Title: Of Courts and Consequence

Author: Ravynsword

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: the usual



Chapter Six

A tired group trudged into the mansion on Crawford Street just as the sun was rising. Ashe and Seamus were just hoping to get some rest, while Rhiannon felt uneasy, as if she were missing some piece of information. Realizing that they hadn't eaten for most of the day, the two Phuka headed for the kitchen, telling the others to wait a few minutes until they had something made. Rhiannon dropped onto the sofa closest to the fireplace. She only bothered to open her eyes mere slits as she felt her head lifted and then set back down, gently. Above her was Angel. He began to message her temples gently. When Spike began to do the same for her feet, she nearly began to purr in the comfort she felt from their ministrations.

The two headed for the kitchen noticed the trio on the sofa.

"If confuses me," Ashe said in a low voice as she began pulling out ingredients for their sunrise dinner. "My parents saw a Death Maiden when they were young. Father told me about it. Nothing he told me matches what we've seen over the last couple of days. From what I heard, Death Maidens become stone cold, their Knights nearly the same. Extreme formality is more the norm. Two undead Knights massaging a purring Death Maiden's temps and feet did NOT figure in the tales I heard. Father also told me once that Maiden emerged, she just killed every demon in the region, no matter if it was evil or not. What caused the difference?"

Seamus stood near the kitchen door and watched the three out on the sofa. They looked comfortable with one another, but it was as if the darker vampire was slightly more distant. The Phuka turned to his friend and thought before answering her.

"I think part of it may be the blood difference. Rhiannon is the first Death Maiden I ever heard of that was part Fae. Also, there have never been Death Knights like hers. They are used to dealing with the darker side of themselves, and they have souls. The combination has never occurred before..."

"You have a point, but are those differences really enough?"

"We had best hope so," Seamus replied. "Can't you feel the magic crawling around inside her? If she loses control, we could all be dead before this is over."

***

"Do you think your friends are discussing us?" Angel asked, with a nod toward the kitchen. The Irish vampire continued to massage Rhiannon's temples. He could feel the tension in her body, as well as the magic. The slender, dark-haired Elven lady who had her head in his lap could easily have bested Willow at her worst for pure, unadulterated power. He could feel a shadow of it flowing through him. Angel couldn't figure out everything that had happened to him over the past few days. The only certainties he had were the connection he felt to Rhiannon and Spike, and the fact that for the first time in over a century, his demon was under control. Maybe he would ask her about it if they survived the upcoming fight.

"What do you think, Peaches?" teased the British vampire. "They're just as surprised and confused about all of this as we are. Apparently the three of us don't conform to anything anyone expects of a Death Maiden and her Knights."

"Can you two hush, I'm enjoying my moment of hedonism here," was the comment from the woman they both caressed.

"Yes, they probably are talking about us, but there's no one I want at my back more than them."

Rhiannon stretched with feline grace and rose fluidly to head for the table where her two friends had just served dinner. Behind her, the two vampires looked at one another, shrugged, and followed her to the table.

Dinner was a fairly quiet affair, with everyone mentally preparing for the fight against the Mordantus demon. The outcome was in no way guaranteed and they realized this may be their last few hours. This knowledge did not lend itself to levity.

***

"So, what are you going to do after tonight?" Willow asked the lady across the room as she brought part of dinner to the table. "I mean, I know some of us may not make it, but what is everyone going to do if we do make it?"

"I hadn't thought that far ahead," answered Grace. "Divorce Zachary, for one thing. My marriage to him was a mistake from the start, but I thought I was doing my best for Xander."

The older woman stopped to look through the doorway at her son. He was listening to his father and brother telling him stories of the two Courts of Faerie. While the Bard was fully Seelie Court, his older son was half-Unseelie. Xander was fascinated by what they had been telling him. Personally, he thought the Unseelie Court sounded a lot like Sunnydale on Friday night.

Back in the kitchen, Willow turned to Grace.

"Do you think Xander will go to stay with his real father?"

Grace Harris smiled at the younger woman who had been one of the few bright aspects of her son's life.

"I don't know, Willow," she said. "Hopefully, he won't hold it against me that I didn't tell him. You could have pushed me over with a feather when he came out of Mr. Giles' kitchen with those long ears. After this evening, Levellan, Xander, and I will have to decide where to go from here. Willow," she said, changing topics, "how long have you and Xander known there was more to life than meets the eye?"

"Our Sophomore year, when Buffy came to Sunnydale. Not long after she transferred in, she saved me from a vampire and we lost Jesse to one." The younger woman's face became sad as she thought about the childhood friend they had lost.

"Once we learned the truth, we decided to help her. Giles wasn't very happy with it at first because no Slayer had ever had helpers. Now, he believe our support and help is part of the reason that she's the longest lived active Slayer in history."

Grace thought about it.

"So, all of those study nights were actually patrols?"

"Not always, there have been lots of research nights over the years. Those were heavy duty study nights."

"How do this Angel and Spike fit into all of this?"

Willow sighed, then turned towards her best friend's mother.

"Angel was Angelus, one of the most feared vampires in Europe. He terrorized the continent with his 'family' of Darla, Drusilla, and Spike. One year, Darla brought him a gypsy to eat. The gypsy was the favorite daughter of her clan and they cursed him with a soul as revenge. Since then, he has been working towards his redemption. Spike's real name was William. He was turned in a London alley. The name Spike comes from his favorite method of torture. A couple of years ago, he was captured by a secret government group and experimented on. They put a chip in his head so he can't hurt people anymore, can't even think about it without it causing him pain. According to Dawn, when he went missing for a couple of months a year ago, he got his soul. Now, both of them are linked to this Rhiannon. It must bother Buffy because she used to date Angel. Me, I just hope we make it through this."

When she finished speaking, Willow picked up the rest of the dishes and headed towards the dining room, announcing dinner to the men as she did. Grace followed after her.

***

At the mansion, the residents headed towards their rooms. Ashe and Seamus chose to share a room for mutual comfort. Rhiannon, Angel, and Spike returned to the master suite. In silence, the three stripped down and climbed into the large bed. Like the previous evening, Rhiannon was in the center. Angel lay at her back, one hand on her hip. Spike lay before her. She set her head near the hollow of his throat and settled in for what little sleep they would be able to get.