Hell: The New Age
Chapter 10
Chaos: Mayhems: Anyone?
by Cynthia Taz

Disclaimer and such please refer to prologue.


-- ...I still want to know you... --

...

Tara slowly descended down the stairs as she prepared to go to her first House of Lords meeting, which was held not far away from the Tower of Rule. She stopped when she saw Willow appeared not far away, with her usual white shirt and black pants, her rucksack hanging on one of her shoulder as she pulled out a headphone from it. "Willow."

"Lord Tara." Willow greeted.

"Are you leaving for the meeting?" Willow nodded. Tara looked out of the window. "There's still couple of hours..."

"There are some... errands I need to run first."

"Oh. I meant to talk to you before the meeting..."

"I'm sure Lord Giles will be able to answer all your questions."

"But he is not the one who called the meeting. You are. What should we do, what should we expect..."

"You are not expected to do anything, Lord Tara-"

"Tara."

"Sorry?"

"Call me Tara. Please." The co-ruler pleaded silently.

Willow stared at the blond for a long moment, before continued. "All you need is to show up in the meeting. And if nothing else, I need to get going. Lord Giles will be arrived in a short time. I'm sure he will be more willing to answer any of your questions."

Tara nodded, staring at the redhead as she moved away. "Willow?"

"Y-" The redhead was turning back to face Tara when she halted at the sight in front of her. "Yes?" She asked slowly.

"Even if I may never understand you... Even if you don't want to know me..." The sunlight shone onto Tara, the light reflected from her hair and her eyes, giving the dirty blond a white glow around her. "I still want to know you."

Even though her expression never changed, Tara could see surprise flashed through her eyes. After staring at each other for almost a life time, Willow finally moved. She nodded at Tara, and left without another word.

...

Buffy, Tara and Xander sat in the white coach with Giles as it slowly made its way towards Grant Hall, the place where the House of Lords held their meetings. "Lord Buffy, this will be your first meeting with the whole body of the House of Lords." Giles said. "Please do keep it as formal as possible."

"Formal?" Buffy raised an eyebrow. "And why didn't you include Tara in that statement?"

"I think he's telling you to be careful what you are going say during the meeting." Tara smiled. "Lord Giles know I won't do anything rush. But you..."

"Hey!"

Xander frowned. "I don't see why Buffy has to be scared of them."

"It is more than a title to be the Ruler of Hell, or in this case, Rulers, Mr. Xander." Giles frowned. "It is hard enough to get them to recognize Lord Buffy and Lord Tara; any inappropriate action during the meeting will only make it even harder." He turned towards the window when the coach stopped. "We're here." He opened the door and stepped out, quickly followed by Xander and Buffy, but not Tara. "My Lord?"

"What about Willow? Shouldn't we wait for her?"

Giles frowned. "We cannot wait, Lord Tara. The meeting will start at any minute."

Tara nodded and finally stepped out from the coach and followed the others into the Hall, just missing the red figure outside the gate that surrounded the Grant Hall.

...

The tiro angels and demon lord stepped into the chamber, and immediately, waves of whispers, groans and snorts covered the high ceiling room.

"Lord Giles!" The cheeky announcer who was standing by the entrance closed the doors and called out with a satisfy smirk on his face - the smirk that disappeared immediately when Giles turned around and growled at him. "L-Lord Buffy the Cherub! Lord Tara the Cherub! Alexander the Throne!"

Giles shook his head, and led the three angels towards the thrones where the rulers of Hell were supposed to sit. The closer they were, the louder the whispers as the demon lords looking furiously at the three angels, all refused to stand as they should for their rulers in tradition. "Stand, my fellow Lordships!" Giles called out as they reached the front, with Buffy and Tara standing in front of the thrones with Xander and Giles on each of their sides. "As the rulers of Hell have arrived!"

Waves of protests echoed the chamber. One of the human-form demon lords who was sitting at the front shouted. "We all know you are nothing but a dog that will follow anything that cares to throw you a bone, Lord Giles, but this sure is too much!"

"I'm rather surprised you would say that, Lord Ian," Giles narrowed his eyes at the demon lord who just insulted him in front of his fellow lordships. "I do remember the time you came to me, begging for me to spare you a soul. If I am a dog, wouldn't that mean you're less than a dog?"

"Lord Giles, Lord Ian, I do not think it is the time or place to quarrel with each other." Another demon lord, one with a snake head, voiced. "It may be Lord Angelus who had called onto the meeting in the first place, but we all know that it is Lord Willow's return that have us all gathered here. May I ask where is she?"

Lord Giles took off his glasses and started polishing it. "I do believe-"

Suddenly, the doors burst opened. Everyone turned towards the entrance, and the whole chamber went silence as Willow stood there, her original white shirt soaked with so much blood that it had turned red, leaving a trail as the redhead moved down the isle. She was holding a huge bag that was make-shifted from a huge sheet, also soaked with blood, giving no hint of what it was holding.

The announcer was the first to shake himself out of the staring. "Lord Will-"

"I do believe everyone here knows who I am, announcer. There's no need for that." Willow said. The announcer nodded, and followed the redhead as she matched towards the front. Other demon lords stood and bow at her as she walked pass them. "I see everyone's here. Such a disappointment."

"You're late, Lord Willow." Buffy grounded her teeth, watching Willow with an un-familiar feeling deep inside her, like acid that was eating her alive.

"I know." Was Willow's reply. The redhead ignored the murderous look on Buffy's face and turned to the groups of demon lords. "So, what are we discussing? Chaos? Mayhems? Anyone?"

...