Part 14
Willow wasn't sure what she was expecting when Darla said come to the mansion, maybe something like the Crawford Street Mansion that Angelus had used. She had never been to this mansion, Darla and Dru usually came to the Magic Box and Willow suspected that was mostly to keep the peace with William.
The mansion was beautiful. It looked like it had been transported from the Italian Rivera straight to Sunnydale. It certainly wasn't what Willow expected.
Rupert smiled at Willow's reaction, "I take it there isn't a mansion like this in your Sunnydale?"
"No, the only 'mansion' in Sunnydale is over on Crawford Street but it's nothing like this."
"That old place was torn down years ago from neglect. Angelus and Darla had this place built when they first arrived here many years ago. They said because they had such fond memories of Italy they wanted to recreate a little of that here and I didn't really want to ask if it was before or after the souls." Rupert said with a small grin.
Angel smiled as he joined in the conversation, "You're right you probably don't want to know, Rupert." Angel opened the door for them before turning back to Willow, "Welcome to our home, Willow."
Willow just stood in awe as she walked inside. She knew her mouth was probably hanging open but she really didn't care. "Umm, Angel? Doesn't this inner courtyard get a little dangerous during the day?" Willow looked up into the night sky and then back to Angel who was grinning.
"Special coating on the skylight. All the sun but none of the harmful rays allowed in for the vampires. Besides what's the fun of eternal life without a few risks?"
"We still have time to put the protection spells in place for the mirror before we give Xander his soul. He won't awaken for hours yet, it's near dawn." Rupert said as he guided Willow to where he transported the mirror. He noticed Willow trying to suppress a yawn as he slipped his arm around her waist, "Why don't you rest? Tara, Wes and I can put the spells on."
"That's all right. I'm okay, I think the night's catching up with me. I'm good for the spell casting."
Before Rupert could protest Faith interrupted, "Hey G. The mirror is safe and sound. There haven't been any attacks or anything. Tara said that she hasn't felt magickal tendrils trying to find if the mirror came here."
Rupert gave Faith and Tara a brief hug. "How's Jesse?"
Tara's eyes turned sad, "He's doing as well as could be expected. He knows his friend Xander will rise with his soul intact but still it's a little unnerving to see your best friend lying there without breathing knowing a demon is taking over."
Willow shuddered. She never thought of that, she just knew that Xander would have his soul but of course the demon would be there as well. She wondered how that would change Xander. Would he be like the Xander she had always known or would he change like William had when he became Spike?
Buffy had confided in her about Spike's human life as a shy poet that lived with his mother in the Victorian Age. It had boggled her mind to think that Spike had once been a proper Victorian gentleman.
"Ready?" he asked Tara, Rupert and Willow as he entered the room. He handed Willow a piece of paper.
Willow took the paper and glanced down at the Latin written on it.
Wesley smiled at her confused look, "This is the spell that we'll be using on the mirror. Tara and I know it but I thought you'd want to look it over before we began."
Faith, Tara and Wesley began burning sage as Willow looked over the words to the spell. It seemed easy enough but with the power of the four of them she was sure the protection would be strong.
Rupert held out his hands when the others were finished with their preparations. Tara and Wesley went to stand around the mirror grasping hands and leaving a place next to Rupert empty for Willow.
Willow smiled as she took her place and grasped Tara and Giles' hand. She thought it appropriate that she stood between the two that bridged her feelings from her world and this. Though her feelings for Rupert were too new to compare with what she had with Tara. It held promise.
Rupert nodded for them to begin. Tara and Wesley began to mumble the incantation. Willow felt power surge as Rupert lowered his shields and she relaxed her guard as she connected with his power and that of the Earth.
Tara silently gasped as she felt Willow's strength mix with Rupert's. She had felt Willow's power when she first entered this world but nothing had prepared her for the surge when Willow felt comfortable and confident enough to truly connect with the power of the Earth.
Wesley almost buckled under the feeling of the power from Rupert, Willow and the mirror.
"Holy shit!" Faith exclaimed as the mirror glowed and white energy burst out of it.
Rupert smiled reassuringly at Faith and then at Willow who had tensed at Faith's exclamation. "Don't worry Faith. The mirror is just responding to our power. It did this in London when the coven protected it."
"Did it do that, too?" Tara asked, as scenes seemed to slip rapidly from the mirror.
Willow stood in awe as the mirror showed a fog enshrouded glen and a red haired woman came into view. The power of the ancients reverberated from the mirror almost bringing Willow and Giles to their knees. Wesley and Tara stumbled and broke contact with Rupert and Willow.
The scene stayed even though the circle had been broken. Faith moved to Tara's side when she fell. Wesley still watched in awe at what he was sure was Nimue in legendary Avalon.
The air around Willow and Rupert crackled and Willow's hair billowed around her. She couldn't seem to take her eyes off the other red head. Rupert squeezed her hand, as Nimue seemed to approach them.
He didn't want to say a word in case what he was seeing disappeared. There had been rumors that this was the mirror of Merlin but mostly all that was truly known about the mirror was that it was a portal. Well he could confirm it was Merlin's mirror now. He was now more determined than ever to keep the mirror away from Ethan. God the destruction that man would cause if it ever fell into his grasp. Rupert would destroy the mirror before he let that happen.
Nimue raised her hand up to the mirror and Willow without conscious thought raised hers. Rupert tensed prepared to grab Willow if the mirror began to take her away.
Nimue smiled slightly at Rupert, "Have no fear, knight. Your lady is safe and where she is meant to be."
Rupert blinked and looked at Wesley to confirm that he had actually heard the Lady speak. Wesley stared open mouthed at the mirror.
Willow gasped at the words. She couldn't believe she was standing there almost touching Nimue. It wasn't until after she spoke that the words penetrated Willow's stunned mind. "Where I'm meant to be?"
Nimue smiled and nodded, "You were meant to be here in this reality. Before your soul was discovered in the other it was too late. You had already formed attachments and we did not want to take you away. The Willow of this world was meant for yours."
Willow blinked and opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She tried again, "Umm, we were switched?"
Nimue softly smiled, "No, The souls of ALL witches and wizards begin their journey in Avalon. It is decided here where your destination will be. It was discovered too late that this Willow and you were sent to the wrong dimension. Time passes differently in Avalon and you were in high school before it was discovered."
"Angel?"
Nimue nodded. "Yes, the power that you felt going through you was the power of Avalon. When we felt that, we knew where you were. But by that time both Willows had bonded with their respective Earth energies and it was too late to do anything about it. When we felt your power and your pain Merlin made the decision to interfere."
Willow smiled knowingly. "The coven in England."
"They were a vessel for the white magick of Avalon. With your bond to your mate severed and with you merely existing and not living I decided it was time to bring you to where your soul really belonged."
"You sent the mirror to the Magick Box. What about my friends in Sunnydale? Will I ever go back or see them again?"
Nimue sadly shook her head no. "I'm sorry, Willow but the mirror was damaged in that reality. But I have sent a book to Rupert Giles that tells the legend of this mirror. He'll also receive a phone call from the coven. Their minds will be put to rest about your welfare. They won't be told where you are but that the mirror was indeed a portal and that the cracking of it didn't harm you."
Willow smiled sadly, "Xander won't give up. He'll research another way to open a portal to this world. It's what I would do if he were missing from my life."
A distinguished white haired man came to stand next to Nimue, "He might even succeed, my dear if he tries hard enough."
Willow gaped. OH MY GOD IT'S MERLIN screamed through her mind. She had always pictured Merlin as wearing robes and a pointed hat or maybe as Dumbledore in the Harry Potter books. She certainly wasn't expecting a man with long hair pulled back into a ponytail that trailed down his back and looking regal. All she could think about was that the books about Arthurian legend didn't come close to describing either Nimue or Merlin accurately.
Nimue lowered her hand and stepped back. "Our time has come to an end. Fear not, my dear this is not the last you'll glimpse of Avalon."
The edges of the mirror began to cloud and the fog began to thicken. The magick in the room began to slowly fade and Willow's hair no longer stood on end and the white light began to disappear.