Disclaimer- The only character I own here is Rowan herself; the rest I
borrow.
Summary- This takes place before Cordelia becomes part demon and before
Connor is born.
Chapter Twelve
So That's the Plan
Once the elevator doors closed, silence settled. It continued after the doors swished open and as Rowan trailed behind Wesley to the suite he had in mind. Once inside, however, Rowan took charge. "Ever set up a workroom before, Wes?"
Wesley, carefully sorting out the supplies from his arms into some kind of order on the nightstand, cleared his throat. "I have read rather extensively about it-"
Rowan chuckled low in her throat, interrupting his clipped intonation. "So, no?"
Wesley, lips moving but no sound escaping for several minutes, finally replied. "No."
Rowan turned, picking up a stack of white candles from Wesley's pile of supplies and began placing them around the perimeter of the room. "Don't look so crestfallen! I won't hold it against you."
Wesley looked the tiniest bit relieved. "I still think I can be of some help."
Rowan smiled widely and warmly at him. He may not be an ace magic user, but he seemed willing to learn. "Good. I do have something you can do- which is very important, even if it doesn't sound like it."
Again, the crestfallen look. But Wesley was smart; he knew what to do without even being asked. "I'll make sure you aren't interrupted." He headed towards the door. "I'll be in the hall."
"Thanks! That really is the most important part of this spell. The room has to know only me, and I have to be completely centered on setting up the barriers." Rowan settled into the middle of the room, folding her legs into a comfortable sitting position. The small brazier with sandalwood was at her side. She followed Wesley's progress with her eyes, turning herself towards the open terrace and the full sunlight as soon as the door closed behind him. Clearing her mind of all thoughts, Rowan spoke a single word, incindiare, and the candlewicks flared to life with pure, clean flames. After pausing a moment, she began the incantation, drawing power to herself.
"To the guardians of the four corners, I pledge myself.
To aid the side of the light, and all its warriors,
I pledge myself and those powers granted to me." Here, she drew out a pouch of pungent herbs and tossed a pinch to each corner of the room.
"To the east, to the west, to the north and to the south,
From the heavens to the bowels of the earth, all encompassing,
Hear me, Guardians, and grant protection and safe passage." Rowan dumped the rest of the herb pouch into the brazier, causing the flame to leap in the air and turn a deep purple. Light, chartreuse smoke began to billow out from the burning incense and wrap itself around her in long- fingered tendrils.
"Keep my feet on the path you have chosen for me,
Keep my magiks free from darkness.
Consecrate this holy space for the work you wish,
And to protect those who do that work with me." The smoke began to expand and thicken, filling the room with the smell of old magik. Grasping a small, ceremonial dagger by its ornately sculpted hilt, she intoned the next few lines of the blessing:
"I offer myself, my blood, and my brethren-" At this point, Rowan drew the dagger across her palm, allowing three drops of blood to fall on the burning incense before wrapping her hand with a cloth and continuing.
"-and this sacred space to you." A fresh breeze seemed to whip through the room, clearing the smoke and extinguishing the carefully placed candles.
Rowan inhaled slowly and deeply, savoring the peacefulness that had now taken over. The room was blessed.
After a moment of peace, Rowan called out. "Wesley, you can come back in."
The door cracked slightly, and Wesley peered through the space. "All done then?"
Rowan stretched the muscles in her neck slowly, preparing to rise. "Yes, all done."
Wesley quickly crossed the distance from the door to Rowan, and held out a hand in aid. She grasped it and pulled herself upright. "Now I need something to eat, and some time to practice the incantation for tonight." Wesley held the door open for Rowan to pass through. "I take it that the spell is somewhat complicated?" Rowan nodded in agreement. "Yes. It's in several different languages. My Gram took the magik from wherever she could find it to construct the spell, and she didn't want to weaken the strength by translating the words."
"Fascinating!' Wesley exclaimed as he followed her over the threshold. He continued down the hall while Rowan turned to face the doorway again. She spread her hands, and spoke another word of Power. The space within the door frame glowed a deep sapphire for just a few seconds before blanking out. Rowan caught up with Wesley before he even realized she wasn't in-step with him.
Wesley's curiosity, building ever since Rowan had announced that she had a spell that could help, finally became too much to bear. "Just what does this spell do, that requires so many different types of magik?"
Rowan considered what AI's reaction to the spell might be, if she really explained just what would happen. Upon reflection, she decided that Wesley and the others deserved to know the type of risks involved. "Well, I am going to de-vampify Angel by playing with the soul-demon link."
Wesley stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face her. "How exactly are you going to play with that link?" he asked, his voice raising in pitch and finally cracking on 'link.'"
Rowan smiled at him, trying to project confidence and a sense that the spell wasn't really anything out of her normal magik working. "Momentarily disrupt it, like a satellite dish during a thunderstorm."
Wesley paled and a faint line of sweat appeared at his hairline. "Disrupt it HOW?!?" He shook his head vigorously. "Now, I have not personally met Angelus, but I don't think that he will cooperate with you!"
Rowan almost laughed at his comically horrified expression, but held it in with some effort. The spell was, actually, slightly dangerous. She had just chosen to ignore the risks. The opportunity to help Angel- and gain his personal trust, not have it forced by the PTB- made the risks less important to her. "Don't worry, Wesley. Angelus will not be appearing. In fact, he will temporarily be imprisoned."
Wesley looked excited. "That's what the Orb is for!"
"Yes." Rowan agreed. "How long can you keep A-a-ngelus imprisoned?" Wesley's eyes were bright with the obvious possibilities. Rowan considered explaining more truthfully what would happen with the spell, but, as Wesley hadn't asked about any of the possible complications, kept those to her self. She didn't want anyone to worry more than was absolutely necessary. "Not for very long."
Breaking the now somber mood that had settled on Wesley's face, Rowan started down the hallway again. "So, Wes, care to help me with the pronunciation of some ancient K'Tharlian? I'm a little rusty on."
Chapter Twelve
So That's the Plan
Once the elevator doors closed, silence settled. It continued after the doors swished open and as Rowan trailed behind Wesley to the suite he had in mind. Once inside, however, Rowan took charge. "Ever set up a workroom before, Wes?"
Wesley, carefully sorting out the supplies from his arms into some kind of order on the nightstand, cleared his throat. "I have read rather extensively about it-"
Rowan chuckled low in her throat, interrupting his clipped intonation. "So, no?"
Wesley, lips moving but no sound escaping for several minutes, finally replied. "No."
Rowan turned, picking up a stack of white candles from Wesley's pile of supplies and began placing them around the perimeter of the room. "Don't look so crestfallen! I won't hold it against you."
Wesley looked the tiniest bit relieved. "I still think I can be of some help."
Rowan smiled widely and warmly at him. He may not be an ace magic user, but he seemed willing to learn. "Good. I do have something you can do- which is very important, even if it doesn't sound like it."
Again, the crestfallen look. But Wesley was smart; he knew what to do without even being asked. "I'll make sure you aren't interrupted." He headed towards the door. "I'll be in the hall."
"Thanks! That really is the most important part of this spell. The room has to know only me, and I have to be completely centered on setting up the barriers." Rowan settled into the middle of the room, folding her legs into a comfortable sitting position. The small brazier with sandalwood was at her side. She followed Wesley's progress with her eyes, turning herself towards the open terrace and the full sunlight as soon as the door closed behind him. Clearing her mind of all thoughts, Rowan spoke a single word, incindiare, and the candlewicks flared to life with pure, clean flames. After pausing a moment, she began the incantation, drawing power to herself.
"To the guardians of the four corners, I pledge myself.
To aid the side of the light, and all its warriors,
I pledge myself and those powers granted to me." Here, she drew out a pouch of pungent herbs and tossed a pinch to each corner of the room.
"To the east, to the west, to the north and to the south,
From the heavens to the bowels of the earth, all encompassing,
Hear me, Guardians, and grant protection and safe passage." Rowan dumped the rest of the herb pouch into the brazier, causing the flame to leap in the air and turn a deep purple. Light, chartreuse smoke began to billow out from the burning incense and wrap itself around her in long- fingered tendrils.
"Keep my feet on the path you have chosen for me,
Keep my magiks free from darkness.
Consecrate this holy space for the work you wish,
And to protect those who do that work with me." The smoke began to expand and thicken, filling the room with the smell of old magik. Grasping a small, ceremonial dagger by its ornately sculpted hilt, she intoned the next few lines of the blessing:
"I offer myself, my blood, and my brethren-" At this point, Rowan drew the dagger across her palm, allowing three drops of blood to fall on the burning incense before wrapping her hand with a cloth and continuing.
"-and this sacred space to you." A fresh breeze seemed to whip through the room, clearing the smoke and extinguishing the carefully placed candles.
Rowan inhaled slowly and deeply, savoring the peacefulness that had now taken over. The room was blessed.
After a moment of peace, Rowan called out. "Wesley, you can come back in."
The door cracked slightly, and Wesley peered through the space. "All done then?"
Rowan stretched the muscles in her neck slowly, preparing to rise. "Yes, all done."
Wesley quickly crossed the distance from the door to Rowan, and held out a hand in aid. She grasped it and pulled herself upright. "Now I need something to eat, and some time to practice the incantation for tonight." Wesley held the door open for Rowan to pass through. "I take it that the spell is somewhat complicated?" Rowan nodded in agreement. "Yes. It's in several different languages. My Gram took the magik from wherever she could find it to construct the spell, and she didn't want to weaken the strength by translating the words."
"Fascinating!' Wesley exclaimed as he followed her over the threshold. He continued down the hall while Rowan turned to face the doorway again. She spread her hands, and spoke another word of Power. The space within the door frame glowed a deep sapphire for just a few seconds before blanking out. Rowan caught up with Wesley before he even realized she wasn't in-step with him.
Wesley's curiosity, building ever since Rowan had announced that she had a spell that could help, finally became too much to bear. "Just what does this spell do, that requires so many different types of magik?"
Rowan considered what AI's reaction to the spell might be, if she really explained just what would happen. Upon reflection, she decided that Wesley and the others deserved to know the type of risks involved. "Well, I am going to de-vampify Angel by playing with the soul-demon link."
Wesley stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face her. "How exactly are you going to play with that link?" he asked, his voice raising in pitch and finally cracking on 'link.'"
Rowan smiled at him, trying to project confidence and a sense that the spell wasn't really anything out of her normal magik working. "Momentarily disrupt it, like a satellite dish during a thunderstorm."
Wesley paled and a faint line of sweat appeared at his hairline. "Disrupt it HOW?!?" He shook his head vigorously. "Now, I have not personally met Angelus, but I don't think that he will cooperate with you!"
Rowan almost laughed at his comically horrified expression, but held it in with some effort. The spell was, actually, slightly dangerous. She had just chosen to ignore the risks. The opportunity to help Angel- and gain his personal trust, not have it forced by the PTB- made the risks less important to her. "Don't worry, Wesley. Angelus will not be appearing. In fact, he will temporarily be imprisoned."
Wesley looked excited. "That's what the Orb is for!"
"Yes." Rowan agreed. "How long can you keep A-a-ngelus imprisoned?" Wesley's eyes were bright with the obvious possibilities. Rowan considered explaining more truthfully what would happen with the spell, but, as Wesley hadn't asked about any of the possible complications, kept those to her self. She didn't want anyone to worry more than was absolutely necessary. "Not for very long."
Breaking the now somber mood that had settled on Wesley's face, Rowan started down the hallway again. "So, Wes, care to help me with the pronunciation of some ancient K'Tharlian? I'm a little rusty on."
