Chapter 7 Unravel

Buffy was in deep sleep and kept dreaming about the night over and over again. She wished it didn't end. Angel was so warm and loving she saw the soft side of the prince. She got to be so close to him, closer than any woman has ever gotten. What made it even more wonderful was the fact is that he didn't push and they just enjoyed one another's company. Then Buffy felt something jab as her and it scared her and she turned over and woke up looking and saw Jenny, Cordelia and Faith standing in her room and Jenny held a broom poking at Buffy like she was a dead animal.

"Are you ill?" Jenny asked and Buffy was a little dazed and confused realizing she over slept. She didn't know when she got home but it was late and she and Angel spent most of the night wrapped in each other's arms kissing.

"No." Buffy replied and then didn't want to get out of bed she was tired. "Uh, yes." She held her head to pretend she was sick maybe she could have some time to sleep.

"Where were you?" Jenny asked and Buffy had to come up with yet another lie. She was with Angel all night and wished she could go back to that night.

"I got lost." Buffy stated but Jenny stood there not buying it.

"I don't believe you. You're hiding something from me." Jenny told her stepdaughter. "I demand to know what it is." And Jenny stood there waiting.

"Why don't you tell me so I can get back to sleep?" Buffy asked and Faith smiled she knew Buffy was with Angel and if she was this tired she figured things got interesting last night. She thought to herself go Buffy and hoped Angel was just as worn out.

"What about our breakfast?" Cordelia asked Buffy. She needed to make breakfast and they were running late. The queen had sent a message asking to meet with Jenny and Cordelia so they had to get going. Buffy looked to her stepsister and sighed.

"You have two hands. Make it yourself." Buffy simply replied and Jenny and Cordelia looked at each other not believing that she said that. Buffy was playing it off as if she was ill so she could get another hour or two of sleep.

"You lazy little leech!" Cordelia yelled at her and Jenny stood there and Faith as she stood in the back had a smile. Buffy was putting them in their places and Faith prayed she would be the new princess. That would be a slap to their faces.

Buffy managed a little more sleep and was outside getting buckets of water to boil so they could drink. All the while she thought about Angel and what he was doing. She had to sneak out and meet him. She needed to tell him but every time she went to it was nearly impossible to. He made it so hard and after last night being in his arms it did feel impossible. She was afraid of the reaction he would give her. He would have every right to be upset but she hoped he wouldn't be and understand why she did what she did. As Buffy set down a bucket Faith came running outside.

Faith couldn't stand it that Jenny and Cordelia were going to use Buffy's mother's dress for the masque. It was Buffy's to wear not Cordelia's.

"Mistress, you'd better get in here quick." Faith came running up to Buffy. Buffy went to wipe her hands and Faith grabbed one of her hands and took her inside. There was so much deception in this house it was now getting petty and ridiculous. Faith calmly walked into Jenny's room pretending she had nothing to do with this. And then Buffy followed looking in and saw the silver gown out of its chest and the slippers on the bed. Jenny held the dress up to Cordelia and Cordelia had a huge smile. Then Jenny turned around hearing footsteps and saw Buffy at the entrance.

"Oh, look who finally decided to grace us with her presence." Jenny said smiling.

"What do you think you are doing?" Buffy asked and Cordelia looked up smiling.

"Trying on my dress." She stated like it was no big deal and Buffy's heart sank. That was not Cordelia's dress it was not even Buffy's it was her mother's. Buffy then walked into the room knowing things were starting to unravel.

"Do you think that after this morning I'd let you go anywhere?" Jenny asked meaning Buffy wasn't going to the masque and that's all Jenny wanted to do was find something wrong with Buffy to tell her not to go. Even if Buffy had been sick Jenny would have told her not to get sick and still punish her.

"Do you honestly think these games and intrigues are going to win you a crown?" Buffy asked Cordelia because that is what was happening. "To hunt royalty like some sport, it's disgusting!" And Faith couldn't agree more with Buffy. Faith then walked to her bed putting the dress on it and looked to Buffy.

"You're just jealous." Cordelia told Buffy. Actually it should be the other way around. If Cordelia knew what was going on between Angel and Buffy especially last night she would be jealous. Buffy then walked to the chest and picked up the slippers trying to defend her ground.

"These are my mother's." Buffy stated clearly hoping they would respect her and Cordelia smiled at her.

"Yes, and she's dead." Cordelia reminded Buffy and Faith gasped at hearing that. Buffy stood there for a moment and then some type of fire was lit inside of her. You can push Buffy around and she'll do the cleaning and the cooking but you will never insult her parents without suffering the consequences. Buffy marched right up to Cordelia and threw a punch. Cordelia was hit so hard she rolled on her back, across the bed, her feet went up over her head and she fell to the floor. She had to take a second to realize what had just happened. Jenny was stunned and Faith smiled.

"I am going to rip your hair out!" Buffy yelled and chased after her stepsister. Cordelia got up screaming knowing Buffy wasn't playing around this time.

"Mother!" Cordelia cried as Buffy chased her out of her room and down the stairs. Willow, Tara and Oz hear the commotion and came to see what was happening. Cordelia ran as fast as she could from Buffy. "Mother, do something!" Cordelia begged and she ran around the dining table and Buffy ran around the other side ready to tackle Cordelia and beat her up. Buffy had so much rage in her right now maybe because her stepmother and sister had beat her down so much over the years that enough was enough. Cordelia shrieked as she ran and then saw a book on the table near the fire place and grabbed it and held it over the fire. "Get away from me or so help me, God!" Cordelia yelled and Buffy stood still.

"No, Cordelia, don't!" Buffy begged and everyone gathered into the room seeing what was about to go down. "Put it down!" Buffy demanded.

"Give me the shoes!" Cordelia made her demands known.

"Put it down!" Buffy pleaded and then Jenny came over.

"Consider carefully, Buffy." Jenny warned her and Buffy looked to her stepmom and then to Cordelia as she held the book over the fire. "Your father's book or your mother's shoes. Though neither will save you from a lashing." Buffy had to give up one or the other. She was going to get a lashing but which one to save and tears watered in her eyes. Willow, Oz and Tara could not help nor could Faith as they were all at the mercy of Cordelia and Jenny. Buffy didn't want to betray her parents but which one to give up. She then handed Jenny the slippers but Cordelia was upset and still threw the book into the fire.

"No! No!" Buffy cried out and ran to the fire about to save the book but Jenny stopped her and it would part of her punishment to watch the book burn. Faith gasped and let a tear fall in that moment she realized just how awful her sister was. "No!" The book was in flames now as the pages burned and it felt like whatever she had left of her father was gone. "No, no!" The book was beyond salvageable now as Jenny let up her grip and Buffy watched it burn. Tears were flowing from her eyes and she felt dizzy and slowly slid to the floor. "No." Buffy was on the floor sobbing and Cordelia left and Willow, Tara and Oz rushed to Buffy's side but she shoved them away just like she did when her father died. Jenny left and Faith followed.

"Mother!" Faith called to Jenny but said nothing she didn't know what to say and Jenny walked away and Faith couldn't help but cry for Buffy and sat in a chair and sobbed in her hands. This wasn't fair. Buffy sat there watching the flames as the pages of Utopia were one with the fire. She wished she could get up and run to Angel. He would make it all go away; he could kiss the pain away.

Just as Jenny said Buffy was lashed for punching Cordelia. Buffy laid on her stomach as Faith had strips of cloths soaking in warm water. Buffy was given ten lashes and her back looked awful. They would heal but Jenny put a certain tip at the end of the whip that would cut deep and there would be a scar. It was Jenny's way of telling Buffy she was a servant. Faith rung out a cloth and placed it on Buffy's back and Buffy hissed at the pain and Faith fought a tear.

"Oh," Faith sat there not knowing what to do for her as she let the cloth sit on the wound hoping it would sooth it. "I'm so sorry Buffy if there was something I could do," Buffy shook her head meaning this was enough.

"I don't know what's come over me." Buffy stated.

"I know what it's called," Faith announced and place another cloth on the wounds. "You're in love." Faith said and Buffy fought back the tears knowing she had to tell Angel she couldn't wait any longer. He was going to announce her as his bride to be tomorrow night and then she would be exposed in public. And then Angel would be humiliated in front of his kingdom. She would not do that to him because she loved him. "Of course, I shall never forget the way Cordy's feet went up over her head like that." And they both giggled. "She should not have said that about your mother."

"Thank you." Buffy said as Faith continued to attend to her wounds. "Faith will you do something for me one last time?"

"Sure B what is it?" Faith asked.

Cordelia and Jenny were at the palace with the queen and Buffy's punch left Cordelia with a nice black eye the night before the masque.

"You really must let my doctor look at that." The queen insisted to Cordelia sounding concerned. "To think you saved that baby from a runaway horse." The queen said because that was the story Jenny and Cordelia gave her.

"It was a maternal instinct, Your Majesty." Cordelia played along and the queen smiled.

"I'm so sorry my son can't join us. He seems to have disappeared again." The queen stated and both Jenny and Cordelia looked shocked and disappointed. The masque was tomorrow and the prince and Cordelia have barely spoken a word to one another.

"Again?" Jenny asked and for some reason something wasn't right. She could feel it.

"Yes." The queen answered. "He was gone all day yesterday and did not return until dawn." The queen explained and Jenny sat there thinking.

"Well, it must be marvelous to have that kind of stamina." Jenny stated trying to sound interested and the queen shrugged and then she leaned forward.

"Perhaps you could help solve a mystery for me." The queen started and both Jenny and Cordelia were interested. If this would earn them points and get Cordelia closer to Angel then yes she would help. "Do you know the Comtesse de Lancret?" The queen asked and Jenny's heard that name well the last part once before. "Apparently she's staying with a cousin, but nobody seems to know who." Jenny sat there for a moment.

"Joyce de Lancret?" Jenny asked and the queen shook her head no. "Elizabeth…de Lancret?" And then the queen's eyes lit up.

"Yes." The queen sounded happy to know that the girl making her son happy was real. "Oh, how wonderful. I was beginning to think she was a ghost." And Jenny laughed a fake laugh but on the inside she was fuming. How dare Buffy do this?

"No, I'm afraid she's been around for years. Yes." Jenny started and Cordelia looked lost not knowing what her mother was doing. "And um...staying with us, as a matter of fact. Isn't that right, darling?" Jenny asked to Cordelia and she nodded knowing she had to play along.

"Yes! Of course our cousin." Cordelia said but she was so confused right now. She had no cousins what was her mother doing?

"Whom you like to call Cinderella." Jenny added to answer Cordelia's confused face. Cordelia's blood started to boil. All this time that the prince wasn't around because he was with Buffy. Of all people he was with Buffy a servant. Cordelia stood up and walked away and started to scream. The queen had no idea what was happening as Cordelia was throwing a fit. Buffy won the heart of the prince and then she wondered what they have been doing. Did they kiss? Oh god if they kiss she wanted to kiss Angel she was supposed to kiss the prince not Buffy. After throwing her fit she came back and sat down calmly.

"Good heavens, child." The queen looked concerned. "Are you all right?" And Cordelia nodded.

"There was a bee." She answered and Jenny laughed a fake laugh knowing that was awkward.

Angel saw on stone alone reading Macbeth. Buffy forgot it last night and he was getting to the good parts. Plus it was a way to pass the time as he hoped Elizabeth would show. Buffy found the ruins and she's never been here she just knew the location. She looked around as the plant life took over. It was peaceful as the wind blew and it kicked up the leaves. She had to tell Angel today who she was and hoped he didn't do something that made her hold back. She however was sad one because she did lose her father's book and two she was about to say good bye to Angel.

Angel looked up and then saw Buffy in a red dress and smiled because she came. He closed the book and walked over to her as Buffy looked at the faded paintings on the ruin walls. She then heard someone and turned around and it was Angel.

"Hello." Angel said but Buffy did not smile.

"Hello." Buffy replied and Angel was concerned for her.

"Are you well?" He asked and she shook her head no. She was in pain both physically and emotionally.

"I fear that I am not myself today." She answered. Buffy fought the tears as she was about to tell him who she was but Angel reached out and took her hand. "There is something I must tell you."

"And I you." Angel said which made Buffy's heart race she knew what he wanted to tell her and she wanted to hear it but then to hear it and walk away it would break her heart. "Oh, here. Your book, you left it yesterday." And Buffy looked at the book and back up to him.

"Your Highness," Buffy started.

"Angel," He insisted but Buffy didn't have time for that.

"I cannot stay long, but I had to see you. There is much to say." Buffy was trying to gather her thought and Angel squeezed her hand.

"Come." And he led her further into the ruins. "I want to show you something." And they went into another section and Buffy looked around up to the sky where you could see patches of blue as the tree tops covered it. "I used to play here as a boy." Angel explained as they walked further in. "It was my father's most cherished retreat before the war." And Buffy looked around hearing the birds and the wind.

"It's beautiful." Buffy admitted looking around.

"I've measured my life by these trees starting here all the way up there. And still they grow." Angel was getting at something which made Buffy telling him the truth harder. "So much life to live...but I no longer imagine it alone." And Buffy's heart sank a man was about to propose to her. He was proposing but to a false person a liar.

"You're not making this easy." Buffy told him she had to tell him the truth but part of her wanted to hear those words, words she had not heard said to her in years.

"I have not slept for fear I would wake to find all this to be a dream." He admitted. For Buffy it was a dream and reality was about to step in. "Oh, last night, I had a revelation. I used to think, if I cared at all, I would have to care about everything and I'd go stark raving mad." He explained and Buffy stood there with her back to him fighting the oncoming tears. "But... now I've found my purpose." Buffy fought hard not to cry out of sadness and joy. "It's a project actually inspired by you." And then Buffy looked up and he was before her and he pushed some stray hairs aside to see her face more clearly. "I feel..." Angel paused and did that sweet smile. "The most wonderful...freedom."

"It wasn't me." Buffy tried to push this away and Angel cupped both her cheeks.

"It is you, it was all you." He looked to her green eyes and she looked to his brown eyes that were so deep she could lose herself in them like she did last night. "I've never felt like this for anyone and all I want to do is hold you and keep you safe. Elizabeth, you are unlike any courtier I have ever met. Tomorrow, at the masque I shall make it known to the world." He was going to make Buffy his princess. She fought harder now not to tremble and cry and crumble. How could she tell him now?

"Why did you have to be so wonderful?" Buffy asked and he smiled getting closer to her.

"Now, then," Angel started. "What was it you wanted to tell me?" And Buffy couldn't speak she couldn't do it. She couldn't break his heart even though hers was. A few tears escaped her eyes and Angel wiped them away.

"Simply that...last night was the happiest night of my life." Buffy said which was true it was and Angel smiled at her. If this all fails and falls apart at least she did have him even if it was just for one night she got to kiss him. Angel kissed her forehead and all she wanted to do was hug him and make time stop. Angel kissed down her face as Buffy stood there getting loss again. Then his lips found hers and she accepted. Buffy wrapped her arms around his waist and he wrapped her arms around her back and then the pain from the lashes shot through her body. She fought to ignore the pain and to kiss her last kiss to the prince but she could take it and pulled away. Angel could see it in her face there was pain and Buffy backed away as he held her hand wanting to pull her back to him.

"Don't leave stay here." Angel begged pulling her a little closer and she wished she could obey his wishes.

"I must go." And Buffy pulled away and started to leave.

"Elizabeth!" Angel called to her but she ran away and he knew something was wrong.

Buffy returned home holding Faith's red dress and was going to go about her chores when Jenny stood in front of her with Cordelia off to the side.

"Of all the insidious jokes, making your mother a Comtesse." Jenny started and the jig was up and Buffy knew it wasn't going to last but it was wonderful while it did. "It's almost as absurd as a prince frequenting a servant who sleeps with pigs."

"What bothers you more, stepmother?" Buffy asked Jenny. "That I am common, or that I am competition?" And Jenny stood there about to explode because Buffy was both. She was a commoner that won the heart of a prince and she was competition because Angel found her to be the best. Just an hour ago he announced she was the one he wanted to marry her. All in all it was a set deal but Buffy knew nothing was in stone.

"Where is the dress, Buffy?" Jenny asked and Buffy stood there.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Buffy stated.

"The gown. The slippers?" Cordelia asked. "They were in my room and now they're gone. You hid them, I know it!" Cordelia accused Buffy but it was Faith who took the dress and hid it.

"Where did you put the gown, Buffy?" Jenny asked and Buffy stood there as her eyes watered up. She didn't know where the gown was but today everything was falling apart and she couldn't hold back her tears or emotions.

"Where are the candlesticks and the tapestries and the silver!" Buffy yelled at Jenny for the first time. "Perhaps the dress is with them!"

"You produce that gown!" Jenny demanded.

"I would rather die a thousand deaths than to see my mother's dress on that spoiled, selfish cow!" Buffy yelled and pointed to Cordelia. Cordelia's jaw dropped and Jenny stood there and then slapped Buffy across the face. Buffy held her face feeling dizzy.

"Hmm. Perhaps we can arrange that." Jenny said and grabbed Buffy and shoved her through the halls and down into the kitchen. Jenny then opened a door to the cellar and threw Buffy in. "Get in there." She shut the door and locked it. "Open this door," Jenny looked to Willow, Tara and Oz as she talked to them. "And you'll wish you never set foot here. Ladies, gather everything we can sell. We're going to town tomorrow." Jenny explained to her daughters.

"Mother... it's only a ball." Faith stated and Jenny turned around looking to Faith.

"Yes, and you're only going for the food." Jenny stated and left.

Angel met with his mother and she told him something he did not expect not in the least. He took a moment to clear his head and breathe. He looked out to the center garden of the palace and then back to his mother.

"Engaged?" Angel asked. "To a Belgian?" And the queen nodded sadly.

"I'm afraid so." The queen answered and Angel shook his head no not believing it.

"Impossible, there has to be some mistake." Angel insisted Elizabeth would have said something of she was engaged.

"She was travelling by boat this afternoon. Baroness Jenny was quite reluctant to talk about it." The queen explained and Angel paced in anger.

"It's no wonder, with tidings such as these. If she was betrothed, she should have had the decency to tell me!" Angel yelled and the queen smiled.

"Would you have listened?" The queen asked.

"Of course not! I would have..." Angel then paused remembering Elizabeth's meeting this morning. She was trying to say something but he didn't let her. "Oh, God. How could I have been so blind? There I was, pouring my royal heart out and she was simply trying to bid me farewell." Angel felt robbed especially after last night.

"It is a strong woman who can keep her wits about her with you trying to steal her heart." The queen assured him and he nodded.

"Yes. And what a stupid thief I turned out to be." And he took off.

"Come now, Angel. Any choice is better than Spain!" She called out but Angel was seeing red and headed back into the palace. He went to his room and screamed. He fell in love but it wasn't what he thought. He fell hard for her too, held her, kissed her almost made love to her. He shared secrets that no one else knew about. And she was engaged and left. Angel fell to the floor feeling as though his heart was torn. This is why he distanced himself from women this very reason.

At the farm in the cellar Buffy sobbed in her hands. She didn't know what to do anymore. She loved him she could feel it but she lied and now it was over. It was all over.

Oh and things are going down. So Angel believes Buffy is engaged and left to be married. Buffy is locked away and now the ball is tomorrow? Whatever will happen? More to come hang tight thanks for reading comments and reviews are welcomed.