Disclaimer: "No!!!!!" I screamed as the police dragged me away. "I own them! They're all mine!!!!!!" That's when I saw Joss Whedon standing over me pointing his finger. "That's her! Coca-Cola stole all my characters and wrote some twisted bullshit involving them!" He accused. That's when I woke up in bed, my sheets all twisted. "All a dream," I thought. "At least I know all characters from BtVS belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy…."
Rating: PG-13
Summary: AU- In 1593 Buffy Summers and her company are on the way to stay with friends of her fathers in England when they are ambushed on the road by the infamous highwayman William the Bloody, better known as Spike.
A/N: This mostly takes place in 16th Century Britain, because I have no idea what America was like then, so work with me here. Also, this chapter is basically an introduction to the story, so sorry if it's too long and boring. Spike will make his entrance later, and don't worry, Xander will be included next chapter!
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"Take care, darling," Hank Summers kissed his daughter's cheek as she stepped up onto the boat. She responded only with a glare. Elizabeth 'Buffy' Summers did not appreciate being sent off to stay with some stuffy friends of her fathers in England to look for a potential husband. She highly resented her father's interest in finding her a rich young man to marry and she was making damn sure he knew it.
Hank Summers sighed. His daughter was beautiful, with hair like spun gold and bright hazel eyes that could look right you. She also had a fiery temper.
"Oh, come on now, darling. Don't look like that. Don't you want a husband?" Hank asked as if there were nothing else in the world she could want more. Buffy shot him a frosty look and said nothing.
"Now, Elizabeth-" Hank began crossly, but his daughter interrupted furiously.
"It's Buffy" She hissed. Hank looked desperately at her.
"Buffy, sorry…" He paused then sighed. There was no point in continuing. She knew what he had to say. It was an argument they had been having for over two months now, from the moment Hank had announced she was so go to Britain to stay with his good friend Wesley Wyndham-Price over the summer months and find herself a rich English gentleman to marry. The only reason Hank had managed to get her this far without physically lifting her up and carrying her onto the boat was the promised accompaniment of her best friend, Willow Rosenberg, who had looked upon the whole trip as a major adventure from the moment she had heard about it.
"Just think, Buffy," the red head had said excitedly. "A whole summer spent abroad, we'll have a wonderful time…" Buffy, however, couldn't agree.
She stood stiffly by the rail of the ship as Willow clambered in beside her, followed by Willow's sweetheart Daniel Osbourne, better known as Oz. He was accompanying them at Hank's request, as two young ladies couldn't possibly make the journey to England alone. Oz was more than content to come along; he would have followed Willow anywhere. Buffy sighed.
There were too many reasons why she wished she could stay. First and foremost, Buffy had determined from the very start that if and when she married, it would be for love, and love only. No amount of respected names, wealth and power could change her mind.
The second was she felt disgusted at being bartered like a joint of meat solely for her father to gain more money, and although he fretted and was cross about it, she knew he knew she was right, and the thought sickened her.
The third and final reason came in the shape of one extremely handsome, well-off young gentleman of the area, a Mr. Liam Angelus. Refusing to use his first name and known around town only as Angel, his dark hair and deep brown eyes had captured the heart of almost every girl in the area as soon as stepped foot in the town over a year ago, and Buffy was one of them.
Angel. She had thought of no-one else since she had first laid eyes on him, and harboured a passion for him that had not relented in the time she had known him. He became on of Hank's business acquaintances, and so came to the house fairly often. Buffy fantasized he came especially to see her, and made sure she always knew about his visits in advance to give herself time to prepare.
Willow had thought, and still did, that she was mad. From the moment he had arrived Angel had made it clear he was courting the beautiful Darla Adams, and thought the relationship was stormy, and the town was constantly buzzing with gossip about the two of them, they had persevered, and were now engaged.
This had not deterred Buffy, but now she was heading abroad for a period of three months, and Angel would forget all about her. She did not remind herself there was no reason he had to remember her, other than another of his adoring admirers.
Buffy was brought back to earth by the sound of the ship's horn blaring, and she watched Hank step back ashore and begin waving as they pulled away. Suddenly, as they began to drift away, Buffy felt something she hadn't previously thought about strike a pang in her heart, and as Willow leaped up and down waving, and Oz smiled at her antics, Buffy felt tears pricking her eyes and realised she was going to homesick.
