Chapter 8: Disc of Ages
Willow found socializing a bit harder than she thought it would be. Giles had disappeared for the moment, leaving her to her own devices. She milled amongst the dozens of witches, trying to make small talk. She chatted for a while with wonderful grandmotherly old women named Margaret about the proper uses for wolfs bane. Margaret noticed Willow's preoccupation, though and steered her to the sofa. They sat down and she handed Willow a cup of tea.
"I think he went to fetch an artifact for Eliza. He should be back soon," she smiled at the young one. Willow stared at the woman, a little unnerved that she was so transparent.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be rude," she stammered.
"Not to worry, dear, love does funny things to us all." She smiled into her tea. As she settled the cup on the saucer she sized up the young witch. Margaret could feel the waves of energy rolling off Willow. She was sure that most of the women in the room could feel it, which is why she took pity on Willow. Most of the women had been deliberately avoiding her, made uncomfortable by her enormous power. But Margaret had hope for this one. She had always trusted her intuition, and today it told her to embrace this girl, to help her.
Willow blushed at Margaret's comment on love. She wanted so much to just be away from all of these people, and to be able to spend some time with Giles. She sipped on her tea and tried to let it sooth her frayed nerves.
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Giles climbed the stairs with renewed energy, thinking about Willow with a smile playing on his lips. Eliza had asked him to run up to the third floor and unearth an old relic they would need for tomorrow's ceremony. The coven would need to bless the object tonight. He tried to remember where he was supposed look for it, the 4th door on the left he recalled.
He swung the door open and scanned the empty bedroom for the object. A large chest sat at the foot of the bed. He lifted the heavy top of the chest and began to rummage through its contents. There. He pulled out the heavy metal disc. The outer sections were gold and etched with ancient markings. The inner portion of the disc was a medley of silver, brass, and a few other metals. Giles slipped the disc into his breast pocket and stood up to leave the room. Rage stopped him dead in his tracks.
"Rupert," Bridget greeted him with a frown.
"What are you doing up here," he reflexively twisted at the ring on his finger, and knew that he would have to control his anger like never before, or she would never leave this room alive. She seemed to sense his malice and took an uncharacteristic step backwards.
"Grandmother sent me up here to retrieve the Disc of Ages." She watched him intently. His frown deepened.
"She just asked me to retrieve it," calling her lie.
"She obviously wanted to throw us together." This was the first time that Giles had seen Bridget defensive, nervous, and uncomfortable. He reveled in it. She had betrayed him and he would never forgive her.
"You keep your distance from me and from Willow," he growled and began to walk past her and out the door.
At the sound of a choked sob he stopped walking, but refused to turn around. His blood boiled. Was this another tactic on Bridget's part to squelch his rage? He was sick and tired of her games. She had always been an expert in manipulation. But she didn't take advantage of this moment. Instead she walked into the room and quietly closed the door.
He continued walking down the hall and made it down to the second floor before his damn conscience forced him to turn around and head back to the bedroom. Part of him wanted to let the matter drop completely, knowing that he had won in the end. The other part of him still fumed at her betrayal.
Not knocking, he eased the door open. Bridget sat, curled up on the window seat. She stared out at the ocean of trees outside her window. Giles could see the tears on her cheek as he walked over to her. She turned to look at him finally.
"You knew I loved her Bridget," he accused.
"Yes." Her expression was tortured. "And now I know that she loves you. So you get the girl Rupert."
"But why did you do it?" A moment of silence filled the room. She finally met his eyes again and answered.
"Because I've been falling in love too."
"Lust and love, although they're connected, are not the same thing Bridget," he lectured.
"Don't you lecture me Rupert. You think I don't know what love is?" anger crept into her voice. She swung her legs off the window seat. "You don't know anything about me." His impatience with her was growing by the moment.
"Well if you didn't put on a show all the time, with your tough girl act and your haughty attitude, maybe people would start to know you," he threw his hands up in aggravation. "And you've only known Willow for a few days, you can't possibly be in love with her."
Bridget looked like she had been punched in the stomach. After a beat, she choked out her next words,
"I'm not in love with *her* you clueless lout!" She stormed out of the room, and with full drama slammed the door behind her.
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Willow chatted distractedly with Margaret until she saw Giles return. She had sensed a disturbance upstairs, but wasn't sure what had happened. He looked tired and upset as he entered the parlor.
He pulled the metal disc from his pocket and placed it with a bang onto the table next to
Eliza. She jumped in her chair and frowned at this foolish behavior.
"There's your bloody relic," his deep voice was low, but everyone in the room had gone silent at his entrance. "If you even think about doing anything like that again, you will find yourself minus one watcher and one powerful witch. Do you understand me?" He stood over the old woman looking down at her with contempt.
"Mr. Giles, we all need to work together here in harmony," she was unaffected by his threat. "I shan't have the bickering between two members of this coven come between us and our duty. Whether you like it or not, I am the leader of this coven and if I deem it necessary for you and Bridget to work out your differences, then it shall be done. Is *that* understood." She raised an eyebrow at Giles.
The silence in the room full of witches was profound. They all held their breath, startled by the interchange between Giles and the coven's leader. He stared at her for a long moment and eased off. She was right; she did have a higher responsibility. Giles was now starting to feel foolish for his outburst.
"My apologies Mrs. Bennett," his voice held just the right note of sincerity. The room collectively let out a sigh of relief and the noise of conversation began to fill it again.
"You're forgiven," she waved him off with her napkin. "Don't you have something better to do than to talk with an old woman like me," a sparkle gleamed in her eye as she gestured to Willow, who was sitting tensely on the other side of the room, watching the scene in horror.
"Indeed," he gave the grandmother a reluctant smile and moved towards Willow. She spoke first as he approached her.
"You just can't stay out of trouble, can ya?"
"Apparently not," he pulled her off the couch and led her out of the parlor.
"What happened?"
"Mrs. Bennett set up a little run-in for me and Bridget. She sent us both up for the same relic at the same time."
"Oh," Willow's mind swam with thoughts of what that confrontation must have been like.
"Don't worry, I didn't throttle her," he grinned at Willow's concerned expression.
"Where are we going?" Willow walked with him. He seemed to be on a mission. He led her out the front door and to the car. "We can't just leave Giles, these people need help."
"We're not leaving for good," he chuckled as he turned the ignition. "But I bet there's an Expresso Bar or something of the like in this town. I need a cup of coffee."
Willow stared at him in disbelief. Coffee?
"I guess we really have Americanized you."
"Yes," he agreed with his beautiful British accent. "And you are sworn to secrecy." They pulled away from the house, leaving a cloud of dust behind them.