Changing Destiny
Author's Note - In case anyone is curious, there is an un-named forest in the far southern part of the Misty Mountains on the western side and about 100 miles NE of Isengard. That is where the Slayers are calling home. Here's a link to a gorgeous, detailed and scaleable map that was used - http://www.lords-of-blah.nl/mearth/mearthmap.html
Author's Note 2 - Also FA, stands for First Age and SA stands for Second Age
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Chapter Four
Laer (June) 20th, FA 562
4 Days Later...
Slayer campsite, Early AfternoonWhen Galengaladh had returned to the came, this time he was to bring back both Lady Faith and Lady Buffy to Lord Phaerhuinë, something he did not look forward to. Quickly Galen found both women together by the fire and eating. "I come at Lord Phaerhuinë's command for both Lady Faith and Lady Buffy to meet him today at their pleasure."
Buffy eyed the 'messenger' carefully, seeing the well crafted armor he wore and weapons by his side. "Let us finish our meal before we travel to meet your lord, messenger."
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Quickly enough Buffy and Faith arrived at the building that Faith had described to her, the room had no roof and was a combination of stonewalls and nature intertwined. Large trees made their home inside the building, even as she saw a stone dais towards the back of the room, with a throne that seemed to be part tree and part stonework. Sitting on the throne Buffy saw a man, An Elf really! her mind added, who would be tall if he stood up, with dark brown hair, silver eyes and fair skin. His face carefully hid whatever he was thinking. Another elf, similar in build and height, stood just to the left of the throne but armoured unlike almost all of the others in the room who wore green and brown leathers.
"So, you have 'called' us here Lord Phaerhuinë. What is it that you want? I have many Sisters to tend to and tasks to complete before we can continue our journey East." Buffy said as she stood slightly in front of Faith.
"It is true then, you are the leader of your people. I had suspected as much." Phaerhuinë said enigmatically. "For the sacrifices you made for us, those who were complete strangers, I would thank you. You saved many of the children of the Laiquendi. We had not thought that Morgoth would strike at us through our children and women and a terrible blow it would have been if it had succeeded."
"So I will repeat myself, why have you called us here? If it was only to thanks us for what we did, then we will accept your thanks before we go." Buffy said before turning to leave.
"Thanking you is but one reason I called. Please sit." Signaling, 2 chairs were brought into the room. Phaerhuinë saw the unspoken conversation between the two women before they sat and added it to the growing number of questions he had about these people, such as where were their men? "I realize that we have been less than hospitable in our treatment of you and I apologize, but in these times, aid unlooked for oft does not come without a price."
Buffy nodded, acknowledging Phaerhuinë's apology, "So what is it that you want to know?"
"Many things, but I believe you would not tell me. So let us start with the smaller things and concern ourselves with the larger ones later. First though, let me properly introduce myself to you. I am Phaerhuinë, Lord of the Misty Woods." Stepping down from his throne Phaerhuinë walked closer to the leaders of the warriors, a chair was brought out and placed near them. "So tell me, other than saving strangers you don't know, what is it that brings you here?"
"Looking for someplace to call home, Lord Phaerhuinë of the Misty Woods," Buffy said, careful to include Phaerhuinë's title. "That is what we are doing, wherever 'here' is."
Both eyebrows went up on Phaerhuinë face. "That is an odd thing to say, my lady. Here, is Arda of course. I can see that we have much to discuss. First though I would ask your name so that I know that who I am speaking to."
"Buffy Summers, Slayer."
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2 Hours Later...
Faith was pacing outside after leaving, If Buffy doesn't come out of there soon, I'm either going to start pounding on someone or go in and drag her out of there! Faith's very wish was answered a minute later as Buffy walked out of the building. "So B, what's the word?" Faith said as she bounced on her toes with excess energy.
A serious look on her face, "Pass the word, we've found our home." Buffy broke out into a large smile, before losing her balance and almost falling down before catching herself.
"Buffy, are you serious?" Faith asked before seeing Buffy almost fall. By Buffy's side in a blink of an eye, Faith had her arm wrapped around Buffy's waist, supporting her. "Back to bed for you B." Faith said with a look that brooked no argument.
"As long as you're in it, that's fine with me." Buffy said as she waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
Faith noticed that when they were taken back to camp, they weren't blindfolded, but she waited till they were safely back to say ask any of the 10,000 questions running through her mind.
Sitting down on her pallet, Buffy refused to answer any of Faith's questions until all of the others arrived. Willow arrived first, looking a little tired, along with Aiesha. Yi-min had her right arm in a sling, both bones broken when an Orc had hit her with a mace. Rainne barely had a scratch on her, but there were deep circles under her eyes. Sachiko, Buffy's ever-present shadow showed up last, but looking like she'd slept for a week in a 4 star hotel, Buffy noted with a slight bit of annoyance.
"I met with Phaerhuinë today, and after a long talk we came to a few conclusions. One, his people won't be able to hold off another attack without help. Two, we've landed not quite in the middle, but close to another big world-sized war and rumours are the two sides are set to go hammer and tongs for all the marbles. But he has offered to let us stay here, not as their guests, but as equals. In other words we'd form a permanent alliance with the Laiquendi, this can be our new home if we want.. There's a huge mountain range just on the other side of this forest called the Misty Mountains. Think of the Rockies and then supersize it some and you've got a good idea how big it is. Phaer says that it's got a mix of Dwarven strongholds further north and also Goblins and Orcs who call it home as well. The Dwarves are real private, don't like anyone bothering them, but the ones we'd have to watch out for are the Goblins and Orcs, if we cross those mountains. I already know what I think, so the floor is open to everyone to say their mind."
"Can we trust them?" Willow was the first to voice the question on everyone's mind.
"I think so, I got a pretty good read on Phaer and it seemed that his back is as much to the wall as ours is and neither of us are in any shape for any more go-arounds."
"So how much does this Phaerhuinë know about us though? I know you say we can trust him, but I don't like feeling exposed with everyone knowing all of our business." Sachiko added.
Nodding, "True and I agree with you too. I told him enough about us fleeing a war and he's already seen us in combat. But he's bright enough to know we're holding things back." Buffy replied.
"So then, how would this work though?" Aiesha asked. "Are we going to start living in the trees?"
A smile on her face, "Not quite. This forest's pretty big and Phaer's said deeper inside there are open areas we can use to build in. Plus they'll share with us their knowledge of living in the forest so we don't damage it or get on each other's nerves by being on top of the other. Besides I was thinking we might want to scout into the nearby mountains and see what our options are there as well."
"Don't' quite trust them B?" Faith asked.
"I don't trust anyone that much who didn't come with us from Earth." Buffy answered, a somber look on her face.
"Then why do you trust them enough for us to live here?" Willow asked.
"Because our options are getting too limited Will. We're all tired, running from one war and into another, we've got even more injured, not to mention the kids can't keep up the pace we can. Do I need to say more?" Buffy said archly. Looking at each of the Council in order; "We need time, rest and someplace relatively safe and right now this place seems to meet those needs. Unless any of you have a better idea then I'll accept the offer..."
Seeing no-one was going to object Buffy stood up and left without a word never seeing the worried looks on several of the faces behind her.
Willow turned to Faith, "Faith, is she okay? She seems a bit on edge..."
"She's tired Will, more than I think she's been letting on, even to me. She's taking all the deaths personally and I think she's afraid,"
"Why? No-one's ever blamed her and she's the reason we're still alive!" Rainne said, her tone showing her confusion. "If it wasn't for her running things and that alliance she made with the demons early on, we'd have been toast!"
Faith sighed, "Rainne, all Buffy sees are the ones that died and that she's failed us somehow because we're in the middle of another war and she can't do anything about it."
"But that's..." Rainne started to say.
"Buffy." Faith and Willow answered at the same time.
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Buffy headed deeper into the forest, the weight of the dead pulling on her. In her mind Buffy replayed the meeting with Phaer. She got the sense that Phaer was one to keep his word and his offer almost seemed too good to be true. In the end she'd told Phaer enough about them so that he had a better understanding of them, that they were fleeing a war and were looking for a safe place to call home. But she'd left most of everything about what is a Slayer, or much about the Witches.
Sighing, Buffy heard near quiet footsteps behind her. With a short sniff of the air, Buffy smelled the vanilla soap that Willow liked to use. "What's up Willow? Come to check on me?" Buffy asked without turning around.
"I hate it when you do that and yes I am. I'm worried about you Buffy, I don't want to see you start self-destructing on me again." Willow said before walking up behind Buffy and putting her hand on Buffy's shoulder. "I'm more worried about you acting as if it was your fault for the Slayers who died. It wasn't and you need to get past that."
"Drop it Will, I'm not in the mood." Buffy said when she felt herself pulled around and now facing an angry Willow.
"You listen here miss Slayer!" Willow said her finger almost in Buffy's face. "Dropping this isn't what I plan on doing. See this?" Willow said pointing to her face, "This is Resolve Face 2.0! No! Nuh Uh! Quiet!" Willow said interrupting Buffy as she tried to say something. "Resolve Face!"
Buffy finally started laughing so hard she started to cry, finally she was able to get her laughter under control. "I surrender to the power of Resolve Face 2.0, Will."
"And that is such as it shall always be. All shall bow to Resolve Face." Willow said solemnly before cracking a smile, pleased she'd gotten Buffy to laugh a little. "But Buffy, you have to let go of all the ghosts you're keeping. You didn't kill them, you didn't fail them. It was just their time." Willow changed back to the topic they'd drifted from.
"Maybe if I had done something differently," Buffy said before Willow's finger on her lips hushed her.
"You did what you had to, when it needed to be done Buffy. No one else could have done more or saved as many of us as you did." Gathering her courage up, Willow drew Buffy in close and held her, feeling Buffy's arms wrap around her as she pulled them both down as she cried. And Willow felt Buffy start to let go of her ghosts. "You're strong for everyone else Buffy, you don't have to be strong around me. I'll be strong for you."
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Laer (July) 27th, FA 562
Southern Misty Mountains
"So Chione? What do you think?" Buffy asked the dusky skinned Slayer from Egypt.
"I think with a lot of hard work we can build a fortress that no-one's going to get into. I've scouted through that range there," Chione said, pointing at the closest set of mountains, "and there are tunnels all over through that mountain range. Those'll be our big challenges, blocking any new tunnels coming in and trapping any others. But I've seen one spot that's just perfect for what you want," Chione said, the sun sparkled off the pieces of metal she had braided in her hair that came down to her waist. "Don't trust these guys then?" Chione asked, curious.
"Maybe, but after everything it's always nice to have a backup just in case." Buffy replied, looking over the mountains.
"How long do you think it'll take?" Buffy asked, knowing Chione was an expert with stonework and tunneling.
"If you're in a hurry, 2 - 3 weeks, but it'll be a bit primitive, actually a lot primitive. Otherwise...longer. And that won't include trapping the tunnels I found, much less mapping out the ones that I know that are there and didn't find."
Looking finally at Chione, "Well we've got plenty of idle hands, so take whoever you need Chione." Buffy said before turning to stare once again at the mountain range.
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Firith (September) 27th, FA 562
2 Months Later"Red, what did you say to Buffy that day she told us about the offer from Phare?" Faith asked, curious. She'd seen Buffy come back, the black cloud that had always followed her seemed to have lifted and not returned. "I'm not complaining, but she wouldn't listen to me then and now I've got a very happy lover on my hands again."
"I just talked to her is all," Willow said, reluctant to share what happened between her and Buffy.
Faith gave Willow a piercing stare, "Really? So, Red when are you going to stop 'grieving' for Kennedy. I know you've had plenty of offers over the last month and you've shot all of them down. Leaving not a few very upset Slayers I might add. Not that I'm having any complaints in that department!" Faith said with a Cheshire Cat grin on her face.
Blushing hotly, "I don't know what you mean. I just turned down a few dates is all."
"And is that why you found a very naked and horny Chione in your bed last week? Is it something or should I say 'someone' else holding you back? A certain short, blond haired Slayer?"
"Yes and she's with you thank you!" Willow replied tartly.
A serious look came over Faith's face, "And what about me Willow? Is that the problem?"
"I don't..." And a light went off over Willow's head in understanding. "No Faith, whatever happened between Buffy and me is over and done with. They just, I mean..."
"They aren't Buffy?" Faith put in to save Willow.
"In word...yes." Willow said dejectedly.
Putting her arm over Willow's shoulders, "Don't give up hope on finding someone Red, maybe they were standing right in front of you and you haven't seen them yet."
End Chapter Four.