*~*~*Time and Time Again*~*~*
Chapter Five
by Azhuraea Fluer
*NOTE:*
It has come to my attention that the outfits I derived up for Buffy and Angel were more idealesqe for the sixteenth century, not the late eighteenth, so I went back and edited that part. If you don't want to go back and re-read it, Buffy's clothing is now: a gathered fawn skirt that fell to her ankles, a white, full sleeved, high collared blouse. She wore boots and had her hair pulled back in a simple low braid. Angel's outfit is still mainly the same. -Azhuraea
P.S. Big thanks to 'Buffy Girl' for correcting me on the era!
"Who be ye an' what yer doin' in th' master's fo'est?" A voice growled.
The words were barely out of his mouth before the petite blonde of a warrior whirled around, snapped the arrow with the mere force of her gripping it, her other hand coming under and up to slam the palm into the man's chin, snapping his head back. She controlled her strength, not killing the man, but guaranteeing a nice, fat headache.
The man fell backwards, his crossbow falling from his hands. Quicker than lightning, Buffy spotted, snatched, and tossed to Angel the gun she also spotted at his belt, taking the crossbow and broke arrow for herself as she stood and backed away.
"Bloody 'ell!" The man screeched as he stumbled to his feet, grasping at the gun that was no longer at his side. He glared at Angel, whom was pointing his own weapon at him. Buffy held the crossbow deftly, and although the arrow in it was broken, there was no doubt in the man's mind that this woman knew how to turn *anything* into a formidable weapon, broken or no.
"What *are* ye?" The man sputtered. "An' wha' sort 'o' woman moves like *tha'*?"
"One who doesn't like having an icky old guy sneak up on her," Buffy replied bluntly. A touch on her elbow by Angel reminded her where -and when- she was, and how she looked. She winced inwardly. She'd have to blame it on Giles; his remark about 'keeping her mouth shut' must have jinxed it...
"We are travelers, good sir, and were unaware that these woods were owned by anyone," Angel answered. The man glowered. "Travelers? You don't look it. Ye be too clean. And where's the lady's escort? Ye don't look wealthy, but ye don't look dirt poor, 'nether."
"We decided to stop and refresh ourselves, having heard from a farmer that there was a stream near here." Buffy did her best to imitate women she'd seen in movies like 'Gone with the Wind.' She didn't think she was succeeding... She shrugged. "Our coachmen heard that we weren't sure if we had the money to pay them after all, so they left."
"Ye must 'ave signed up wif a cheap coach-business, if they'd be wiley 'nough t' leave a lady stranded in a land like this." The man said gruffly. He looked them up and down.
"Suppose you meant no 'arm," he grumbled. "C'n I 'ave me gun back?" Angel and Buffye exchanged glances. Angel stuck the gun in his belt, but Buffy handed back the crossbow. He scowled as he examined the cleanly snapped arrow.
"The' one day I decides to leave me quiver at 'ome to save my poor back a bit o' grief," he muttered. He looked at Buffy. "What sort o woman could do this?" He held up the broken arrow. Buffy grinned dazzlingly.
"Oh, luck," she immitated Haromony's giggle. "See, look, my hand is already starting to bruise." She held up her hand so briefly that the man didn't have time to see if it was beginning to bruise or not.
"Well, can a 'armless ol' man at least ask 'fter yer names?" He asked. It seemed his grumpy demeanor was permanent.
"Elizabeth," Buffy answered automatically. She was so used to people assuming that was her real name, 'Buffy' being a nickname, that she would have no problem answering to it.
"And you, sir?"
"Liam," Angel answered quickly enough, though hesitation had been present. The man snorted.
"Curious." He said. "Tha' be the same name as the master's eldest son. Curious."
"Quite curious." Angel agreed, his face blank. She glanced at Angel; even she could put two and two together. Angel hadn't mentioned that his family *owned* these woods... Ironic. Angelus got cursed in the same place he'd always held his own birthday parties as a boy...
"You two...hitched?" The man ventured. "Or distant relations?"
"Engaged." Answered the be-souled vampire.
Buffy coughed.
"Sorry," she apologized after a moment, her face red, as she glared at a wolfishly grinning
Angel. "Not used to the fresh air."
"Huh. Fine, that's not too surprisin'" the old man said. "Can I ask where ye goin'? And why you, sir," he pointed to Angel rather rudely. "Look so much like th' master?"
"Neither of us have any family," Angel was thinking quick. "And we wanted family at our wedding," he pulled Buffy to him. "And so we have spent the best part of the past year tracking down any distant relations, and we believe the O'Dontrey's, the owners of these woods, as you say they are, may be very, very distant relations of mine."
"Huh." The man said. He regarded the couple for a moment. He spotted the Gem of Amara on Angel's finger, and he raised an eyebrow. "And is it custom where you are for the man to wear the engagement ring?" At the blundering expressions on the faces of the two before him, the old man roared with laughter.
"Brian, be my name," he told them when he had semi-caught his breath. "Brian O'Riley." He reached out, and Angel shook his hand. "My cabin is not far from 'ere. Me wife told me 'erself this morning she cut up too many potatoes than we can eat today. She'll be 'appy to 'ave someone to make sure those 'taters don't ago to waste, now. You can stay with us, till we arrange to get you to the master's manor. Then we'll see 'bout gettin' you in."
"Thanks," Buffy said, grinning. "We sup- er, we very much appreciate it, sir." She pinched Angel in the ribs for the amused grin he had on his face at her attempt at being proper. He mock-glared down at her, promising revenge later. She only grinned with impish innocence as they picked up their bags, and followed Brian O'Riley out of the clearing.
Seems luck had been with them, their first day. But how long would it stay with them?
To Be Continued....
I know, I know, super short, but I wanted to get SOMETHING out, if nothing else to let you guys know this fic is NOT dead.
This time, boys and gouls, I have a reason for being so late; I just got back from my exchange student trip to Europe, and DANG my 'family' kept me busy, and whatsmore, they only had one computer, and the father of the house used it for work, so I only got on it, like, once, and I only had enough time to e-mail a few friends, let alone type up a chapter and post it.
So, I hope my reasons are good enough to warrent forgiveness, or at least a few reviews regarding how this fic is doing so far!
Until next time!
Reach for the Stars and Never Look Down,
Azhuraea Fluer
*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY*
Chapter Five
by Azhuraea Fluer
*NOTE:*
It has come to my attention that the outfits I derived up for Buffy and Angel were more idealesqe for the sixteenth century, not the late eighteenth, so I went back and edited that part. If you don't want to go back and re-read it, Buffy's clothing is now: a gathered fawn skirt that fell to her ankles, a white, full sleeved, high collared blouse. She wore boots and had her hair pulled back in a simple low braid. Angel's outfit is still mainly the same. -Azhuraea
P.S. Big thanks to 'Buffy Girl' for correcting me on the era!
"Who be ye an' what yer doin' in th' master's fo'est?" A voice growled.
The words were barely out of his mouth before the petite blonde of a warrior whirled around, snapped the arrow with the mere force of her gripping it, her other hand coming under and up to slam the palm into the man's chin, snapping his head back. She controlled her strength, not killing the man, but guaranteeing a nice, fat headache.
The man fell backwards, his crossbow falling from his hands. Quicker than lightning, Buffy spotted, snatched, and tossed to Angel the gun she also spotted at his belt, taking the crossbow and broke arrow for herself as she stood and backed away.
"Bloody 'ell!" The man screeched as he stumbled to his feet, grasping at the gun that was no longer at his side. He glared at Angel, whom was pointing his own weapon at him. Buffy held the crossbow deftly, and although the arrow in it was broken, there was no doubt in the man's mind that this woman knew how to turn *anything* into a formidable weapon, broken or no.
"What *are* ye?" The man sputtered. "An' wha' sort 'o' woman moves like *tha'*?"
"One who doesn't like having an icky old guy sneak up on her," Buffy replied bluntly. A touch on her elbow by Angel reminded her where -and when- she was, and how she looked. She winced inwardly. She'd have to blame it on Giles; his remark about 'keeping her mouth shut' must have jinxed it...
"We are travelers, good sir, and were unaware that these woods were owned by anyone," Angel answered. The man glowered. "Travelers? You don't look it. Ye be too clean. And where's the lady's escort? Ye don't look wealthy, but ye don't look dirt poor, 'nether."
"We decided to stop and refresh ourselves, having heard from a farmer that there was a stream near here." Buffy did her best to imitate women she'd seen in movies like 'Gone with the Wind.' She didn't think she was succeeding... She shrugged. "Our coachmen heard that we weren't sure if we had the money to pay them after all, so they left."
"Ye must 'ave signed up wif a cheap coach-business, if they'd be wiley 'nough t' leave a lady stranded in a land like this." The man said gruffly. He looked them up and down.
"Suppose you meant no 'arm," he grumbled. "C'n I 'ave me gun back?" Angel and Buffye exchanged glances. Angel stuck the gun in his belt, but Buffy handed back the crossbow. He scowled as he examined the cleanly snapped arrow.
"The' one day I decides to leave me quiver at 'ome to save my poor back a bit o' grief," he muttered. He looked at Buffy. "What sort o woman could do this?" He held up the broken arrow. Buffy grinned dazzlingly.
"Oh, luck," she immitated Haromony's giggle. "See, look, my hand is already starting to bruise." She held up her hand so briefly that the man didn't have time to see if it was beginning to bruise or not.
"Well, can a 'armless ol' man at least ask 'fter yer names?" He asked. It seemed his grumpy demeanor was permanent.
"Elizabeth," Buffy answered automatically. She was so used to people assuming that was her real name, 'Buffy' being a nickname, that she would have no problem answering to it.
"And you, sir?"
"Liam," Angel answered quickly enough, though hesitation had been present. The man snorted.
"Curious." He said. "Tha' be the same name as the master's eldest son. Curious."
"Quite curious." Angel agreed, his face blank. She glanced at Angel; even she could put two and two together. Angel hadn't mentioned that his family *owned* these woods... Ironic. Angelus got cursed in the same place he'd always held his own birthday parties as a boy...
"You two...hitched?" The man ventured. "Or distant relations?"
"Engaged." Answered the be-souled vampire.
Buffy coughed.
"Sorry," she apologized after a moment, her face red, as she glared at a wolfishly grinning
Angel. "Not used to the fresh air."
"Huh. Fine, that's not too surprisin'" the old man said. "Can I ask where ye goin'? And why you, sir," he pointed to Angel rather rudely. "Look so much like th' master?"
"Neither of us have any family," Angel was thinking quick. "And we wanted family at our wedding," he pulled Buffy to him. "And so we have spent the best part of the past year tracking down any distant relations, and we believe the O'Dontrey's, the owners of these woods, as you say they are, may be very, very distant relations of mine."
"Huh." The man said. He regarded the couple for a moment. He spotted the Gem of Amara on Angel's finger, and he raised an eyebrow. "And is it custom where you are for the man to wear the engagement ring?" At the blundering expressions on the faces of the two before him, the old man roared with laughter.
"Brian, be my name," he told them when he had semi-caught his breath. "Brian O'Riley." He reached out, and Angel shook his hand. "My cabin is not far from 'ere. Me wife told me 'erself this morning she cut up too many potatoes than we can eat today. She'll be 'appy to 'ave someone to make sure those 'taters don't ago to waste, now. You can stay with us, till we arrange to get you to the master's manor. Then we'll see 'bout gettin' you in."
"Thanks," Buffy said, grinning. "We sup- er, we very much appreciate it, sir." She pinched Angel in the ribs for the amused grin he had on his face at her attempt at being proper. He mock-glared down at her, promising revenge later. She only grinned with impish innocence as they picked up their bags, and followed Brian O'Riley out of the clearing.
Seems luck had been with them, their first day. But how long would it stay with them?
To Be Continued....
I know, I know, super short, but I wanted to get SOMETHING out, if nothing else to let you guys know this fic is NOT dead.
This time, boys and gouls, I have a reason for being so late; I just got back from my exchange student trip to Europe, and DANG my 'family' kept me busy, and whatsmore, they only had one computer, and the father of the house used it for work, so I only got on it, like, once, and I only had enough time to e-mail a few friends, let alone type up a chapter and post it.
So, I hope my reasons are good enough to warrent forgiveness, or at least a few reviews regarding how this fic is doing so far!
Until next time!
Reach for the Stars and Never Look Down,
Azhuraea Fluer
*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY*