The pyramid right? The big one? Numero uno? Really, really big pile of stone, film and documentary feature? He's surprised me.

"Yes. Desperate measures and all that" from the watcher.

Buffy just looks poleaxed. Anyanka is concentrating on some incredibly sweet backlava type stuff brought over for dessert. All I can say on that stuff is I'm bloody lucky fangs don't get cavities or starvation could be an imminent risk.

"So what…we break in?" 'Coz I know who gets volunteered for lock picking/jail duty in this scenario.

"Oh no. I will get the key. It's why we are eating here. The friend I'll be getting it from is at the university. I had to come here after the museum to meet up."

"There's a university?" What did they teach her in that school of hers?

"One of the oldest in the world Buffy" from the Watcher in lecturer mode. Even starts cleaning his glasses. "Most of the texts we have from ancient Greece and Rome, the very cornerstones of our civilisation, survived in the Muslim World while we languished in the dark ages. They later returned from there to the West giving us the Renaissance." I feel an urge to start taking notes, and studying for the test later.

"Watcher's right pet. Medicine, maths, science, poetry, lots of things. Very fashionable too when I was your age. Lord Leighton, The Rhubiyat of Omar Khayam, Burton and the whole Arabian Nights, breath of fresh air it was. Went well with the Pre-Raphaelites and King Arthur too."

"Who are you and what have you done with Spike? Only know one of those."

"You never asked pet, you never asked. Would love to explain. Promise to. Later, when we've got time. Also promise not to get into a compare an Oxford education in the classics against what passes for an education in the States. You'll only get miffed, and probably start hitting me or Giles."

"You hit Rupie, you suffer!" from Anyanka.

"Not hitting anyone! Don't always resort to violence."



The rest of us just looked at each other. Time to change the subject.



"Shame more wasn't saved from near here, 'ey Rupert? Great Library of Alexandria an all that."

"The Council emptied it of all the magical, historical and geographical texts under one of the last Ptolomies. They put no value on the literature or philosophy though. Only what they could use, and of course they never shared what was saved with the rest of the world, that needed it. Always been a great regret of mine. So much lost. Plato, Socrates, what a waste."

You really do un-live and learn. Learnt more in the last week or so about so many things and most of all me.



Buffy makes an effort at conversation. Good to see. "What's with all this stone castley place?"

"The Citadel, built by Salah-el-Din." Back to lecturer mode.

"That's Saladin right? I did do the crusades at school Mr Know-it-Alls!"

"Full Richard the Lionheart an all pet?"

"I knew his mother, oh and his wife!" from the ancient one amongst us. Now this is interesting.

"Didn't know he was married luv." Oops shouldn't have called her that, getting glares from Buffy and Giles. Babble Spike, works for Red. "All the faithful minstrel stories an all that."

"Quite! Berengaria felt that too. Kept leaving her on islands round the Med while he had fun with the boys. Not very imaginative on her wish though. I mean I did so many festering wounds during the Middle Ages. Do you know how boring that got?"

"So you're responsible for Bad King John then Anyanka?" Got that right. Giles is distracted by the historical implications and Buffy is secure in her usual response to Anyanka's stories. She's got the look all ready. Hate to see it on her.

"Oh that was due to his mother too. Eleanor of Aquitaine. One of my favourite clients over the centuries she was. Whatta woman! Dumped the King of France for the King of England, had lovers. Ruled Empires, totally vindictive and imaginative too. We get so few of those," she sighed.

Giles is rubbing through his lenses analysing this one. But asks the question he already knows the answer to. "She asked that all his sons turned against him right?"

"Oh much better. All his sons should turn against him and all his empire should turn to ashes. In one generation loss of most of the English Empire in France, Henry already dead in despair, his legacy ruined. Inspired!"

"Answers whether all your wishes were cancelled when your necklace was broken."

"Rupie don't say the b word, you said…"

"Oh Anya, it's ok. I'm sorry." He hugged her and she let him. I wish…



Distraction Spike, let 'em look on the light side. Somebody gotta be happy. "So Anyanka here made it possible for us to keep thrashing the French! No Anyanka no Crecy, Poitiers, Agincourt, wouldn't have had all that fun! OK I Know war bad, suffering an all that. But hey, National Sport for centuries."

"Mm, quite right Spike. We'll talk Scottish, German and Irish historical wishes later dear."

"Oh there's some doozies!" from a very perky demon.



Some Turkish Coffee arrived for Giles, Anyanka and me. Buffy had a coke. We supped up in silence. Giles paid the bill and we headed off to one of the main gates to the Citadel and a cab back to the hotel. Late now in a long day. Only the caffeine keeping us going I think.



Went past loads of mosques. Like mosques, no pesky holy water, though having to take your shoes off is a bind. Or it was when I was hunting and trying to fit in initially anyway. Docs take a long time to take on and off comfortably. Not gonna be a problem in future.



Got a cab quick and got back to the hotel and escorted the girls to their room. Both wanna do the gentleman thing. We head next door and take a couple of beers out the mini-bar and discuss the details of the ritual for tomorrow night. She ain't gonna like it. I don't. But Watcher knows what he's talking about.

Least we're talking, me, Giles and Anyanka. Know he wasn't happy about the luv thing. Must try harder, think before opening mouth…story of my life. Least Giles and I are talking. Preternatural hearing you know. Sound of Silence from the girls room. That one is gonna take some time I think. But on the bright side no sounds of them trying to kill each other, so there's hope. As Rupert said there's always hope.