must hurry or we shall be late."
******
The sojourn in the tub was a whirlwind of activity as the ladies dressed
her hair and chattered around her. Buffy sat in a daze, still unable to
interact, her mind unable to comprehend. This had to be a dream....or something
worse. Resolving to find out, Buffy steeled herself and turned to face Tara,
who stood with a large blanket to recieve her when she stepped from the tub.
"Tara, where are we?" she finally asked preparing herself for the worst.
"Lady, do you toy with me?" Tara asked as she dried her off and began to
pull an underdress over her head. " We are in Denmark, where else would we be?"
" Hello? Sunnydale???" Buffy answered, her reply muffled as a black overdress
was thrown over head and the lacing began.
" Lady, I know not of where you speak?" Tara replied, as she stepped back to
survey her handiwork. Circling around she twitched the skirts in place as the
other ladies-in-waiting added jewelry to Buffy's hair and neck.
" I don't understand, how long have I been here?" Buffy asked as her lacing was redone
on one sleeve at Tara's direction. Annoyed she waved the woman off as soon as she finished
to follow Tara out of the room, skirts trailing the stone floor behind her.
" Lady, you have been here your entire life, of course" Tara said, and then stopped to
look more closely at Buffy. " Are you feeling well? You've not been yourself since your
return from Wittenberg for your father's funeral. Is all well with you Lady?" She put
both hands to cup Buffy's face and meet her gaze.
Frustrated and flustered, Buffy pulled back, pulling Tara's hands away with her own. Her
heart sank at the mention of her father's death. But her mother was alive? Surely there
was some mistake. It all suddenly became overwhelming,the room started to spin a moment
and she stepped back dizzily, a hand to the stone wall beside her to steady yourself.
Tara reached out, but Buffy pulled back.
"Don't touch me!"
Instantly contrite, Tara stepped back primly.
"Yes, of course, Lady. However, we must be going to meet your Lady Mother and the King."
Buffy leaned back against the wall. Gathering her thoughts, and some strength from the
cold stone wall supporting her, she closed her eyes. In her mind's eye, she saw her sister
dripping blood, and a huge hole being rent in the sky. She knew that she had gone into
that space in place of her sister, exchanging her life for Dawn's. She remembered, standing
at the grave of her mother, feeling more empty than she ever thought possible. She could see
herself, letting Riley go and never saying goodbye. She thought of Angel, and how they made
love for the first time. And of Giles, who had supported her through everything and Willow
and Xander and Tara....
Her eyes snapped open. Tara stood looking at her curiously, respecting her wishes to not
be touched. Tara was in this place. If she was, then perhaps the others would be too. Together
they would solve this riddle and somehow she would get back to Sunnydale. In the meantime, it
would be in her best interest to play along. Stilling a moment she recalled something very
important. Her MOTHER was waiting.
"Tara, take me to my mother."
(more to follow)
