A Feast Fit for a Halliwell

Piper pushed open the front door and they were assaulted by the smells from the kitchen. Before Piper could even put down her car keys Melinda sprinted down the stairs, followed closely by Rachel, Melissa, Chelsea and Hannah.

"You forgot to pick me up from practice," Melinda informed her mother, sounding very upset.

"I'm sorry sweetheart. We lost track of time," Piper apologized, ushering the ever-growing mass of people around her into the kitchen.

"Sure," Melinda grumbled.

"Paige, Phoebe," Piper called out. Her sisters appeared in the doorway to the sun room.

"You're home. Great!" Phoebe said, getting ready to enlist her older sister's aid in finishing up preparation for dinner.

"There hasn't been any demon attacks here have there?" Piper asked.

"No. Why would there be?" Paige asked.

"Because we got attacked by two in the apartment," Wyatt answered his aunt.

"Apartment? What apartment?" Mel queried, eyeing her brother.

"I moved out of the Manor," Wyatt told her. She looked hurt.

"Don't give me the sad face," Wyatt whined, pulling his baby sister to him in a forceful bear hug.

"You're leaving me with him," she huffed, nodding her head in Chris' direction.

"It's not like I won't be around," he promised.

"I think we need to talk about this demon issue…as a family," Phoebe suggested. Piper nodded and the group moved to the living room. Henry Jr. was sitting next to Paisley on the couch, going over subtraction problems. Coop and Henry were seated across from each other, playing what appeared to be a heated game of chess.

"We're calling a family meeting," Phoebe announced. Everyone looked up from what they were doing.

"What's wrong?" Henry asked, looking at Paige nervously.

"There's been a demon attack," Piper answered him.

"Demons? I thought they like all suffocated in the Underworld or something," Henry Jr. remarked.

"Well they came up for air today," Chris muttered, leaning against the wall.

"Do you think it was a random attack?" Coop inquired.

"I don't think so. The demon we vanquished said he was a messenger. We never heard his message," Wyatt answered his uncle.

"Well everyone needs to be on the lookout," Phoebe instructed the nine cousins.

"Meeting adjourned," Piper said with a nod of her head.

Unknown to the family gathered in the other room, a demon shimmered into the kitchen, eyeing the food laid out. With a wicked grin, he removed a pouch from his belt and poured the contents into his hand. He blew it over the food. He smiled to himself. Meris would pleased. He'd spent hours concocting the powder to transport just the children. They would be easy bait where they were going. Footsteps alerted the demon to the fact that he needed to make a speedy exit. He looked over the food once more, satisfied that the powder had mixed with the dishes before shimmering out.

"Everybody at the table," Piper was saying as she and her sisters moved the large spread of food to the table. The family of fifteen and Penny sat down and after a quick blessing dug in.

"Pass the gravy please," Phoebe asked of Melinda. Her niece flicked her wrist and the gravy boat slid across the table to her aunt. Piper had always been glad that at least one of their children had inherited Prue's powers. It kept her alive in their hearts.

"This is really good, Mom," Hannah informed her mother.

"Thank you honey," Paige thanked her youngest daughter.

"Paisley, you need to eat your chicken," Coop instructed the seven-year-old.

"I don't like it," she whined.

"Here we go again," Phoebe groaned under her breath.

"Why not? Mommy makes it at home all the time," Coop continued, trying to get her to eat.

"Mommy's doesn't taste like this," Paisley answered, pushing it around with her fork.

Across the table, Wyatt took a big bite of mashed potatoes and gravy. He swallowed and had to grip the table.

"Wyatt? Are you ok?" Penny asked, giving her boyfriend a nervous look. He didn't have time to answer before he simply disappeared.

"That can't be good," Leo remarked, stating the blatantly obvious.

"I thought the potatoes were good," Chris voiced before he too disappeared.

"Ok…no one, eat the potatoes," Piper ordered. Just then Chelsea elicited a gasp as her brother disappeared right next to her.

"What did he just eat?" Paige asked.

"Green beans," Melinda answered, growing pale as she too vanished.

"No potatoes, no green beans," Paige added to the list.

"And apparently no rolls either," Leo added as Hannah took a bite and disappeared.

"Where's Paisley?" Phoebe asked, seeing that her youngest had disappeared as well.

"Maybe she was right about the chicken," Coop suggested with a shrug.

"So is the only that's safe the carrots?" Henry asked.

"I'm thinking not," Penny interjected as Rachel, Melissa and Chelsea disappeared.

The remaining seven people stared at the nine empty seats in stunned silence. They'd all put down their forks and knives and pushed their plates away, waiting to disappear as well.

"Why aren't we disappearing?" Coop asked, looking from Piper to Phoebe to Paige.

"I have no idea," Piper said, frustration and fear evident in her voice.

"Alright…we have to stay calm. Everyone up to the attic. I have a feeling we're going to need the Book of Shadows," Phoebe instructed. They all slowly rose and headed up to the attic.

Down in the Underworld, the demon that poisoned the food stood beside Meris. They were peering into a pool that was split in two. One half showed the goings on in the Manor. The other revealed the Halliwell children appearing in medieval England.

"Everything is proceeding according to plan, My Queen," the demon said.

"Good. Keep it that way," Meris ordered before sitting back on her throne.

Wyatt looked around, counting heads. All nine of them were there and dressed in medieval clothing. He felt a hand clutch his and looked down to see Paisley clinging to him for dear life.

"Wyatt, where the hell are we?" Chris asked before he started laughing at how ridiculous his brother looked.

"When I find out, I'll let you know. And stop laughing because you look just as stupid," Wyatt snapped.

"We need to get out of the open," Henry suggested, taking his sisters by the arms.

"Good idea. Everybody needs to stay together," Wyatt ordered. Chris wrapped his arms around Melinda and Rachel. Melissa clung to her older sister's arm.

"Wyatt, I'm scared," Paisley whimpered.

"It's ok Pais. We'll keep you safe," Wyatt assured the child, squeezing her hand.

"How about in here," Melinda suggested, pointing to a pub. Wyatt led the group through the entry way and somehow managed to find a table big enough for the nine of them. Paisley climbed onto her cousin's lap. Melinda and Rachel sat between Wyatt and Chris while the other three girls crammed themselves in-between Wyatt and Henry Jr. A bar maid moved towards them, eying them suspiciously.

"How may I serve thee, good sirs?" she asked, addressing only the boys.

"Uh...just water, thanks," Wyatt said. She gave him a unsure look but left to retrieve their drinks.

"Hey dumbass, we don't have any money to pay for anything," Chris hissed at his brother.

"I know that jackass. I'll figure something out," Wyatt snapped backed.

"You guys might want to keep the swearing down. I don't think they swore like that back…wherever we are," Melinda chided.

"Would the fair lady wish to dance?" a drunken man who appeared to be in his late twenties crooned at Rachel.

"Ew, no you pig," she said back, wrinkling her nose.

"That's no way for a lady so beautiful to speak. Come dance," he ordered this time.

"She said she didn't want to dance," Henry Jr. spat at the man.

"How dare you," the drunk slurred.

"I challenge you good sir," the man sitting next to the drunk.

"Challenge me to what?" Henry asked, glaring at the pair.

"Archery. If I win, she dancing with my friend," the second man answered.

"And if I win?" Henry asked with a raised brow.

"We shall leave the lady in your company," he said matter-of-factly.

Henry turned to his sister and caught Wyatt's eye. 'Be careful' he mouthed at his younger cousin. He received a nod from Chris as well.

"Fine, I accept your challenge," he said, standing. The other eight Halliwells rose as well.

"Very well then," his competitor said, leading his friend out of the pub. The cousins followed, staying in a close knot until they reached an abandoned archery field.

"You sure you can do this?" Rachel asked her cousin.

"I have no idea," Henry admitted.

"You'd better win or I'm so kicking your ass when we get back to our time," she hissed.

"I trust you know the rules of the game," the man addressed the sixteen-year-old.

"Yeah. Shoot the arrow and hope to shit you get it in the bulls' eye," Henry answered as he accepted a bow and quiver of arrows.

"I shall go first," the man announced, placing the arrow on the bow, aligning himself with the target clear across the edge of the field and let the arrow fly. It stuck a few feet into the ground in front of the target.

"Nice shot," Henry muttered sarcastically as he lined up his arrow. It actually hit the target.

"Nice doing business with you," he said with a smirk as he began to walk away.

"Not so fast young sir," the man hissed under his breath as he sent an arrow hurtling straight towards Henry's back.

"Henry!" Chris shouted as he telekinetically deflected the arrow moments before it made contact. He grabbed his cousin by the arm and dragged him away from the men as quickly as he could.

"Running won't save you boy!" the man shouted, sending arrows reigning down on the retreating group. Wyatt's shield surrounded the family, the arrows bouncing off.

Behind the men, Meris appeared, fireballs vanquishing the demons. She watched the group as they retreated into an alley. They had failed her but she would not be disappointed again.

"I didn't know demons existed in the past," Melissa said, out of breath.

"They exist as long as good magic exists," Wyatt answered, setting Paisley down.

"Thanks for having my back," Henry thanked Chris.

"It's what family is for," Chris replied.

"We need to figure out how to get out of here," Hannah remarked, looking around them nervously.

"There!" a female voice shouted. A tall man in a suit of armor followed a woman who turned out to be the bar maid from the pub.

"Uh oh…we forgot to pay," Chris muttered to Wyatt.

"Shit," he cursed as the pair rounded on them.

"That is the young knight who refused payment," the bar maid accused.

"Look…I was going to pay for it…just…this guy challenged my cousin to an archery contest and really…I'll pay you," Wyatt said hastily, searching his pockets. The only thing he came up with…was the engagement ring he had bought for Penny.

"Here, take this. It's really valuable," Wyatt said, thrusting the object at the woman.

"You can't give her that! Mom's already going to kill for spending a shit load," Chris protested.

"I'll buy her another one," Wyatt shot back.

"We will fight for payment of this fair lady," the knight said, his voice reverberating in his helmet.

"Were you not paying attention? I just gave her payment!" Wyatt shouted at the man. Suddenly a chain mail covered hand wrapped around Wyatt's tunic front.

"I did not accept the payment. You will pay with your life," he sneered.

"You can't be serious. It was for a glass of water," Chris protested.

"Chill. I can handle this," Wyatt said in a hushed tone as the other man drew his sword.

"Genius, you don't have a sword," Chris spat back.

"Well our powers work so this should too," his older brother whispered. He closed his eyes and summoned Excalibur. The legendary sword appeared.

"Give me your best shot, tough guy," Wyatt called. The knight lunged forward but Wyatt met his advance. They battled back and forth, almost dancing around each other like boxers before Wyatt managed to get his sword past the other knight's, piercing his stomach.

"Ah," the man cried out as he burst into flame.

"More demons!" Chelsea cried, grabbing Paisley's hand tightly.

"Thank you," the bar maid said, approaching Wyatt. She gave him the ring back.

"Excuse me?" Wyatt asked, staring at her in confusion.

"He has been plaguing our village for some time. You have killed him. Come you must be rewarded," she said, dragging the twenty-year-old with her. The rest of the family followed. She led them through the streets to a large castle. She marched right past the guards who seemed not to care. They entered the Grand Hall and a large table was set before them.

"Come, you must be hungry after your battle," she said, leading Wyatt to the center of the table.

"It does look good," he murmured. The rest of the Halliwells filled in around him. Paisley scooted closer to Chris.

"Enjoy," the bar maid said before retreating out of the room. Once the doors were closed, she turned and clutched her chest as she stared at Meris.

"My Queen you startled me," the maid said softly.

"He vanquished the knight just as you said he would," she added.

"Good. Now all they have to do is taste the food and they shall fall victim to the poison," Meris murmured with an evil grin on her lips.

Back in the Hall, the family of nine stared at the food. It seemed somehow familiar. Paisley reached out her hand to pick up a fork and pulled her hand away.

"What's wrong?" Chris whispered.

"Don't eat it. It's poison," she said back, looking terrified just as Wyatt stuck a piece of chicken in his mouth.

"Spit it out!" Chris shouted but he was too late. Wyatt gasped and fell back, going ghostly white.

"No one else eat anything. This is why it seems so familiar. There must have been something that poisoned the food back in our time," Chris explained.

He bent down over Wyatt and placed his hands over his brother's chest. Nothing happened. Why wasn't anything happening? He concentrated harder and still nothing. Why did their other powers work but he couldn't heal? Just then the doors opened and the bar maid entered.

"Is everything to your liking?" she asked sweetly.

"Don't make me vanquish your sorry ass bitch," Chris snarled as he stood up. He sent her telekinetically into the wall.

"Melinda, start coming up with a spell to get out of here," he ordered his sister. She closed her eyes, trying to think of a spell. The maid got up, straightening her clothes.

"That is no way to treat a lady," she hissed, sending a fireball his way. It disappeared in orbs, colliding with a wall instead.

"Thanks Chels," he said.

"Don't thank me just yet," she told him as another fire ball came soaring past them.

"That's it," Chris howled, sending the woman high in the air before he spotted a spear in a suit of armor.

"Chelsea, orb that spear to the middle of the room," Chris ordered. Moments later it was done. He let the woman drop, vanquishing her instantly.

"You have that spell Mel?" he asked as he rounded up the rest of the family.

"Yeah," she answered, holding out a piece of napkin she'd written the spell on.

"Everyone together," he said. They all chanted together.

Power of the witches rise
Course unseen across the skies
Return us to when we will find
Where we left in space and time

They were consumed in white lights just as Meris entered. She gave an aggravated growl as she shimmered out. The group of nine reappeared in the attic, all tumbling over each other. The adults looked up and rushed forward.

"Thank God you're alright," Phoebe gasped, pulling Paisley to her.

"Not all of us," Chris answered, bending over his brother once more. This time the healing worked and Wyatt coughed.

"What happened?" Wyatt asked.

"The food was poisoned," Chris answered, helping him to his feet.

"Where were you?" Piper demanded.

"In medieval times. Demons are definitely back on the prowl," Chris announced as Wyatt set Excalibur back into the stone.

"Now all we have to do is figure out who is behind it and stop them," Wyatt murmured.

"At least you all came back," Penny said, wrapping her arms around Wyatt.

"What I don't get is why none of us got sent back in time," Leo wondered aloud.

"I think whatever demon was behind this worked it so that only the nine of us were affected," Melinda said.

"Well all that matters is you're safe," Paige concluded, wrapping her arms around all three of her children.