Chapter 4
"Angel was sure worried. I've seen you, you're really good. He probably is worried because of the invaders and all."
"Yeah, he was. What's your point Fred." Cordelia looked at Fred who grinned. "He likes you."
"Nah uh. And by the way Gunn and Wesley both like you." She flung back, a little stunned by Fred's observation. Angel didn't, he couldn't, he wouldn't. "He does?"
"Totally. You really don't notice the way he looks at you?"
"Fred, I haven't been on a real date in two years…Then again you haven't had one in five. I guess I never noticed because we've always been friends and it's just always been that way. God, I remember when I first found out he was a vampire, I did like him then."
"And now it's switched."
"He would never tell me. God why is he so stubborn."
"You like him too! I knew it! You could be Connor's mom. Or step mom."
"Slow down there Fred. I'm only 21."
"Well humans in Pylea have kids a lot younger. Of course they have no future."
"It was a horrible was to live. I feel bad I didn't do more about it while I was on the throne. I should have."
"You were a slave in your own way. Don't feel bad."
"Look, we aren't far now." Cordelia spoke up, cutting Fred off. She didn't want Fred to feel it was her duty to make her feel better. She had her owns sins to atone for.
"Good, because I don't like it out here." Fred looked around, sparking Cordelia's worry mode. She looked around too, holding up her sword. Then from out of the darkness people encircled them.
"Back off. I'm Cordelia. The old queen." Cordy bellowed, mistaking the men for castle defenders, in the dark.
"We got the old queen? This is great? Our lord will love this."
"I don't think they're friendly Cordy." Fred said. Out of the darkness came big burly men, barbarians from the south. Cordy moved closer to Fred so they were back to back. They fought the best they could, moving closer and closer to the castle. At last Cordy shouted directions and fled the fight, praying Fred was behind her. She didn't stop until she was at the gate, being ushered in by her old servants.
A cry pierced the night and Cordelia's heart sank. How could she leave her like that? Fred wasn't as strong as she was. She had done it before to her friends in Sunnydale and vowed never to do it again.
"The guards are dead. We have to wait for reinforcements." People talked around her as Cordelia sank against an inside wall.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Who goes there?"
"Landok, the king's general, the warrior and his friends." They had reached the camp a little before day break, not encountering any of the enemies, which worried Angel. The man who had questioned them put down his sword and gestured them further. In a temporary camp, humans and Anagogic demons mixed, both fighting for a mutual cause.
"Welcome. We were told you were coming."
"We had a slight detour. That's why we took so long."
"We were told by the king's messenger to welcome you. He speaks of the greatness you possess. We will need it if we are to defeat the barbarians. Their ways are uncivil."
"And theirs are?" Wesley murmured to Angel. Angel shook him off.
"It's a matter of right and wrong, or we're on our friend's side."
"So what's the plan?"
"The king said you would come up with one." The general looked surprised at the question.
"Do you at least have a map of the country?"
"Yes. In my tent." They followed the man to the hide tent and went inside. It smelled like BO and blood and other scents that come with a battleground. The man handed Angel a map and pointed out their location, and the different points they had found the invaders.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"Let go of me!" Fred was thrown at the feet of the Lord. She dare dto look up and saw that he was more neatly shaven than the others. He signaled for her to rise, and raised a brow of amusement.
"What do we have here?"
"She was found near the castle. They did not realize we have tricked them. They think we are coming in from the four corners, and are not surrounding the castle, little by little." The guard gave the lord a sardonic gapped tooth grin. Fred's stomach fell, with the realization. "She's a friend of the king."
"Excellent." the obese man pulled himself from behind his table and moved towards Fred. She quivered on the floor and pulled away from him. He put his hands under her chin and pulled her head up.
"Nice to meet you." He shoved her back down with a laugh.
"If I wasn't on the floor I would spit on you." Fred murmured, trying to feel strong.
"Come now." the man goaded her, and she felt repulsed. His eyes seemed to change suddenly. "Take her away guards." Fred was yanked back off the floor and outside. A plan was already forming in her mind as eyes roamed over her. She would escape, warn the others. She had too.
"Angel was sure worried. I've seen you, you're really good. He probably is worried because of the invaders and all."
"Yeah, he was. What's your point Fred." Cordelia looked at Fred who grinned. "He likes you."
"Nah uh. And by the way Gunn and Wesley both like you." She flung back, a little stunned by Fred's observation. Angel didn't, he couldn't, he wouldn't. "He does?"
"Totally. You really don't notice the way he looks at you?"
"Fred, I haven't been on a real date in two years…Then again you haven't had one in five. I guess I never noticed because we've always been friends and it's just always been that way. God, I remember when I first found out he was a vampire, I did like him then."
"And now it's switched."
"He would never tell me. God why is he so stubborn."
"You like him too! I knew it! You could be Connor's mom. Or step mom."
"Slow down there Fred. I'm only 21."
"Well humans in Pylea have kids a lot younger. Of course they have no future."
"It was a horrible was to live. I feel bad I didn't do more about it while I was on the throne. I should have."
"You were a slave in your own way. Don't feel bad."
"Look, we aren't far now." Cordelia spoke up, cutting Fred off. She didn't want Fred to feel it was her duty to make her feel better. She had her owns sins to atone for.
"Good, because I don't like it out here." Fred looked around, sparking Cordelia's worry mode. She looked around too, holding up her sword. Then from out of the darkness people encircled them.
"Back off. I'm Cordelia. The old queen." Cordy bellowed, mistaking the men for castle defenders, in the dark.
"We got the old queen? This is great? Our lord will love this."
"I don't think they're friendly Cordy." Fred said. Out of the darkness came big burly men, barbarians from the south. Cordy moved closer to Fred so they were back to back. They fought the best they could, moving closer and closer to the castle. At last Cordy shouted directions and fled the fight, praying Fred was behind her. She didn't stop until she was at the gate, being ushered in by her old servants.
A cry pierced the night and Cordelia's heart sank. How could she leave her like that? Fred wasn't as strong as she was. She had done it before to her friends in Sunnydale and vowed never to do it again.
"The guards are dead. We have to wait for reinforcements." People talked around her as Cordelia sank against an inside wall.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Who goes there?"
"Landok, the king's general, the warrior and his friends." They had reached the camp a little before day break, not encountering any of the enemies, which worried Angel. The man who had questioned them put down his sword and gestured them further. In a temporary camp, humans and Anagogic demons mixed, both fighting for a mutual cause.
"Welcome. We were told you were coming."
"We had a slight detour. That's why we took so long."
"We were told by the king's messenger to welcome you. He speaks of the greatness you possess. We will need it if we are to defeat the barbarians. Their ways are uncivil."
"And theirs are?" Wesley murmured to Angel. Angel shook him off.
"It's a matter of right and wrong, or we're on our friend's side."
"So what's the plan?"
"The king said you would come up with one." The general looked surprised at the question.
"Do you at least have a map of the country?"
"Yes. In my tent." They followed the man to the hide tent and went inside. It smelled like BO and blood and other scents that come with a battleground. The man handed Angel a map and pointed out their location, and the different points they had found the invaders.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"Let go of me!" Fred was thrown at the feet of the Lord. She dare dto look up and saw that he was more neatly shaven than the others. He signaled for her to rise, and raised a brow of amusement.
"What do we have here?"
"She was found near the castle. They did not realize we have tricked them. They think we are coming in from the four corners, and are not surrounding the castle, little by little." The guard gave the lord a sardonic gapped tooth grin. Fred's stomach fell, with the realization. "She's a friend of the king."
"Excellent." the obese man pulled himself from behind his table and moved towards Fred. She quivered on the floor and pulled away from him. He put his hands under her chin and pulled her head up.
"Nice to meet you." He shoved her back down with a laugh.
"If I wasn't on the floor I would spit on you." Fred murmured, trying to feel strong.
"Come now." the man goaded her, and she felt repulsed. His eyes seemed to change suddenly. "Take her away guards." Fred was yanked back off the floor and outside. A plan was already forming in her mind as eyes roamed over her. She would escape, warn the others. She had too.