**
CHAPTER ONE
The young man was impatient. He had been waiting for nearly a quarter hour already, and he was not happy. But he sighed and accepted it, because these secret meetings were the only times he got to see the princess. Finally, he heard the sound of a horse in the distance.
The teenage girl's long blonde hair flared out behind her in the wind, from her perch upon her favorite horse, an amber colored mare named Willow. She smiled when she saw her companion, and laughed openly at his obvious impatience.
"Angel!" the girl called, and Liam cringed inwardly. If anyone from boy's training found out about his nickname, he would be a laughing stock. Riley, the biggest, and dumbest, bully in the training program would have a ball with that. Liam wasn't afraid of Riley, instead he found him really, really annoying. In fact, he was the only one of all the boys who could beat Riley, and wasn't frightened at the prospect of fighting him.
Galway, before it was conquered, was a peaceful land. They focused on art and culture, as opposed to war and brutality. The very quality that Galway was renowned for was ultimately its downfall. King Connor had sat passively as war raged around Galway's borders and was unprepared for invasion or attack. Liam was not expected to fight. Being told his entire life to "Harm no one," life in Buffonia was certainly a culture shock.
When the girl now riding closer to him freed him six years before, Liam was a poor fighter and took a long time to adjust. The near constant humiliation of being bested in fights by boys many years his junior didn't help matters much. But with private training sessions with the boy's master Giles, lots of hard work and effort, Liam had become one of the finest fighters and strategists ever to be produced by the Buffonian Military Training Program.
But he couldn't fight with the Royal Buffonian Army; he knew that. When Giles had first taken him on as a student, the older man had pondered, "Will you ever be able to truly forget? Your former life, your homeland?" Liam had answered that he would, in time, be able to forget but he knew the older man did not believe him. Regardless, Giles had taken him in, and for that Liam was grateful. He was 19 now, and next year he was supposed to join the army or choose a profession. When faced with his uncertain future, he could only pick out one bright spot.
Her.
His Elizabeth, or Buffy as he called her. With her, he didn't have to worry about his future, or Buffonia, or the driving urge for the revenge of his country. He was just Angel, she just Buffy, and they relished in their (at least temporary) freedom.
Princess Elizabeth dismounted Willow, and Liam chuckled at the sight of the tiny young woman jumping off the giant horse. He was still laughing as she tangled her foot in the stirrup and stumbled.
"I'm just so incredibly amusing, aren't I?" Elizabeth said sarcastically. Liam, in his laughter, tried to answer but couldn't due to lack of breath. Doubling over, he replied.
"Yes, dear Princess Buffy. That fall. was so perfect, anyone who didn't know you might have thought it was staged," he said between fits of laughter.
"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled, but she couldn't hold a glare. Pretty soon, she too was laughing. Finally free of the confining castle walls, she was almost euphoric after being stuck up inside all week.
"We only have a few hours. I snuck out of weaving time to meet you," she sighed regretfully. Queen Joyce had restricted her free time, instead taking time to prepare the princess for her future duties as queen. "If I hear another, 'Act properly, young lady!' it will be too soon, Angel. I hate it!"
His laughter subsiding, Angel embraced the girl. His dearest most cherished friend. His... he wasn't exactly sure of what Buffy was to him. Definitely a friend, but these days he wasn't sure of what else. She had grown into a beautiful young woman, so different from wild nine-year-old he once knew. At 15, Buffy had blossomed into one of the most beautiful women in the entire kingdom.
Their meetings had become less frequent over the years. When the princess was younger, the pair would meet almost three times a week, but as her queen-preparation began to take up more and more of Buffy's time, the meetings became less and less frequent. Now they were lucky if they could meet once every other week.
Although he was once a prince, in Buffonia, Angel was just a common man- not fit to kiss the soles of the princess's feet. That is why they hid their friendship. Any public relationship would be unacceptable. Buffy was, after all, just a woman, and had no say in her family's or county's affairs.
Buffy was supposed to be frolicking around with the royal consorts these days. She would have to pick a husband soon, and all of the boasting 'contenders' made her want to turn away in disgust every time they offered their gifts or affections. King Henry, in the end, would not give her much choice in the matter. He was already preparing his successor.
Buffy shuddered at the thought. William, her father's chief general was being groomed as king. William the Bloody, as he was called by the public, because of his brutal and cruel war tactics. Whenever he fought a battle, there was always more bloodshed than was necessary. He was rude and cruel, often mean and inconsiderate of his fellow man. Most of the time, Buffy had the same opinion of the future as Angel.
Angel didn't like William either. Not only because of the burning jealousy, but because of the way William had treated him six years before. William was the one who had executed his family- his father, mother, even his young sister Kathy, all dead, due to William's cruelty. William was to the one who had chained Angel up, bound and gagged him into his slavery. Thank god for Buffy, Angel thought almost constantly. Although his life wasn't perfect, he knew it could have been a lot worse.
But now was not the time for those thoughts, both agreed. They would have this time together before they had to return to their lives- Buffy to the castle, Angel to warrior training, and both to unhappy and uncertain futures.
They had to change that. They just had to. With their desperation, they thought, that maybe, just maybe, they could challenge destiny.
** END CHAPTER ONE
A/N- THANK YOU to anyone who reviewed. Every bit of feedback means a lot to me.
Silentwing- Okay, okay, you caught me. A lot of this is based on The Seer and the Sword, but trust me, in a few chapters, it will veer WAAAY off that story. I mean, this is a Buffy fic (I swear! Its buried in there somewhere(), so expect things of the supernatural.
Next chapters- Meeting with Giles, talking with Joyce, and William the Bloody is properly introduced.
PLEASE review. I really want to know what you guys think. If people like it, if people don't, TELL ME!
The young man was impatient. He had been waiting for nearly a quarter hour already, and he was not happy. But he sighed and accepted it, because these secret meetings were the only times he got to see the princess. Finally, he heard the sound of a horse in the distance.
The teenage girl's long blonde hair flared out behind her in the wind, from her perch upon her favorite horse, an amber colored mare named Willow. She smiled when she saw her companion, and laughed openly at his obvious impatience.
"Angel!" the girl called, and Liam cringed inwardly. If anyone from boy's training found out about his nickname, he would be a laughing stock. Riley, the biggest, and dumbest, bully in the training program would have a ball with that. Liam wasn't afraid of Riley, instead he found him really, really annoying. In fact, he was the only one of all the boys who could beat Riley, and wasn't frightened at the prospect of fighting him.
Galway, before it was conquered, was a peaceful land. They focused on art and culture, as opposed to war and brutality. The very quality that Galway was renowned for was ultimately its downfall. King Connor had sat passively as war raged around Galway's borders and was unprepared for invasion or attack. Liam was not expected to fight. Being told his entire life to "Harm no one," life in Buffonia was certainly a culture shock.
When the girl now riding closer to him freed him six years before, Liam was a poor fighter and took a long time to adjust. The near constant humiliation of being bested in fights by boys many years his junior didn't help matters much. But with private training sessions with the boy's master Giles, lots of hard work and effort, Liam had become one of the finest fighters and strategists ever to be produced by the Buffonian Military Training Program.
But he couldn't fight with the Royal Buffonian Army; he knew that. When Giles had first taken him on as a student, the older man had pondered, "Will you ever be able to truly forget? Your former life, your homeland?" Liam had answered that he would, in time, be able to forget but he knew the older man did not believe him. Regardless, Giles had taken him in, and for that Liam was grateful. He was 19 now, and next year he was supposed to join the army or choose a profession. When faced with his uncertain future, he could only pick out one bright spot.
Her.
His Elizabeth, or Buffy as he called her. With her, he didn't have to worry about his future, or Buffonia, or the driving urge for the revenge of his country. He was just Angel, she just Buffy, and they relished in their (at least temporary) freedom.
Princess Elizabeth dismounted Willow, and Liam chuckled at the sight of the tiny young woman jumping off the giant horse. He was still laughing as she tangled her foot in the stirrup and stumbled.
"I'm just so incredibly amusing, aren't I?" Elizabeth said sarcastically. Liam, in his laughter, tried to answer but couldn't due to lack of breath. Doubling over, he replied.
"Yes, dear Princess Buffy. That fall. was so perfect, anyone who didn't know you might have thought it was staged," he said between fits of laughter.
"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled, but she couldn't hold a glare. Pretty soon, she too was laughing. Finally free of the confining castle walls, she was almost euphoric after being stuck up inside all week.
"We only have a few hours. I snuck out of weaving time to meet you," she sighed regretfully. Queen Joyce had restricted her free time, instead taking time to prepare the princess for her future duties as queen. "If I hear another, 'Act properly, young lady!' it will be too soon, Angel. I hate it!"
His laughter subsiding, Angel embraced the girl. His dearest most cherished friend. His... he wasn't exactly sure of what Buffy was to him. Definitely a friend, but these days he wasn't sure of what else. She had grown into a beautiful young woman, so different from wild nine-year-old he once knew. At 15, Buffy had blossomed into one of the most beautiful women in the entire kingdom.
Their meetings had become less frequent over the years. When the princess was younger, the pair would meet almost three times a week, but as her queen-preparation began to take up more and more of Buffy's time, the meetings became less and less frequent. Now they were lucky if they could meet once every other week.
Although he was once a prince, in Buffonia, Angel was just a common man- not fit to kiss the soles of the princess's feet. That is why they hid their friendship. Any public relationship would be unacceptable. Buffy was, after all, just a woman, and had no say in her family's or county's affairs.
Buffy was supposed to be frolicking around with the royal consorts these days. She would have to pick a husband soon, and all of the boasting 'contenders' made her want to turn away in disgust every time they offered their gifts or affections. King Henry, in the end, would not give her much choice in the matter. He was already preparing his successor.
Buffy shuddered at the thought. William, her father's chief general was being groomed as king. William the Bloody, as he was called by the public, because of his brutal and cruel war tactics. Whenever he fought a battle, there was always more bloodshed than was necessary. He was rude and cruel, often mean and inconsiderate of his fellow man. Most of the time, Buffy had the same opinion of the future as Angel.
Angel didn't like William either. Not only because of the burning jealousy, but because of the way William had treated him six years before. William was the one who had executed his family- his father, mother, even his young sister Kathy, all dead, due to William's cruelty. William was to the one who had chained Angel up, bound and gagged him into his slavery. Thank god for Buffy, Angel thought almost constantly. Although his life wasn't perfect, he knew it could have been a lot worse.
But now was not the time for those thoughts, both agreed. They would have this time together before they had to return to their lives- Buffy to the castle, Angel to warrior training, and both to unhappy and uncertain futures.
They had to change that. They just had to. With their desperation, they thought, that maybe, just maybe, they could challenge destiny.
** END CHAPTER ONE
A/N- THANK YOU to anyone who reviewed. Every bit of feedback means a lot to me.
Silentwing- Okay, okay, you caught me. A lot of this is based on The Seer and the Sword, but trust me, in a few chapters, it will veer WAAAY off that story. I mean, this is a Buffy fic (I swear! Its buried in there somewhere(), so expect things of the supernatural.
Next chapters- Meeting with Giles, talking with Joyce, and William the Bloody is properly introduced.
PLEASE review. I really want to know what you guys think. If people like it, if people don't, TELL ME!