**
CHAPTER TWO
Angel walked slowly back to the boy's barracks, his general state of depression returning after the temporary moment of bliss.
"Liam!" a voice called, and he recognized it to be that of one of his best friends, Charles. Not wanting to talk, Liam sped up his pace, hoping Charles would get the hint.
"Liam, man! Slow down!" Obviously not, Liam sighed. Turning around, Liam pretended to just notice his friend.
"Hey Gunn! What's going on?" Liam said with an enthusiasm and cheer that he just didn't feel. He called his friend by his nickname- Gunn. No one knew where the name had originated, but Charles wished to be called by it. Gunn had befriended Liam when he had first entered the program and the two had been close ever since.
Gunn knew his friend, and his false cheerfulness didn't fool him for a second. "Why so down, man? Just come back from one of your" he wriggled his eyebrows, "clandestine meetings with the Princess?" he questioned.
Cold fear spread through Liam as he quickly pulled himself and Gunn into the shadows. "Keep it down! Damnit Gunn!! Where'd you hear that?!?" Liam yelled as he questioned.
"Calm down, Liam! Jeez. No one else knows," Gunn answered with a cool smile.
"Well how in the hell do you know!?!" Liam yelled again.
Gunn laughed at his friend's manner. It was fun riling him up. "I'm your best friend. I've known for years. You sneaking off, missing target practice. Bound to raise a few eyebrows."
The same fear that was slowly receding returned with a vengeance. "People notice.?" he said slowly, numbly. If he was found out.. no telling the consequences.
"No man. Just little ole me." Gunn laughed. Liam let out a breath. If it was just Gunn...
"Oh. And Giles," Gunn said quickly.
"WHAT!?" Liam exploded. Gunn laughed nervously at his friend's anger.
"Oh. That. Giles was the one who sent me to follow you. That's how I know in the first place. Giles first started noticing when we were about 16, and he told me to follow and report back. So I did. He's known for years, and he's never said anything. Your secret's safe."
Liam sighed, rational thought slowly returning to him. Giles had known for years- yet he hadn't said anything yet. He comforted himself with that thought. Taking deep breathes to calm himself down, another thought occurred to him.
"Hey Gunn! If you've known for years, why didn't you tell me until now?" Liam questioned curiously.
"Cause you've never been so sad after you meet with her. You're usually deliriously happy, and you stay that way all day. But today, you're not. Hell, you're the exact opposite. I'd say you were even more depressed than you normally are!" Gunn laughed, irritating Liam.
"I'm not usually depressed! I just think a lot!" he said indignantly.
"No man. You think way too much. You think excessively. And you brood. It's your nature," Gunn laughed at his friend.
"Yeah, Yeah," Liam glared, but found he didn't have the energy to hold it. Today's meeting with Buffy, and the subsequent discussion with Gunn had left him physically and emotionally drained.
"So man, you gonna tell me what's got you looking like such crap?" Gunn said with concern, even if he lacked eloquence.
Liam sighed, "Nothing. Just thinking about the future." Those thoughts always depressed him; just today they were tinged with thoughts of Buffy.
Gunn answered knowingly, "Ahh. The future. Life's never simple for you, is it, my friend? And I bet the rumors that the princess is gonna marry one of our fearless leaders, William the Bloody didn't help much, eh?" Gunn said sarcastically. Gunn hated William almost as much Liam did, and was much more vocal with his feelings.
Liam sighed again, for what felt like the thousandth time today. His friend knew him too well. "No. It didn't," he admitted. He looked skyward; the sun setting in the horizon reminded him of his duties, his mind returning to more common thought.
"Damn!" he swore. Just remembering he had a session with Giles, Liam said his good-byes to Gunn and raced off to find the boy's master.
He arrived at Giles' quarters just on time, panting and out of breath. The older man sat at his desk, smiling amusedly at his most promising charge's efforted attempts to calm down. When Liam's breath had slowed, Giles spoke.
"Good afternoon, Liam," he greeted. "I'm glad you arrived on time this session," he chided, reminding Angel of exactly why he had been late last time. Darla, the town.. well, whore, for lack of a better word had held him up, remembered Liam. She had set her eyes on Liam years ago, and had been trying her best to seduce him ever since. Any other man in the town would have gone immediately; Darla being a woman known for her beauty and loose morals. But Liam was never even tempted by the seductress, infuriating her. After her last failed attempt, Darla had pursued him relentlessly, and he was more than irritated. Liam was no stranger to women, his many girlfriends and record of one-night-stands could certainly attest to that. There was just something about Darla that made him turn away. But now was not the time for such thought, now he had to focus on his training. Redirecting his thoughts, he turned to Giles, who was already preparing to spar.
Holding out the quarterstaff to Liam, Giles took his own sword in hand and tested it against his opponent. Bowing to each other, they began the duel, Giles pausing every few moments to comment on Liam's form or stroke. They lunged and parried each other's blows with ease. This was not a test of strength; the younger Liam would have won that easily. This was a test of strategy- who could disarm his opponent the fastest, and the two were equally matched.
After a long struggle, Giles was caught unawares and Liam had disarmed him, throwing the quarterstaff halfway across the room. Bowing again to end the fight, Giles spoke.
"Good show, Liam. You're getting very good. I'm amazed at all the progress you made, especially in the past year. But today.. something is different, I daresay. You're angry. Care to tell me what has got your temper up?" the older man questioned.
Liam looked at Giles in shock. He guessed he had expressed anger, but he had no idea what that anger was about and for that matter how the old man could read him so easily.
"I don't know," Liam answered truthfully. Maybe it was just frustration, he thought, that conversation with Gunn had certainly left him frustrated. Whatever it was, it was good for his fighting.
Thinking back, Liam suddenly remembered something. "Giles?" he questioned.
"Yes?" the older man answered.
"Why didn't you ever say you knew about the princess and me?" Liam asked curiously. He genuinely wanted to know; why was he not being public executed for corrupting the princess?
Giles looked startled at the question, but recovered quickly. "Honestly? There was nothing to gain by exposing you two. You've done nothing wrong in my eyes, but in the eyes of the public- that is a completely different story. You're life would have been made unnecessarily difficult and the princess would have been upset. You are like a son to me, Liam and I've known the Princess her entire life. I saw the two of you together when you were younger; I followed you myself, and the way you acted around each other... I daresay it reminded me of being with Jenny," Giles said, referring to his beloved, but now deceased, wife.
Jenny had died years before, but Giles still talked of her fondly and had never remarried. According to the older citizens of the kingdom, never had they seen a pair more in love. The two had married and produced a child, a beautiful baby girl with dark eyes and hair. Olivia had been a rambunctious toddler, but fell ill to the same disease that took her mother. Left alone in his grief, he had taken on boys to train in the arts of fighting. A wise and intelligent man, any student taken on by Giles was lucky indeed.
Liam knew this. Most of the time, he wondered why Giles had taken him on at all. Maybe Giles saw something, a quality in Liam that none of the other more qualified boys had. Why else had he gotten a spot in the program?
Giles knew he wondered. He himself wondered sometimes why he had taken on the young Liam, he knew that there could be problems. He was too old, too inexperienced... yet he had taken him. Maybe he saw the potential there. Whatever it was, both were glad their paths had crossed
Ending the session, Liam trudged back to the barracks. All the other boys either out about town or asleep, the rooms were quiet as he fell into bed. As he slipped into unconsciousness, his last thoughts were, predictably, of Buffy.
** END CHAPTER TWO
A/N- Okay guys, click the little review button and say something. Or email me at sundevil009@yahoo.com.
I promise this story wont be too much like the Seer and the Sword; seeing as there's no seer or sword, and the added element of a slayer (!).
Next chapter- William the Bloody is properly introduced, and strange things are happening to Buffy.
THANKS to anyone who reviewed, they're all greatly appreciated. Thank anyone who reviewed for this update-they make me write faster.
Angel walked slowly back to the boy's barracks, his general state of depression returning after the temporary moment of bliss.
"Liam!" a voice called, and he recognized it to be that of one of his best friends, Charles. Not wanting to talk, Liam sped up his pace, hoping Charles would get the hint.
"Liam, man! Slow down!" Obviously not, Liam sighed. Turning around, Liam pretended to just notice his friend.
"Hey Gunn! What's going on?" Liam said with an enthusiasm and cheer that he just didn't feel. He called his friend by his nickname- Gunn. No one knew where the name had originated, but Charles wished to be called by it. Gunn had befriended Liam when he had first entered the program and the two had been close ever since.
Gunn knew his friend, and his false cheerfulness didn't fool him for a second. "Why so down, man? Just come back from one of your" he wriggled his eyebrows, "clandestine meetings with the Princess?" he questioned.
Cold fear spread through Liam as he quickly pulled himself and Gunn into the shadows. "Keep it down! Damnit Gunn!! Where'd you hear that?!?" Liam yelled as he questioned.
"Calm down, Liam! Jeez. No one else knows," Gunn answered with a cool smile.
"Well how in the hell do you know!?!" Liam yelled again.
Gunn laughed at his friend's manner. It was fun riling him up. "I'm your best friend. I've known for years. You sneaking off, missing target practice. Bound to raise a few eyebrows."
The same fear that was slowly receding returned with a vengeance. "People notice.?" he said slowly, numbly. If he was found out.. no telling the consequences.
"No man. Just little ole me." Gunn laughed. Liam let out a breath. If it was just Gunn...
"Oh. And Giles," Gunn said quickly.
"WHAT!?" Liam exploded. Gunn laughed nervously at his friend's anger.
"Oh. That. Giles was the one who sent me to follow you. That's how I know in the first place. Giles first started noticing when we were about 16, and he told me to follow and report back. So I did. He's known for years, and he's never said anything. Your secret's safe."
Liam sighed, rational thought slowly returning to him. Giles had known for years- yet he hadn't said anything yet. He comforted himself with that thought. Taking deep breathes to calm himself down, another thought occurred to him.
"Hey Gunn! If you've known for years, why didn't you tell me until now?" Liam questioned curiously.
"Cause you've never been so sad after you meet with her. You're usually deliriously happy, and you stay that way all day. But today, you're not. Hell, you're the exact opposite. I'd say you were even more depressed than you normally are!" Gunn laughed, irritating Liam.
"I'm not usually depressed! I just think a lot!" he said indignantly.
"No man. You think way too much. You think excessively. And you brood. It's your nature," Gunn laughed at his friend.
"Yeah, Yeah," Liam glared, but found he didn't have the energy to hold it. Today's meeting with Buffy, and the subsequent discussion with Gunn had left him physically and emotionally drained.
"So man, you gonna tell me what's got you looking like such crap?" Gunn said with concern, even if he lacked eloquence.
Liam sighed, "Nothing. Just thinking about the future." Those thoughts always depressed him; just today they were tinged with thoughts of Buffy.
Gunn answered knowingly, "Ahh. The future. Life's never simple for you, is it, my friend? And I bet the rumors that the princess is gonna marry one of our fearless leaders, William the Bloody didn't help much, eh?" Gunn said sarcastically. Gunn hated William almost as much Liam did, and was much more vocal with his feelings.
Liam sighed again, for what felt like the thousandth time today. His friend knew him too well. "No. It didn't," he admitted. He looked skyward; the sun setting in the horizon reminded him of his duties, his mind returning to more common thought.
"Damn!" he swore. Just remembering he had a session with Giles, Liam said his good-byes to Gunn and raced off to find the boy's master.
He arrived at Giles' quarters just on time, panting and out of breath. The older man sat at his desk, smiling amusedly at his most promising charge's efforted attempts to calm down. When Liam's breath had slowed, Giles spoke.
"Good afternoon, Liam," he greeted. "I'm glad you arrived on time this session," he chided, reminding Angel of exactly why he had been late last time. Darla, the town.. well, whore, for lack of a better word had held him up, remembered Liam. She had set her eyes on Liam years ago, and had been trying her best to seduce him ever since. Any other man in the town would have gone immediately; Darla being a woman known for her beauty and loose morals. But Liam was never even tempted by the seductress, infuriating her. After her last failed attempt, Darla had pursued him relentlessly, and he was more than irritated. Liam was no stranger to women, his many girlfriends and record of one-night-stands could certainly attest to that. There was just something about Darla that made him turn away. But now was not the time for such thought, now he had to focus on his training. Redirecting his thoughts, he turned to Giles, who was already preparing to spar.
Holding out the quarterstaff to Liam, Giles took his own sword in hand and tested it against his opponent. Bowing to each other, they began the duel, Giles pausing every few moments to comment on Liam's form or stroke. They lunged and parried each other's blows with ease. This was not a test of strength; the younger Liam would have won that easily. This was a test of strategy- who could disarm his opponent the fastest, and the two were equally matched.
After a long struggle, Giles was caught unawares and Liam had disarmed him, throwing the quarterstaff halfway across the room. Bowing again to end the fight, Giles spoke.
"Good show, Liam. You're getting very good. I'm amazed at all the progress you made, especially in the past year. But today.. something is different, I daresay. You're angry. Care to tell me what has got your temper up?" the older man questioned.
Liam looked at Giles in shock. He guessed he had expressed anger, but he had no idea what that anger was about and for that matter how the old man could read him so easily.
"I don't know," Liam answered truthfully. Maybe it was just frustration, he thought, that conversation with Gunn had certainly left him frustrated. Whatever it was, it was good for his fighting.
Thinking back, Liam suddenly remembered something. "Giles?" he questioned.
"Yes?" the older man answered.
"Why didn't you ever say you knew about the princess and me?" Liam asked curiously. He genuinely wanted to know; why was he not being public executed for corrupting the princess?
Giles looked startled at the question, but recovered quickly. "Honestly? There was nothing to gain by exposing you two. You've done nothing wrong in my eyes, but in the eyes of the public- that is a completely different story. You're life would have been made unnecessarily difficult and the princess would have been upset. You are like a son to me, Liam and I've known the Princess her entire life. I saw the two of you together when you were younger; I followed you myself, and the way you acted around each other... I daresay it reminded me of being with Jenny," Giles said, referring to his beloved, but now deceased, wife.
Jenny had died years before, but Giles still talked of her fondly and had never remarried. According to the older citizens of the kingdom, never had they seen a pair more in love. The two had married and produced a child, a beautiful baby girl with dark eyes and hair. Olivia had been a rambunctious toddler, but fell ill to the same disease that took her mother. Left alone in his grief, he had taken on boys to train in the arts of fighting. A wise and intelligent man, any student taken on by Giles was lucky indeed.
Liam knew this. Most of the time, he wondered why Giles had taken him on at all. Maybe Giles saw something, a quality in Liam that none of the other more qualified boys had. Why else had he gotten a spot in the program?
Giles knew he wondered. He himself wondered sometimes why he had taken on the young Liam, he knew that there could be problems. He was too old, too inexperienced... yet he had taken him. Maybe he saw the potential there. Whatever it was, both were glad their paths had crossed
Ending the session, Liam trudged back to the barracks. All the other boys either out about town or asleep, the rooms were quiet as he fell into bed. As he slipped into unconsciousness, his last thoughts were, predictably, of Buffy.
** END CHAPTER TWO
A/N- Okay guys, click the little review button and say something. Or email me at sundevil009@yahoo.com.
I promise this story wont be too much like the Seer and the Sword; seeing as there's no seer or sword, and the added element of a slayer (!).
Next chapter- William the Bloody is properly introduced, and strange things are happening to Buffy.
THANKS to anyone who reviewed, they're all greatly appreciated. Thank anyone who reviewed for this update-they make me write faster.