Chapter 5: In Which They Are Invited
"You'll have to come visit us again!" The woman waved as they left the house the next evening at twilight. Buffy and Spike both had bags slung across their shoulders with their modern clothing in them. They walked for awhile until they came to the castle. The drawbridge was just being pulled up.
"Stop!" Spike yelled.
"Who enters there?" A guard called.
"A knight and his lady from afar. We come in the name of king Arthur. We have been traveling for years and look for a boon." The guards conferred with each other. They let Spike and Buffy come closer.
"Are you of the Round Table?"
"Not yet. I would like to become a knight in the name of The Noble Arthur." Spike bowed. Buffy almost laughed. He was never that serious and he never bowed down to anyone. But they were in a totally different environment and time. She figured she better follow his lead so she curtsied.
"What are your achievements knight?"
"I have quested in the name of Queen Morgause of Lothian, the king's sister."
"What is your name so we can announce you?" Spike grinned at Buffy but then grew pale.
"He is William, the Knight of the Ivory Sword." Then in a quieter tone she informed him, "Your teeth. A vampire? Good one huh?"
"Welcome. In the name of Arthur." At last they were led through the gates.
"Where is your armor?" the other guard inquired.
"I lost it in many battles. I am but a poor warrior now."
"Thy lady is a beauty." The guard smirked at Buffy. Spike laid his hand on her arm. He didn't want her to use her force and pummel the man. It would surely get them killed.
They were led inside to an antechamber where they were to wait for the king. Buffy was nervous and paced. Spike whistled to himself and admired some of the tapestries that hung on the walls. "How can you be so calm?" She asked accusingly.
"I like castles."
"Not that."
"It's just a game kitten. It's the predator in me." He turned back and continued whistling.
A man entered the room. He was tall and lean with deep brown eyes and a few grey hairs nestled in his rich brown ones. They knew it was Arthur. "My Liege." Spike bowed. Buffy curtsied and edged closer to him.
"You have come from afar and wish to be a knight? You quested for my sister?"
"Yes my liege." Arthur walked close to Spike and examined him. His eyes flitted across the healing wounds on Spike's face.
"It is not a normal knight who brings his lady."
"In hopes we would make home here she has come. She is in no danger. She is a great sorceress like the lady Morgan Le Fay or Nyneve." Buffy blushed.
"The kingdom is at peace."
"Thanks to your wise ways."
"If I suited you maybe you could quest. We could see the kind of knight you are. Then maybe you can join the kingdom. That is the only way."
"Gladly my lord."
"Well then. There is a feast going on tonight. Sir Gawain has just returned. Won't you join us?"
"It would be our greatest honor." Arthur motioned in a servant.
"See that they are dressed for dinner. Tomorrow you will set out." Spike nodded and bowed again. The servant separated them and Buffy was soon being dressed by servants and sent back downstairs in even more uncomfortable clothing. Her long purple dress set off her ever changing eye color that seemed to reflect her moods.
She spotted Spike and an empty seat next to him. Cautiously, lest she do the wrong thing, she walked over and sat down. The seat was so large it almost swallowed her. She sat up trying to mimic the other women at the table, but her headdress made her head too heavy.
"Look at all this food. There's so much of it."
"Haven't had a decent meal in awhile have ya Slayer? This is the kinda meals we had back in my day."
"Do I want to eat this stuff?"
"Roast pigs good. You might stick to the bread and the meat. The Medieval people weren't very good at the other stuff."
"What's in the cups."
"Standard ale and wine. You're a bit young though aren't ye?" He winked.
"I won't make a fuss. Give me the cup." She held it by her lips. "Oh. Mental image on the Buffy BC. Putting cup down."
"If a servant walks by ask for water. But don't be picky."
"Gotcha." They ate. At moments he glanced at her. He marveled that she seemed so different from the night before. Gone was the insecure girl, now she was all Slayer. He could see it in the way she took in the environment. They were both predators, always after different pray.
*If Captain Cardboard could see us now.*
"You'll have to come visit us again!" The woman waved as they left the house the next evening at twilight. Buffy and Spike both had bags slung across their shoulders with their modern clothing in them. They walked for awhile until they came to the castle. The drawbridge was just being pulled up.
"Stop!" Spike yelled.
"Who enters there?" A guard called.
"A knight and his lady from afar. We come in the name of king Arthur. We have been traveling for years and look for a boon." The guards conferred with each other. They let Spike and Buffy come closer.
"Are you of the Round Table?"
"Not yet. I would like to become a knight in the name of The Noble Arthur." Spike bowed. Buffy almost laughed. He was never that serious and he never bowed down to anyone. But they were in a totally different environment and time. She figured she better follow his lead so she curtsied.
"What are your achievements knight?"
"I have quested in the name of Queen Morgause of Lothian, the king's sister."
"What is your name so we can announce you?" Spike grinned at Buffy but then grew pale.
"He is William, the Knight of the Ivory Sword." Then in a quieter tone she informed him, "Your teeth. A vampire? Good one huh?"
"Welcome. In the name of Arthur." At last they were led through the gates.
"Where is your armor?" the other guard inquired.
"I lost it in many battles. I am but a poor warrior now."
"Thy lady is a beauty." The guard smirked at Buffy. Spike laid his hand on her arm. He didn't want her to use her force and pummel the man. It would surely get them killed.
They were led inside to an antechamber where they were to wait for the king. Buffy was nervous and paced. Spike whistled to himself and admired some of the tapestries that hung on the walls. "How can you be so calm?" She asked accusingly.
"I like castles."
"Not that."
"It's just a game kitten. It's the predator in me." He turned back and continued whistling.
A man entered the room. He was tall and lean with deep brown eyes and a few grey hairs nestled in his rich brown ones. They knew it was Arthur. "My Liege." Spike bowed. Buffy curtsied and edged closer to him.
"You have come from afar and wish to be a knight? You quested for my sister?"
"Yes my liege." Arthur walked close to Spike and examined him. His eyes flitted across the healing wounds on Spike's face.
"It is not a normal knight who brings his lady."
"In hopes we would make home here she has come. She is in no danger. She is a great sorceress like the lady Morgan Le Fay or Nyneve." Buffy blushed.
"The kingdom is at peace."
"Thanks to your wise ways."
"If I suited you maybe you could quest. We could see the kind of knight you are. Then maybe you can join the kingdom. That is the only way."
"Gladly my lord."
"Well then. There is a feast going on tonight. Sir Gawain has just returned. Won't you join us?"
"It would be our greatest honor." Arthur motioned in a servant.
"See that they are dressed for dinner. Tomorrow you will set out." Spike nodded and bowed again. The servant separated them and Buffy was soon being dressed by servants and sent back downstairs in even more uncomfortable clothing. Her long purple dress set off her ever changing eye color that seemed to reflect her moods.
She spotted Spike and an empty seat next to him. Cautiously, lest she do the wrong thing, she walked over and sat down. The seat was so large it almost swallowed her. She sat up trying to mimic the other women at the table, but her headdress made her head too heavy.
"Look at all this food. There's so much of it."
"Haven't had a decent meal in awhile have ya Slayer? This is the kinda meals we had back in my day."
"Do I want to eat this stuff?"
"Roast pigs good. You might stick to the bread and the meat. The Medieval people weren't very good at the other stuff."
"What's in the cups."
"Standard ale and wine. You're a bit young though aren't ye?" He winked.
"I won't make a fuss. Give me the cup." She held it by her lips. "Oh. Mental image on the Buffy BC. Putting cup down."
"If a servant walks by ask for water. But don't be picky."
"Gotcha." They ate. At moments he glanced at her. He marveled that she seemed so different from the night before. Gone was the insecure girl, now she was all Slayer. He could see it in the way she took in the environment. They were both predators, always after different pray.
*If Captain Cardboard could see us now.*