AN: I will put the entire European trip in one chapter, namely chapter 15. Therefor the updates will be made to that chapter only. I will edit the summary to let you know when a new addition is made.
January 9th 2004 ~ new addition: Rotterdam - Paris
Februari 16th 2004 ~ new addition: Paris - Baeza
March 27th 2004 ~ new addition: Baeza - Vienna
part delta was the last part of this chapter. Next up chapter 16!
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London - Rotterdam
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The trip between London and Harwich gave Buffy the chance to really study Mitch. He was seated opposite of her in the coach and the outside world was shrouded in a thick blanket of darkness.
Mitch had been turned in his late twenties, somewhere around 28 or 29. He had reddish brown hair cropped shortly, which curled in his neck and around his ears. He had sideburns that extended along the sleek lines of this open face. His nose started between two arched eyebrows and extended into a long but elegant slope. His lips were thin but when his face was relaxed like now they curled upwards in a small smile. That was probably why he was a joker by nature. He simply smiled all day. When he stood Mitch was a head taller than Buffy and although he was neither large nor burly he was still built and showed a well muscled chest beneath his shirt. All in all he was not an ugly man to see, Buffy concluded.
Her perusal of him went unnoticed because he was discussing the travel arrangements for the first leg of their journey with Charles. A discussion which Buffy missed most of.
The coach traveled throughout the night and arrived in Harwich just before the dawn. The vampires spent the day in a safe house. After sunset Mitch disappeared into town. He returned after a few hours announcing that they would embark on a sail ship the next evening if the winds were favorable.
Of course the winds were not favorable the next evening and they had to spend another night there before the winds on the North Sea changed. Mitch, Charles and Buffy hunted for themselves and returned with a human prey for Jessie. Those moments weighed heavily on Buffy's conscience and she was only too happy to leave the little harbor town of Harwich behind.
The sailing ship was made out of a combination of wood and steel and had a few small sleeping compartments. The night was clear and a strong breeze made its way from the west over the sea. Buffy stood on deck looking out over the white heads of the waves that splashed onto the bow. She felt exhilarated by the sounds, the smells and the feel of the cold air on her cold skin.
They landed on the beach of Scheveningen, in the still pitch black of night. They made their way into town with the crew of the ship as porters and Mitch quickly procured a blacked out carriage for them. When they cleared the boulevard town the sun peaked over the sea line. Mitch and Jessie had fallen asleep soon after the first bumps in the road and Charles took the opportunity to discuss their destination with Buffy.
"The Batavia Commonwealth is our first destination for a reason. The primary members of our Order are stationed on the British Isles because that is strategically the best choice. An island is easy to defend and we have never suffered any blows to our independence. The biggest threat to Britain can come from the French shores and the shores we just landed on. Yet this country holds the least amount of soldiers of all Aurelian territory. It does however hold many vampires, mainly due to two main reasons. One, the country is stable and has known little war within its borders. The last two changes of government were non violent. Two, the country has a very liberal attitude towards foreigners and does a great deal of business abroad. To facilitate this there are many paper trails going in and out of the country. It is the perfect place to house the Solicitors' Headquarters. Our clan protects them mainly from the surrounding countries, they act as a barrier between them and the conquering urges of the St'lynovich. "
Buffy felt like she'd grasped the big picture but was confused nonetheless.
"I think I understand but where are we going to exactly and what will we do when we get there?"
"Our destination is called Rotterdam and we will be retrieving our traveling papers and identities. Also I will introduce you to one of the most important vampires of the European Continent."
The coach drove all day sometimes stopping to refresh the horses.
Charles had opened up the middle curtain when the sun shone straight through the middle of the coach leaving the vampires in the shadows. Buffy and he could look outside. She saw a green and flat landscape pass them by. The meadows were squared off with little canals and wooden fences or trees. They held an array of purposes. Some were filled with high yellow grain and others held low green crops. There were those filled with livestock. Herds of black and white cows and sheep of all ages. Sometimes this endless stream of farmland was interrupted by groups of houses or even little towns.
Buffy fell asleep from the soothing monotones scenery. When the sun was low enough to cast long shadows on the road, the farmhouses grew more frequent as did the traffic. Charles roused his fellow travelers when the sound of the horses' hooves changed from a dirt packed road to cobbles.
The sun had dropped behind the horizon and dusk was settling on Rotterdam. Mitch gave the driver instructions to their destination. They entered a large opening at the side of a white building and immediately started to descend. When the doors opened the four vampires stepped into what appeared to be an underground stable.
A few fledgling servants ushered Charles and Buffy into a posh dining room. The table was set for three and an elderly vampiress sat at its head. She rose in a greeting but let them approach her instead of greeting her guests at the door. Charles hugged her warmly and spoke first. "Ineke, what a pleasure it is to see you again."
Buffy used the moment of greeting between the two older vampires to study the female before her. A sturdy woman with a plump figure. She wore a suit made from wool and a black cotton shirt minus the chocker. Her hair was straight and cut angular around her face and neck. She had clear blue eyes that stood in a semi round face with high cheekbones and a nose that ended in a broad base.
When they turned around to face Buffy she noticed the intelligent glint in the females eyes. "Madame Administrator, please allow me to introduce my Childe, Buffy. Buffy, this is the High Administrator of our Order, Ineke."
After checking Buffy over with a critical eye, she motioned to the table. "Please, sit and drink with me."
Charles and Ineke caught up on the gossip on either side of the North Sea. Buffy felt left out and tired and still a little confused about Ineke's function within the Order. Sensing Buffy's unease through the bond, Charles turned towards her. It was time for another explanation.
"Ineke is one of the two oldest vampires on the European Continent. Her function of High Administrator makes her an important part of the workings our Order. She keeps all the records of lineage and is the only independent vampiress to judge disputes of promotion. This is mostly because she is the only one who knows her own origins and lineage."
The female in question settled back into her chair obviously accustomed to being the subject of a lecture. She had lit a cigar and puffed away happily while sometimes smiling at remarks.
"She also runs the European Headquarters here in Rotterdam, which functions as a gateway from England and hopefully soon the American Continent to the rest of Europe. One is obliged to report all travel itineraries here and give notice of any changes along the way. This way the Order can remain in contact with its members at any given time. Every week a set of messengers goes out across Europe collecting and distributing personal letters, working orders, manifests and decrees. Not to mention all the news and gossip."
Buffy felt slightly overwhelmed. On a purely rational level she understood the system and the way it worked but it remained an abstract as far as personal experience went. Guess, I'm just too used to a telephone and e-mail doing the communication for me.
During Buffy's musings Ineke had arisen from her chair and was now walking towards a small desk. She retrieved a letter from one of the many small drawers in the top section and she returned to the diner table. "This arrived for you from London yesterday." The older vampiress spoke while she handed Buffy the letter. Then she focused on Charles. "I am sure you are tired and wish to catch some sleep before you continue on towards Paris in the morning. I bid you a farewell and will send someone to show you to your rooms. Come by before you return to London, Charles. I would love to hear how you perceive Europe these days." And she was off in large strides.
Buffy looked at the letter in her hands. It was an envelope in brown sturdy paper with an elegant handwriting on the front.
Ms. B. Summers
Post Address:
Aurelius Inc.
Willemskade 4
Rotterdam, The Batavia commonwealth
She turned it over trying to figure out where it came from but all she found was a pitch black seal with the sign of the Order of Aurelius pressed into it. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to find Charles standing next to her chair. "Let's retire for the night, my dear. Tomorrow awaits another day of hard traveling."
They were led to two adjoining bedrooms. Jessie awaited Buffy in hers to help her undress while she told Buffy stories about this strange place and the other maids she had met there. But Buffy was still entranced by all the information about the way the order communicated and all the different functions and roles in the Order. There is still so much for me to learn and see. and then it suddenly hit her. Tomorrow I will be in Paris! Me, the slayer destined to stay on the Hellmouth until I died again will be in Paris and who knows what I will see after that. She fell asleep in a foreign land with a smile on her face and happiness in her heart.
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Rotterdam - Paris
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Around 10 o'clock in the morning a completely blacked out carriage drove out of a building at high speed. It cleared the streets of Rotterdam within 10 minutes and entered a ferry across the river Maas another 10 minutes after that. Buffy soon became seasick from being in a black box without a horizon on water. When the wheels hit solid ground again, Buffy thought the worst of that day's traveling was finally over. She was wrong.
The coach drove and drove throughout the day. Never stopping for anything. It was tedious but more than that, it was painful. She had been sitting in the same position for hours and she was sure she would never be able to move a muscle again. Yet they drove on and on. Dusk came and went on into full dark of night and yet they drove on and on.
Jessie had slept most of the journey. The males both read a book. Aren't they the experienced travelers?! They could at least have warned me. Buffy thought sullenly. She had something she desperately wanted to read but had not yet found the time to before they left. A full coach was hardly the place to read a letter from an unknown source. So, she sat doing nothing but thinking about the letter, her current life and dousing off to sleep every half an hour.
Soon midnight came and went. Buffy felt like she had spent her life inside the coach. When it suddenly came to a stop, she realized she heard sounds of all kinds outside. Woman laughing, dogs barking and horses stampeding across a street. The doors opened and the occupants needed a moment to adjust their eyes to the artificial lights of Paris. They saw brownish grey roads and sidewalks made of smaller tiles in the same color. The buildings were made out of large yellow blocks of textured rock.
When Buffy's feet hit the pavement she automatically breathed deeply. Her nose was bombarded with a cacophony of smells. A deep scent of cinnamon and red wine but also lighter tones of citrus and lavender perfumes. The group of travelers was met by a small scrap of a vampire with the cliché French moustache. He bowed and scraped before Charles, giving Buffy the idea that he must be a lower level officer, that was until they entered the Parisian house and every vampire they encountered bowed and scraped not only to them but also to the little man. He had been introduced to her as Comte Veltise and apparently he ran Vampire France.
Being too tired to truly enjoy her arrival to the city of lights, Buffy was even more annoyed that she wasn't seeing a bed anytime soon. A whole procession of vampires strolled by her for introductions and small talk. When the last one finished she turned to Charles. "No more, please. I really need to get some sleep." Her sire smiled at her.
"You did quite well and I'm sure you made an impression. Rest now and take tomorrow off to see the sights with Mitch. You deserve some time off. We will go and see the regiments the day after tomorrow. "
*~*~*
The brown envelope turned over and over in the hands. It cast alternating shadows on the walls.
Buffy sat upright in her bed supported by large pillows. She knew she was stalling but the hypnotizing movement of the envelope kept her from finding out its contents. Then the clock chimed the hour and she was reminded of her appointment with Mitch. She had another 2 hours left to bath and dress for her first Parisian night on the town. Quit with the stalling and make with the reading.
The seal let lose easily under her fingernail. The envelope revealed a letter written on the same brown colored paper. The letter head answered the mystery of the sender. 'Angelus' She pushed all her thoughts aside and read the letter.
London, the 25th of September 1801
Dear Buffy,
I hope you have been well. The thought of not training with you for the next year is strange to me somehow. I do believe I shall miss you. Your training and company were a pleasant occurrence in my day.
I hope we can keep up a correspondence for the remainder of our respective journeys.
With the highest of regards,
Angelus
A soft smile played around her mouth. On one level she knew perfectly well that Angelus was trying to obtain a goal with all means at his disposal. But she was enjoying the attention and the fact that this time around Angelus had not left her so easily even though it was his idea to go to America with Darla.
The decision to reply to his letter was made swiftly. Then the thought popped into her head that Darla would expect the letter to contain a dismissal just like Buffy was ordered to. After reading Angelus' letter she was in no mood to accommodate Darla. She never truly feared the Blonde vampire and before she was turned she always had to play by the rules but I'm in the Evil camp now! Maybe I could start playing by my own rules. Have some fun. After Buffy requested a letter set and an ink pen from Jessie she set out to compose a return letter in her best 'posh' English, as Spike called it.
Paris, the 30th of September 1801
Dear Angelus,
I hope you made the journey to the other side of the world safely.
I have finally arrived in Paris and plan on spending an evening enjoying its pleasures. (See? Reading those period novels did pay off.)
Receiving your letter was very pleasant. I would like to continue that sensation. I think I would like to receive more letters from you. (Oh Buffy, you said sensation. Naughty girl!)
However, Darla made it clear to me that she was very upset by our close contact. She gave me an incentive to end it. I have no intention of doing so but maybe it might be a good idea to not be too forthcoming about the nature of our current contact. (Say hello to Buffy the diplomat.)
I'm sure I will have more to tell you in a next letter.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Kind regards,
Buffy Summers (The games have begun. )
*~*
It was magic, there was no other word to describe it. And Buffy had seen a lot of magic in both her lifetimes.
Mitch had taken her to a small Bistro behind Mont Martre where they enjoyed the finest foods and wines. Then they had strolled through Paris letting the food settle down slowly and looking for something to really sustain them.
Along the banks of the Seine they saw a couple of rich boys pester a farmer with their swords after which they robbed him. Buffy fed with a little more zeal that night.
Now they had exited a park and stood on the Champs Elysee. It was lit with 2 large rows of candle light lanterns and a soft late summer's breeze created an agreeable atmosphere. It felt like a magical place to be and they weren't the only ones to feel like that. The boulevard was full of strolling couples feeling romantic.
Mitch had offered Buffy an arm while he led her along the sidewalk telling her an anecdote of his human years. Throughout diner and the walk following it, Mitch had been pleasant company and Buffy had shared some of her life story with him. Veiled and turned to fit into this century of course. Being called as a slayer now turned into finding out about the existence of vampires which was more or less the same thing anyway.
Buffy walked along Paris' beautiful streets with an inwardly stupid grin on her face. The 'give me a reason for living' Buffy was having the most fun ever as an undead. It's final, the fates have the strangest sense of irony.
She was magical, there was no doubt about in Mitch's mind. This magical creature had been laughing at and joking with and touching him all night. Of course all of it stayed friendly and he understood from past experiences that this would be all it would ever be but that was enough for him. Right now Mitch 'the clumsy' was walking around Paris with a gorgeous vampiress on his arm. He mentally stuck out his tongue at the London society and hugged Buffy tighter.
~*~
Charles tapped on Buffy's door nervously. What is keeping that blasted girl so long? Does she not remember I have important appointments waiting.
Jessie opened the door and led him to a lounge chair, in the bathroom he heard Buffy moving about and tinkering with bottles.
"I asked you to be ready at noon. What is keeping you?" he asked his voice filled with irritation. The object of that irritation hopped in to the room on one leg while she closed the clasps around her boot.
"It's just 10 minutes after 12. Why the hurry, it's not like you're getting any older. Where are we going anyway?" While she spoke she was rooting around in the bottom of her travel trunk looking for her other boot. Charles stood up with a deep sigh and plucked the boot from beneath her bed. He handed it to her and bristled. "I told you. We are going to inspect the French regiments. Now are you finally finished getting dressed?"
She looked at him while putting on her soft yellow mink coat. "Yes, grumpy! I'm ready. Let's go see the troops." Charles growled softly at her disobedient tone and led her to a blacked out coach in the stables.
**~**
When Buffy got out of the coach she found herself in what appeared to be and in fact was a barn. A barn with a descending stairway in a closed off horse pen. The stairway ended in a large space below the ground level. It was filled with large wooden tables and benches. At the end of the space was another opening and another stairway going down into darkness. The vampires shifted into their demon faces to compensate the loss of sight.
The second stairway ended into a landing between two corridors and another stairway downwards. The corridors had rows of openings in the walls and each opening held 2 sets of stacked bunks.
They took the stairs going down again and stood at the edge of a huge dome. The space had obviously been carved out of the earth and was as large as a modern day football stadium. The walls held torches meant to illuminate but without vampire sight the center would still be shrouded in deep darkness. The floor held woven mats from some sort of nature product. Soft to the touch and yet though. There were several rounded exits at interspersed places and even elevated platforms on all 4 corners of the oval ground plan.
Charles led her to the platform closest to them that held two vampires on it already. When they reached the other two, Charles spoke in a solemn voice. "In the darkest age of our Order these lands were the property of the St'lynovich. The Master and his last followers went into hiding and worked at regaining the numbers he needed to claim what was rightfully his. We fought for many years and in the end we came out victoriously. The Legions of Aurelius are meant to insure that the filth of St'lynovich will never again rule what is ours."
As his words still echoed on in the dome its floor started to fill with colonies of vampires literally marching in from the doorways in the wall. They arranged themselves in large squares. Each square held a banner and a different uniform. When they all stood there fell an eerie silence over the dome, not even a breath was heard.
Charles stood on the platform looking regal and dangerous. Buffy was amazed. Here stood a small town farmer, cultivated and groomed in so many years to become a king and a dome full of vampires awaited his judgment. Buffy felt nothing short of proud that this was her Sire.
He then turned to the vampires Buffy did not know and they cowered. With a brisk turn he left the platform leaving Buffy no choice but to walk after him. He walked through the countless squares of vampires. Sometimes he would point out things to Buffy.
"That regiment has too little flesh on their bodies to be strong enough to withstand long hand to hand combat."
"Smell that row. Do you smell the human whores and alcohol on them? They are fledglings just arisen from the grave and don't think that we can't smell it. Discipline them for not adhering to the strict rules but kill the sergeant for failing to tell them to wash before the inspection."
"The state of those metal breastplates is appalling. If they combat in those the stakes will surely enter their chest straight through their so called protection. The armory must be fined for their sloppy work and the fighters chastised for not requesting good materials."
The whole inspection/lesson took a full two hours. After which Charles made his way back to the platform. He completely disregarded the almost weeping vampires still standing there and spoke to the regiments.
"I'm not pleased by the state in which I find you. You have allowed yourself to become a disarray of underfed, pleasure seeking, undisciplined soldiers. You may think you're safe here but the St'lynovich scum have started to invade our borders again and when the time comes to teach them who is master of this land you will be needed. If you are successful in such a battle the entire Order will be at your feet."
They shouted and whooped and screamed their appreciation of that idea. Charles boomed over them using his years of speaking in that dome and knowing exactly what volume of voice was needed.
"BUT THE STATE YOU'RE ARE IN NOW WILL ENSURE THAT YOU WILL DIE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THAT HONOR."
The cave went silent yet again.
"You can become the soldiers that will make the Order proud but you will have to work at it hard and long." Charles took one step towards the 2 vampires on the platform. "and you will need a strong leadership to inspire that in you." In a flash Charles had turned around and drawn 2 stakes. Before even Buffy realized his intentions he had plunged them in the hearts of the other 2 vampires and they were disintegrating into a dusty pile when a loud 'oh' was heard from the vampires down in the dome.
"Who is the third in command?" from the first square a vampire stepped out of the first row. "I am, Commander. My name is Zack Morris."
"Come join me here, Zack." Charles bid while waving his hand. The man climbed the stairs to the platform and Charles continued. "Zack, as first in command of the French Regiments I would like to introduce to you to my Child, Buffy Summers. Buffy, this is Zack Morris." The bewildered Zack and highly amused Buffy shook hands. Then Charles turned towards the vast audience again. "Regiments, I present you the new first in command, Zack Morris and your second Legion Commander, Buffy Summers. Make them proud in the name of Aurelius." The vampires all put their hands to their hearts and shouted in unison "Aurelius". Apparently this signaled the end because now the squares filled back into walking formation and exited the dome. Charles turned towards Zack who in turn took an involuntary step back. "I will be back in 2 years time to see if there are any improvements. Trust that your predecessor got the same warning but learn from his mistakes."
~~*~~
When they were in the coach headed back, Buffy could no longer keep quiet.
"All right. Color me confused! I have no idea what just happened. What those regiments are for? How this works? Why they are there and a whole bunch of other questions that I just can't think of right now but they will probably come to me when I'm sleeping and I hate it when that happens."
Actually Charles had been surprised at how well behaved she had been. He would have at least expected one question.
"Tomorrow we leave for Spain to check on the armories. There I will explain everything and teach you about troop movements and warfare with large legions and many more undoubtedly new skills. I just had to take care of this first."
Buffy sat back and contemplated this new destination. Spain, I hope it's hot there because I miss the warm Californian temperatures.
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Paris - Baeza
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Warning: strong language
#~~
The warmth slowly flowed into her skin inhibited only by the long cotton sleeping gown she wore for modesty reasons. Her spread fingertips felt the grainy surface of the tiles. Her hair was pinned up allowing her neck to absorb every bit of heat.
And as she laid there feeling the day's heat, the air above her started to cool down and it pulled the heat away from her again.
The sound of the fountain was the only thing that was heard throughout the hacienda because the human servants did not stay after dust. Even if one or two had stayed behind, the water clattering on the marble was too loud to drown out their faint heartbeats.
Buffy looked up at the sky from the fully shadowed patio as it changed from blood red clouds to blue starry night. Tonight she was contemplating the time gone by. It was hard to wrap her mind around the concept that she had been here for a year. Shouldn't I get used to this being the vampire and all? The day that she had arrived to the hacienda located in the hills above Baeza still stood out clearly in her mind.
~~ * ~~
They had driven through the French countryside at a leisurely pace. Stopping after only a half night of traveling and mostly staying a day or so in the villages they encountered to enjoy the scenery and then they would head out to the next stop.
Buffy was entranced by the country. The tastes of both the strange foods and the inhabitants of the land were light and full of different flavors like herbs and flowers. The architecture of the castles and manors they were invited to for diner as they traveled under the guise of Mitch's former station in life. The way the local ladies of lesser nobility fawned over Mitch and Charles and envied their 'cousin' for traveling so intimately with two such lovely male specimens. This was something Buffy always laughed about because those ladies often got much more intimately acquainted with either of them than she had ever been.
It had taken them a full month to reach the mountains of Andorra. They passed through them in a full day and night, without making any stops and afterwards they took a whole week in Barcelona to recover from the trip. From there they continued on towards Baeza in the same way they had traveled through France. But there was a profound difference in the ambiance. It seemed like every experience became richer, deeper and darker. The wine was stronger, the people tasted of thick coppery blood with an earthy tone underneath. The men aggressively chased after Buffy and more than once paid for their forwardness with their lives. The houses became larger and less extravagant but much more rich in furniture.
Two months and two weeks after they had left Paris, they finally rolled into Baeza and came to a stop in front of the large hacienda that stood overlooking the hills surrounding the town. The hacienda was built in a square shape with the patio in the middle. It was two stories high and one corner continued into a squired tower room. The rich terracotta and brown colors on the outside almost made it blend into the landscape surrounding it. The inside was decorated much more vibrantly, in deep sky blue and a striking sun yellow.
Buffy felt immediately at home when she dropped herself onto her large bed in her own set of rooms. The whole Spanish décor gave off a very native Californian feel and yet it wasn't anything like her old stomping ground and she loved it.
~~ * ~~
The months since then had been filled with new experiences. First she was shown around the armories where the Order's blacksmiths made swords, lances and other weaponry from the best Spanish steel. Even experimental guns were made there, although the use of them for a vampire Order was highly doubted, since a human that had been shot tasted less than desirable and besides, one had to be an exceptionally good shooter to be able to hit a vampire in the heart with a wooden bullet. Yet Buffy found it amazing what a 300 year old blacksmith could produce. She felt like a little girl on Christmas morning picking and choosing everything she liked from battle axes to swords and knives.
Then there were the daily lessons with Charles. They studied charts, maps and books. From dust till dawn they sat in the tower room discussing troupe movements, battle strategies, defensive and offensive actions and soldier discipline.
Some nights he would take her horseback riding through the hills and mountains. Six months ago he had started to teach her sword fighting on horseback. She was becoming quite skilled at it.
Soon after they had arrived Buffy had started to itch for a good training session or even a good fight. She had done some tai chi on the patio and Mitch had approached her.
>
"You really are very graceful, Buffy. I look like a big clog compared to that. "
She giggled at his remorseful tone.
"Yes, I think you do. But this particular clog still gets his dinner every night so what does it matter?"
He raised his eyebrow at that. "Maybe one day I'll run into something that'll be more than I can handle. Or maybe I just want to be a better fighter to impress a certain member of the fighter clan."
"Are you asking me to train you?" She remembered the inauguration and knew that Mitch could hold his own against most vampires. He wasn't a real match for her yet but there was definite potential. Besides it gave her a good excuse to fight some more without playing with her food as Charles disdainfully called it. Demon hunting had been out of the question. Besides the fact that there were hardly any demons around, Charles would definitely be suspicious after her whereabouts, he was nothing if not protective of her.
"Are you offering to train me?" Charles countered the question.
"Do you think you could keep up with my training schedule?" she punned.
Even if it had been decided with that simple exchange, the challenge was still on to see who would end up having the last word. Unfortunately Mitch won.
"I know it's worth it. All of Angelus' regular conquests spoke of his renewed vigor since you started training him. That alone is reason enough." He blew her a kiss and walked off towards his own rooms. He never saw her face become serious.
>
Angelus still sent her letters.
For the most part they were descriptions of his life at the other side of the world. Stories about the rogue vampires he met and she could easily read between the lines that he secretly admired them.
He wrote to her about his training routine and asked her advice or gave her tips about new moves he had learned.
And sometimes he would write to her about how much he missed her. These paragraphs had started out friendly just like their relationship had been in London. But slowly they progressed and Buffy had been a willing accomplice. Her time in Spain was a wonderful adventure but being away from Angelus had shown her that he had represented a familiar part of home for her. Warped as it may be, Angelus was something she knew from Sunnydale and that gave her a weird sense of belonging.
So she indulged herself in these letters to Angelus. She thanked him for his compliments and coyly flirted back. As Angelus' feelings for her grew stronger and more in the open they forced her to really examine her own.
Was she just playing to feed her own homesickness?
What did this Angelus meant to her?
His latest letter had sent all these thoughts into a headspin. So she found herself lying on the ground of the patio like she did every evening but she was unable to appreciate the sensation.
The words of his letter went round and round in her head:
Dear Buffy,
I dreamt of you yesterday and I was certain I smelled you on my pillow as I awoke. Finding you not there left me with a lonely heart. Darla is off again on one of her long trips with a rogue leader. She is closing the final stages of our deal. Formal requests for representatives have been sent to the Master. This means that we will be returning home soon.
My Beloved, I am going to ask a favor of you. Understand that I can not leave Darla. She is my Sire and holds my place in the Order within her grasp but she no longer has my love or my admiration. They are yours now. Can you search for a way that we could be together?
Your letters reflect your loneliness. Give me a chance to make you happy again.
My love is yours,
Angelus
And there it was. No more room to maneuver, no more chances to escape, it was time to accept to herself at least, exactly what she was feeling. There were a few things that she knew for sure. One, Angelus was an amazingly beautiful male and he got her motor revving so to speak. His strong brown eyes, his defined face, his sculptured body and the hands that held such a promise of passion, she knew exactly what those hands could stroke up in her.
Then there was his mind, it was devious and maybe it was the demon that lived inside of her but she relished the mind games and the taunts that he played. Of course her demon also loved the fact that she could see right through them.
This vampire was a contradiction to everything she ever wanted and yet he held her passion and desire in his hands. And she was going to take everything he offered her.
But how are you going to manage to keep that particular relationship a secret in a place where even the smallest sigh could lead to the biggest rumor?
Now there was a real problem. Darla would surely take very extreme measures to keep Angelus with her and she had made the choice to keep Charles safe before they left on this European trip. If this was going to happen she needed to be really smart about it.
That opportunity presented itself in the form of Mitch, who at that moment entered the patio from his rooms. She rose up from her lying position and sat on the floor with her legs tucked underneath her. Mitch walked towards her and sat down on a bench right next to her. He carried a single long stemmed red rose with him.
"Are you enjoying the evening?" He asked as he handed her the flower.
She smiled at him and answered truthfully. "I am still unsure about it but maybe you can change my mind?"
Spending some time with Mitch would take her mind of both Angelus and missing Sunnydale. A slash of bright hair went through her head. She quelled the feeling quickly. "You up for grabbing a bite to eat in town tonight?" she asked with a flirty tone and seduction in her eyes. During their year in Spain, their evenings out had started to become more and more like dates, pushed ahead by the close physical contact during their training sessions.
"My Beautiful Buffy, I would love nothing more and we will, but I have a prior engagement that I have to attend to first. Can you wait until midnight?"
"Sure, pick me up outside the Hacienda!"
She became aware of Charles standing on the upper level balcony that ran across all sides of the patio. He looked at them smiling pleased. Another plus in Mitch's box. Charles approves of him, but would that be a good reason to… Her thoughts were interrupted by her Sire speaking loud enough to reach their sensitive ears on the ground below him.
"Buffy, I need your help with the weekly budget rapports."
She groaned. "The slave driver calls. I am looking forward to later tonight." She impulsively kissed him on the cheek, after which she ran off to change and help Charles.
**~**
The dress consisted of a black silk shirt covered in shortening layers of black and red gauze. Its body was tightly laced onto her own torso with a v shaped red lace trimming across her bosom. Her hair was rolled on top of her head and was kept together by a blood red large comb.
She looked like the ultimate Spanish beauty except for the fact that she wasn't Spanish.
"Mi belleza, Gordita, My love, you look like the moon and the stars out on a Summer's day. Your appearance entrances me so. When are you going to give me the pleasure of your company?" He asked her as he came close enough to kiss her.
Buffy noticed that he went in for her lips and thoughts flashed through her head. Do you want him to kiss you? Maybe if you let him kiss you, you will forget about what you feel for Angelus. Is it fair to kiss him if I have feelings for another man? You better decide soon
Mitch saw the insecurity in her eyes and made the decision for her. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her in their normal friendly hug. He would wait for her to make the first move. Besides he had been sated for the evening.
Buffy felt relieved as she returned the hug. That feeling changed as she got the chance to smell him up close. Underneath the citrus eau de cologne, she got a whiff of a female's arousal and sex. This particular smell was from the human maid that cleaned their rooms and Buffy was surprised at the lack of blood. He had fucked her but not fed of her.
Buffy pulled back to look at him. Deciding that joking about it would be the best approach, she swatted his arm. "You rascal, you. Did you came to me straight from another woman's bed? Did you think I would not smell her on you? And then you ask me when I'll let you into mine? I will admit that you are a bold vampire, Mitchell, very bold indeed."
Mitch laughed out loud and his eyes danced with mischievous mirth. "Buffy, you know that I am a vampire with needs. It's not like you are requesting a mating with me and should you decide to couple, I would of course be discreet, but you are not proposing either of those things, so I am free to enjoy the carnal joys of a human's body."
Buffy cocked her head regarding him seriously. "Suppose we would 'couple' and I wanted to be discreet as you call it. What would you think about that?"
His face became solemn as he answered her. "Buffy, you are a grandchilde of the Master. I could not control you even if I had the desire to do so. My very being is compelled to obey your commands."
"And what does this coupling mean exactly?" she asked.
Surprise filled his eyes. "You don't know?" Then he figured out why. "Of course you don't know. Angelus is bold enough to try that even though he is coupled to Darla and we all know that you are quite capable of handling him. Other than that there are no available vampires high up enough to propose it to you and I understand that Charles is not eager to have a competitor for your loyalties. He would not volunteer the information so you could pick a coupling for yourself. "
She laughed with him hoping he would not catch on to her insecurity.
"Come, I will walk you to that tavern and buy you the best calvados they have to offer and I will make you one."
Mitch's step was light as he walked beside her in the night. This European trip might present him with what half the Order desired, 'The intangible Miss Buffy Summers.'
*~~~~*
My sweet Angelus,
I apologize that this letter took so long. After your request in the last letter I needed some time to think.
I admit that your offer of affection and companionship is very seductive and I have decided that I would very much like to be seduced.
I understand your choice to maintain your connection to Darla and must say that I in no way wish to get entangled into Order politics by joining my fate with yours. Therefore the attention of the Order must be diverted from any possible romantic involvement between the two of us.
I have found a way to procure this.
Mitchell, childe of Charia, has asked me to grant him a coupling with me. We have agreed to be discreet in our own affairs so he will never know about us. I have told him I need some time and I will await your answer before I give him mine.
I hope you will see the benefits of this arrangement like I do.
Before you answer me, I do have one demand. I respect your decision and will tolerate Darla in your bed but I will not share you with anyone else. In return Mitch will be my only other.
I was pleased to hear of your accomplishments and glad to read of you quick return to London. I am starting to forget the way your eyes brighten when we spar.
As I understand it Charles wants us to head out to Austria next week. After that we are going back to London ourselves.
I hope to hear from you again soon.
My deepest regard,
Buffy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Baeza - Vienna
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Angelus stood in front of the windows of a large townhouse. His eyes were angrily staring into the black abyss of night.
She wants Mitchell, childe of Charia to join her in a coupling?
This new and unexpected development did not at all fit in within his plans for Charles and her. Now that bastard will never suspect that it is me that is occupying his precious Buffy. How am I going to feed him the knowledge that not only do I hold his place in the Order but that I am also his Childe's lover when Mitchell is flaunting her on his arm. Damn that smug little piece of horse dung. He should have stayed away from her and now he will pay for his insolence. I will teach him not to mess with my plans.
Of course those were all his conscious thoughts, carefully arranged and thought up to appease his demon nature and his need for power over himself. Even he knew that they were lies to justify the feeling churning deep in his stomach, the little voice underneath his thoughts that spoke to him however hard he tried to deny it.
Right now it was saying that he was jealous of the young vampire, of his ability to openly pursue Buffy. He was jealous of the fact that the boy would be able to stand before the Master and declare that he would join his fate with that of the Master's newest Grand-Childe. He knew that Buffy's words would cut him deeply when she announced to the gathered Order that Mitchell, Childe of Charia was hers and invite any other to fight her for him.
He would detest every time he would have to smell the boy's sex fragrance on her just to keep the charade believable.
Then the voice reminded him that the charade was for his sake and for the first time in his existence Angelus smiled a genuine happy smile. He remembered Liam's amazement when he was approached by the glowing beauty in her rich dress and her blond hair. Where all the local girls worshipped and feared him, this woman acted like she was allowing him into her presence and it felt like a great gift was bestowed on him.
But that amazement was a pale comparison to what Buffy's decision inspired in him.
This small package in a glorious female form with a mind that withstood his every try at mind games and confusion, her razor-sharp wit and mighty fighting skills, this proud vampiress had chosen to be with him even if he would disgrace her with his decision to not leave his Sire.
Of course he quelled the voice that wanted him to keep his own self respect firmly in place.
So now his problem was what to respond to her. How to express himself with the necessary dignity, what words to use to convey a message of distaste and consent?
He sat at his desk and wrote,
And rewrote,
And wrote again.
*()*
Buffy remembered being a huge fan of the Sissi movies with Romy Schneider when she was eight. The story was a romantic one. A noble girl from a small town in the Austrian Empire fell in love with the Kaiser and became the Kaiserin of the people. Of course there was a wicked mother in law and an evil count and tragic deaths but that wasn't why Buffy was in love with the movies. It was the amazing dresses with their large skirts and richly embroidered bodices worn by ladies with elaborated hairdos of pinned up curls. It was the colorful rococo houses with beautiful hunting scenes on the walls and beds that were dressed in silks and hung with velvets, lighted by large chandeliers that sported arrangements of cut glass.
In the previous three years Buffy had moments in which she felt like the eight year old that wanted nothing more than to be Sissi but it was nothing compared to how she was feeling now. Sitting down in a gold enameled window sill on a embroidered pillow wearing a large crinoline and beaded bodice. Her hair was in curls and beads and the room she was in, her room, was just like a picture from the movie only slightly less rich in furniture.
They had arrived at Schattenburg in Feldkirch 2 days before after a long and tiring journey through France and the Alps. Man, those were cold!
Buffy was glad they would be returning home soon because as much as she loved seeing all these different countries and learning all these new things, this traveling took a lot of energy and after all the decisions she made in Spain, Buffy felt up to getting some proverbial solid ground under her feet.
The hidden door in a large wall panel of a meadow with cows, opened as Jessy entered the room. The girl crossed the expanse of the room and delivered a letter from Angelus after which she discreetly left again. That girl is getting really good at this servant deal. I have to get her a bonus of some kind when this traveling business is over
Then she turned her attention to the letter in her hands. Only a small part of her doubted that it contained a rejection but she was apprehensive about Angelus's reaction to her proposal.
No more procrastinating. It was time to act like a slayer and read this letter.
December 1802
Dearest Buffy,
I write to you with mixed feelings. I loath the thought of you in another's arms. My wish is to possess you whole and solely.
Maybe one day I will make that wish come true but until that time comes, I will consent to this arrangement and hold my tongue.
I intend to show you what a real lover can be, my beautiful creature of the dark. When we return to London, I will start making preparations to make our reunion a memorable one.
Till then, My precious!
Angelus
Loathing, possession, those were the terms Buffy recalled from the Angelus she knew in Sunnydale. Yet this one was very different, maybe it had been the influence of the years being repressed by the soul. Maybe she really was in another time and another place, where Angelus was still a badass vampire but one with a sense of duty to the Order and his Sire. A place in which Angelus felt a deep desire to be with Buffy, deep enough apparently to accept her being with somebody else publicly.
While she was pondering this character difference, the naughty part of her brain provided another perspective. "Well Buffy, it seems like you are going to be able to eat your cake and have it too!"
She looked up as she felt her sire approaching. She hoped he hadn't come to instantly whisk her away to this grand affair he had been drilling her on the whole journey. She wanted to ask his opinion on her coupling before she gave her affirmative answer to Mitch.
--*--
She sat looking at the door when Charles opened it, holding his precious cargo in his hands, but he knew that the jewelry would only enhance his Childe's beauty. He felt a sense of anticipation and a little bit of fear coming through the bond now that he was closer. Is she nervous about tonight's ball?
He put the boxes on her dressing table and walked over to kiss her on the forehead. His lips lingered near her skin as he whispered. "My beautiful Childe, the rays of the cursed sun still glow from within you, even after all the years under the moon's light."
She chuckled. "You're a real charmer, you know that, Charles? Real smooth with the words."
Instead of answering her quip, he took her hand and led her to the dressing table setting her down with her back towards the useless mirror.
He opened the box when she started to speak. "I have something to ask you and I know I can make this decision without your consent but I will not do it if you don't want me too. You mean everything to me, you are all the family I have in this place so I really want you to be okay with this."
She closed her mouth only to open it again and take a big unnecessary breath obviously trying to stead her nerves. He just went on opening the boxes and lying them out. At her look, he nodded for her to continue as he pulled out a set of deep ruby and white diamond earrings. He pulled back her hair to fasten one of them on her ear as she continued.
"Mitch asked me if I would agree to a coupling with him."
He walked around her to fasten the other earring on her other ear and asked. "Do you desire a coupling with him?"
Going back to the table, he retrieved a bracelet of deep blue sapphires interlacing with the same white diamonds.
Charles's dead heart felt like it jumped for joy at this conversation. Not only did his Childe choose the vampire of his choice to couple with but she also wanted his approval. She wanted to keep their link intact. Charles had accepted the risk of losing their connection when he subtly pushed her towards Mitchell. It wasn't unheard of that younger Childer who initiated a coupling could lose themselves in the perceived link with the other coupler and thus severing the existing link with their sire. Some less strong Childer had dusted because of the severance but Buffy was an exceptional strong child and would survive. Charles would have been extremely disappointed if she had chosen that way nonetheless.
"Yes, I think I do want him and I want your approval too." She said as he clasped the bracelet around her wrist. She sat waiting for his answer.
He walked to the last box. With both hands he lifted a necklace from it. The solitaire ruby was the size of a small rock and it was surrounded by the white diamonds. From the center, with the ruby, the sapphire stones ran up the length of the necklace both ways each encased in a circle of the diamonds. It created a collection of blue flowers with white pedals and a red one in the middle.
He showed it to her before he clasped it around her neck. She did a sharp intake of breath and he knew she was impressed. He slid his hands from her neck to her cheeks and held her face lightly. "I approve, My Childe"
Then he tilted her head and kissed her forehead again.
"Now let's attend this Ball and show the world Buffy Summers, Childe of Charles." He took her hand to lead her out of the room but she stayed in her seat and pulled his hand.
"Sire, thank you."
He merely nodded and crooked his head because he was well aware that this was not what she wanted to ask him. She squirmed a little under his scrutiny which was unusual because she was very good at standing up to him A little too good!
"Why am I wearing these enormously expensive jewels? Don't get me wrong, it definitely adds to the whole Sissi décor but why?"
"Walk with me and I will explain, we are running late."
He left the room and kept on walking through corridors and staircases towards the back and ground level of the castle.
"These pieces were made for my first Childe when I presented her on this exact same occasion. No other has worn them until now. They enhance your beauty and will show the gathering how proud I am of you."
She didn't stop walking, although her heart told her to hug him close and never let him go. "I know," she muttered quietly.
She felt the ballroom long before they approached it. Her slayer sense went haywire at the room filled with vampires, some of them were really ancient.
Charles stopped. "Now remember! This year Aurelius hosts the Lustrum Gathering of the Vampire Orders. The diplomats of all Orders are here as well as representatives. You and I represent our Order. Watch your back because we are the most sought after trophy kills, although it is frowned upon to use the actual gathering for this end."
She grinned. "I know Charles and this year the border disputes with the St'lynovic make it even more of a sensational event. You will go in first and I will be announced after Mitch and the other new Childer of the gathering Orders. I will be careful with my words and not let the others provoke me. I was listening all 10 times, Charles."
All he did was sent his apologies through a shrug of his shoulders, after which he pointed out the waiting room.
Buffy entered with a familiar thought Showtime!
0)(0
She had been silently regarding the other Childer present, her peers like Mitch but also enemies, allies and the undetermined. There were vampires from all ages and all walks of life but it was certain that all were strong enough to attend the Gathering. A show of a weak childe would reflect badly on the Order.
Buffy was kept for last as she was the highest ranking debutant at the Gathering and would be ushered in with due respect. She heard familiar words behind the entry doors to the ball and prepared to dazzle them. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is why I would have been Prom Queen if I had shown up or I haven't set fire to the gym.
Charles looked at the same doors but from the other side. He heard the same words as his Childe: "Presenting herself to the Gathering, Miss Buffy Anne Summers, Childe of Charles, representative of the Order of Aurelius."
She pushed the doors open to walk a few steps into the room. Then she bowed deeply and the room was stunned for a few minutes. Only Mitch and Charles understood why. The lamps of the room behind her lit up her skin and gave her that radiance that only Buffy could show off so well. Her blond hair created a halo around her head full of lit up curls. Her smile was dazzling and her eyes sparkled. She was using her best grace in the bow and she looked like a fragile small poppet.
Slowly applause broke out across the room. Males and Females alike looked upon her with lust and appreciation. Charles went to her and held her hands as he announced:
"Now that the debutants have joined us. Let the Gathering commence!"
She figured that the worst part was now behind her. Of course, she was wrong. Soon after she had been introduced Buffy became aware of approaching humans. They were lead into the ballroom by a few minion vampires. They were all young and beautiful men and women who stood without a fear and with clear eyes in a room filled with vampires. From the corner of the ballroom that Charles had identified as the St'lynovich party, a male came forward.
He stood straight as a plank but an elegant plank . His brownish black hair was cropped really short leaving his ears and forehead free. His face was a collection of elegant lines and flats. The smooth forehead that ended in a straight line of eyebrows, the nose that was in precise proportion to the rest of the face, the lips that were actually luscious and deep crimson against his pale skin. Yet the most striking features of his face were his eyes. They were set back a little but round and dark and they spoke in volumes whenever he did.
"Charles, we offer you these faithful as a token of our appreciation for your hospitality." The man kept his voice pleasant but he spat out the words appreciation and hospitality like viper's venom.
Buffy's sire bowed and spoke with the same mix of pleasantries and venom. "We accept these gifts in the spirit in which they are given and present them to our guests."
At that vampires started to approach the group and pick and choose from their numbers. They fed the humans bits of the hors d' oeuvres and gave them glasses of the champagne. Laughter was heard throughout the ballroom and as soon as the music started so did the dancing.
Buffy turned her back towards the spectacle and took a glass of warmed blood with spices from Mitch. "What is this?" she questioned him with a dark look on her face. Somehow she was sure her conscience wasn't going to like this.
"This is a custom that the Order doesn't indulge in. Faithful take too much time and energy and very few are found in Europe. A Faithful is a person who craves the bite and has the faith that the Order will some day turn them immortal as a fledgling; that if they serve the Order well, they might even become a Childe. When they are presented at a ball like this, they are used to show how much the vampires here can refrain themselves. It's a token of civilization to laugh and dance with something that will soon become your food." In some dark corners vampires were already biting in human breasts or wrists.
The Slayer inside Buffy was screaming at the indignation of it all but what was she to do? She knew these people were dying at the hands of vampires and for the first time in years, she felt like a slayer again; but the room was filled with vampires and to start slaying now would mean starting a war on the Order of Aurelius and her Sire who would be extremely disappointed in her. Besides these people had come here knowing full well what that meant.
She wasn't going to intervene but she couldn't just stand there and look at it either. She needed to be distracted and she knew just how to do that. She caught her Sire's eye and he nodded. "Mitch, would you like to come with me outside to the garden, there is something I wish to discuss with you."
Outside they were greeted by the crisp mountain air and a clear but only half moon. Feldkirch village offered a spectacular view down in the valley below. They stood next to each other enjoying the silence and chill.
Buffy found it was time Let's have some cake shall we? She asked her naughty self. "When we get back to London I will announce to the Order that we are to be coupled."
First came the surprise. He must have not expected it anymore after it took her so long to agree. Then came amazement. That punched Buffy in the gut. Here she was just using him and he thought of it as a great gift but all that soon left her mind when he kissed her.
His hand felt protective around her waist. His lips felt soft as they pressed against hers and his other hand entangled delicately into her pinned up hair trying not to disturb it and still caress her in a most tantalizing way. His lips opened in a sigh and in her desire to pay him back for what he was making possible, Buffy opened her own and touched his lips with her tongue. His own soon joined her and they played a game of caress and feel. His mouth was warm from their drinks and the added flavor gave all the more leisure to their kiss. Until Buffy felt her Sire beckoning her along their bond. She broke the kiss off with some regret and explained that Charles needed them inside. He squeezed his hand on her hip and let go of her.
Charles stood in the ball room together with some of the Aurelian diplomats and the St'lynovich representative surrounded by his own Court.
"There she is." The dark stranger spoke as Buffy approached the group. "Your bond must be very strong if you can summon her so quickly, Charles."
Her Sire wore a proud smile. "She does not disappoint me!" he answered. "Buffy, this is Marius of St'lynovich."
The representative now wore a sly smile mirroring Charles and his tone was even more condescending than before. "But it does puzzle me why you would choose a pretty face as your second in command. Were you getting lonely, Charles?"
Buffy felt Mitch stiffen next to her and Charles sent her a warning across the bond not to speak.
"Marius, you cannot accuse me of bad taste now, can you?" The question was answered with a bark of a laugh.
"No Charles, I can not! She is without a doubt the most beautiful creature here." A woman in his Court snorted very unladylike at the remark and Buffy could understand why. Not only was she very beautiful with long straight raven black hair and gorgeous deep pools of eyes framed by long lashes but she also smelled very strongly of Marius and sex. Then something in the ongoing conversation caught her attention.
"There is also another explanation. You would not have turned a slayer now, would you Charles?" This time Mitch snorted, Buffy tried very hard not to look like a deer caught in headlights and Charles simply laughed out loud.
"When I turned Buffy, the slayer was very much alive in London and another was called in Sweden when our Master snapped her neck after draining her dry."
"Good!" Marius replied. "I would not want to have to put you to the question for breaking the rules."
The growing agitation Buffy felt along the bond made her decide to intervene before her Sire did something rash on her behalf. "As much as I'm enjoying all this attention, I am certain there are much more important issues to discuss at a Gathering than my origins."
"Normally I would be inclined to agree with you, but seeing as you are Aurelius's Second in Command, your origins and abilities are the subject of much scrutiny." Her opponent spoke while turning his attention towards her. He stood gazing down at her with piercing eyes trying to intimidate Buffy.
Buffy on the other hand had dealt with more than one master vampire before and a cyborg and a hellgod to booth; so this particular demon did very little to intimidate her.
She took a step forward placing herself directly inside his personal space and looked at him square in the eyes. "If you are that interested in info about me? Here's a little tidbit to tide you over: I'm not stupid. Now unless you wish to discuss our border disputes, I think my time is more pleasantly spent somewhere else. What will it be?"
A wave of warning growls were accompanied by a movement of Marius's Court to punish this insolent debutant. They were abruptly stopped by the risen hand of their leader whose eyes were still locked with Buffy's. "As far as I am concerned St'lynovich Borders are clear and these alleged incursions are yet to be proven. When you have the proof, there will be something to talk about until then I bid you goodbye, Charles of Aurelius."
Charles made a small bow as a farewell greeting but the gesture was lost on the backs of the retreating St'lynovich court.
Keeping his face pleasant Charles addressed Buffy at a near whisper. "For someone who claims they are not, that was extremely stupid, as you call it."
Buffy smiled the same pleasant smile but much more genuine. "Yes it was, but it was also extremely fun!"
A small twinkle appeared in her Sire's eyes. "That it was my Childe. That is was!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AN: The vampire named Ineke is modelled after my grandmother with the same name. Even if she has not (yet) played a major part of this story, she did play one in my life. I miss her dearly and this was my way of immortalizing her if only a bit. I hope that 2004 will bring you all more inspiration and beauty. Love, Esile
AN: Chapter 15 is dedicated to Kumiko because of her endless support of this fic.
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January 9th 2004 ~ new addition: Rotterdam - Paris
Februari 16th 2004 ~ new addition: Paris - Baeza
March 27th 2004 ~ new addition: Baeza - Vienna
part delta was the last part of this chapter. Next up chapter 16!
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London - Rotterdam
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The trip between London and Harwich gave Buffy the chance to really study Mitch. He was seated opposite of her in the coach and the outside world was shrouded in a thick blanket of darkness.
Mitch had been turned in his late twenties, somewhere around 28 or 29. He had reddish brown hair cropped shortly, which curled in his neck and around his ears. He had sideburns that extended along the sleek lines of this open face. His nose started between two arched eyebrows and extended into a long but elegant slope. His lips were thin but when his face was relaxed like now they curled upwards in a small smile. That was probably why he was a joker by nature. He simply smiled all day. When he stood Mitch was a head taller than Buffy and although he was neither large nor burly he was still built and showed a well muscled chest beneath his shirt. All in all he was not an ugly man to see, Buffy concluded.
Her perusal of him went unnoticed because he was discussing the travel arrangements for the first leg of their journey with Charles. A discussion which Buffy missed most of.
The coach traveled throughout the night and arrived in Harwich just before the dawn. The vampires spent the day in a safe house. After sunset Mitch disappeared into town. He returned after a few hours announcing that they would embark on a sail ship the next evening if the winds were favorable.
Of course the winds were not favorable the next evening and they had to spend another night there before the winds on the North Sea changed. Mitch, Charles and Buffy hunted for themselves and returned with a human prey for Jessie. Those moments weighed heavily on Buffy's conscience and she was only too happy to leave the little harbor town of Harwich behind.
The sailing ship was made out of a combination of wood and steel and had a few small sleeping compartments. The night was clear and a strong breeze made its way from the west over the sea. Buffy stood on deck looking out over the white heads of the waves that splashed onto the bow. She felt exhilarated by the sounds, the smells and the feel of the cold air on her cold skin.
They landed on the beach of Scheveningen, in the still pitch black of night. They made their way into town with the crew of the ship as porters and Mitch quickly procured a blacked out carriage for them. When they cleared the boulevard town the sun peaked over the sea line. Mitch and Jessie had fallen asleep soon after the first bumps in the road and Charles took the opportunity to discuss their destination with Buffy.
"The Batavia Commonwealth is our first destination for a reason. The primary members of our Order are stationed on the British Isles because that is strategically the best choice. An island is easy to defend and we have never suffered any blows to our independence. The biggest threat to Britain can come from the French shores and the shores we just landed on. Yet this country holds the least amount of soldiers of all Aurelian territory. It does however hold many vampires, mainly due to two main reasons. One, the country is stable and has known little war within its borders. The last two changes of government were non violent. Two, the country has a very liberal attitude towards foreigners and does a great deal of business abroad. To facilitate this there are many paper trails going in and out of the country. It is the perfect place to house the Solicitors' Headquarters. Our clan protects them mainly from the surrounding countries, they act as a barrier between them and the conquering urges of the St'lynovich. "
Buffy felt like she'd grasped the big picture but was confused nonetheless.
"I think I understand but where are we going to exactly and what will we do when we get there?"
"Our destination is called Rotterdam and we will be retrieving our traveling papers and identities. Also I will introduce you to one of the most important vampires of the European Continent."
The coach drove all day sometimes stopping to refresh the horses.
Charles had opened up the middle curtain when the sun shone straight through the middle of the coach leaving the vampires in the shadows. Buffy and he could look outside. She saw a green and flat landscape pass them by. The meadows were squared off with little canals and wooden fences or trees. They held an array of purposes. Some were filled with high yellow grain and others held low green crops. There were those filled with livestock. Herds of black and white cows and sheep of all ages. Sometimes this endless stream of farmland was interrupted by groups of houses or even little towns.
Buffy fell asleep from the soothing monotones scenery. When the sun was low enough to cast long shadows on the road, the farmhouses grew more frequent as did the traffic. Charles roused his fellow travelers when the sound of the horses' hooves changed from a dirt packed road to cobbles.
The sun had dropped behind the horizon and dusk was settling on Rotterdam. Mitch gave the driver instructions to their destination. They entered a large opening at the side of a white building and immediately started to descend. When the doors opened the four vampires stepped into what appeared to be an underground stable.
A few fledgling servants ushered Charles and Buffy into a posh dining room. The table was set for three and an elderly vampiress sat at its head. She rose in a greeting but let them approach her instead of greeting her guests at the door. Charles hugged her warmly and spoke first. "Ineke, what a pleasure it is to see you again."
Buffy used the moment of greeting between the two older vampires to study the female before her. A sturdy woman with a plump figure. She wore a suit made from wool and a black cotton shirt minus the chocker. Her hair was straight and cut angular around her face and neck. She had clear blue eyes that stood in a semi round face with high cheekbones and a nose that ended in a broad base.
When they turned around to face Buffy she noticed the intelligent glint in the females eyes. "Madame Administrator, please allow me to introduce my Childe, Buffy. Buffy, this is the High Administrator of our Order, Ineke."
After checking Buffy over with a critical eye, she motioned to the table. "Please, sit and drink with me."
Charles and Ineke caught up on the gossip on either side of the North Sea. Buffy felt left out and tired and still a little confused about Ineke's function within the Order. Sensing Buffy's unease through the bond, Charles turned towards her. It was time for another explanation.
"Ineke is one of the two oldest vampires on the European Continent. Her function of High Administrator makes her an important part of the workings our Order. She keeps all the records of lineage and is the only independent vampiress to judge disputes of promotion. This is mostly because she is the only one who knows her own origins and lineage."
The female in question settled back into her chair obviously accustomed to being the subject of a lecture. She had lit a cigar and puffed away happily while sometimes smiling at remarks.
"She also runs the European Headquarters here in Rotterdam, which functions as a gateway from England and hopefully soon the American Continent to the rest of Europe. One is obliged to report all travel itineraries here and give notice of any changes along the way. This way the Order can remain in contact with its members at any given time. Every week a set of messengers goes out across Europe collecting and distributing personal letters, working orders, manifests and decrees. Not to mention all the news and gossip."
Buffy felt slightly overwhelmed. On a purely rational level she understood the system and the way it worked but it remained an abstract as far as personal experience went. Guess, I'm just too used to a telephone and e-mail doing the communication for me.
During Buffy's musings Ineke had arisen from her chair and was now walking towards a small desk. She retrieved a letter from one of the many small drawers in the top section and she returned to the diner table. "This arrived for you from London yesterday." The older vampiress spoke while she handed Buffy the letter. Then she focused on Charles. "I am sure you are tired and wish to catch some sleep before you continue on towards Paris in the morning. I bid you a farewell and will send someone to show you to your rooms. Come by before you return to London, Charles. I would love to hear how you perceive Europe these days." And she was off in large strides.
Buffy looked at the letter in her hands. It was an envelope in brown sturdy paper with an elegant handwriting on the front.
She turned it over trying to figure out where it came from but all she found was a pitch black seal with the sign of the Order of Aurelius pressed into it. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to find Charles standing next to her chair. "Let's retire for the night, my dear. Tomorrow awaits another day of hard traveling."
They were led to two adjoining bedrooms. Jessie awaited Buffy in hers to help her undress while she told Buffy stories about this strange place and the other maids she had met there. But Buffy was still entranced by all the information about the way the order communicated and all the different functions and roles in the Order. There is still so much for me to learn and see. and then it suddenly hit her. Tomorrow I will be in Paris! Me, the slayer destined to stay on the Hellmouth until I died again will be in Paris and who knows what I will see after that. She fell asleep in a foreign land with a smile on her face and happiness in her heart.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rotterdam - Paris
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Around 10 o'clock in the morning a completely blacked out carriage drove out of a building at high speed. It cleared the streets of Rotterdam within 10 minutes and entered a ferry across the river Maas another 10 minutes after that. Buffy soon became seasick from being in a black box without a horizon on water. When the wheels hit solid ground again, Buffy thought the worst of that day's traveling was finally over. She was wrong.
The coach drove and drove throughout the day. Never stopping for anything. It was tedious but more than that, it was painful. She had been sitting in the same position for hours and she was sure she would never be able to move a muscle again. Yet they drove on and on. Dusk came and went on into full dark of night and yet they drove on and on.
Jessie had slept most of the journey. The males both read a book. Aren't they the experienced travelers?! They could at least have warned me. Buffy thought sullenly. She had something she desperately wanted to read but had not yet found the time to before they left. A full coach was hardly the place to read a letter from an unknown source. So, she sat doing nothing but thinking about the letter, her current life and dousing off to sleep every half an hour.
Soon midnight came and went. Buffy felt like she had spent her life inside the coach. When it suddenly came to a stop, she realized she heard sounds of all kinds outside. Woman laughing, dogs barking and horses stampeding across a street. The doors opened and the occupants needed a moment to adjust their eyes to the artificial lights of Paris. They saw brownish grey roads and sidewalks made of smaller tiles in the same color. The buildings were made out of large yellow blocks of textured rock.
When Buffy's feet hit the pavement she automatically breathed deeply. Her nose was bombarded with a cacophony of smells. A deep scent of cinnamon and red wine but also lighter tones of citrus and lavender perfumes. The group of travelers was met by a small scrap of a vampire with the cliché French moustache. He bowed and scraped before Charles, giving Buffy the idea that he must be a lower level officer, that was until they entered the Parisian house and every vampire they encountered bowed and scraped not only to them but also to the little man. He had been introduced to her as Comte Veltise and apparently he ran Vampire France.
Being too tired to truly enjoy her arrival to the city of lights, Buffy was even more annoyed that she wasn't seeing a bed anytime soon. A whole procession of vampires strolled by her for introductions and small talk. When the last one finished she turned to Charles. "No more, please. I really need to get some sleep." Her sire smiled at her.
"You did quite well and I'm sure you made an impression. Rest now and take tomorrow off to see the sights with Mitch. You deserve some time off. We will go and see the regiments the day after tomorrow. "
The brown envelope turned over and over in the hands. It cast alternating shadows on the walls.
Buffy sat upright in her bed supported by large pillows. She knew she was stalling but the hypnotizing movement of the envelope kept her from finding out its contents. Then the clock chimed the hour and she was reminded of her appointment with Mitch. She had another 2 hours left to bath and dress for her first Parisian night on the town. Quit with the stalling and make with the reading.
The seal let lose easily under her fingernail. The envelope revealed a letter written on the same brown colored paper. The letter head answered the mystery of the sender. 'Angelus' She pushed all her thoughts aside and read the letter.
Dear Buffy,
I hope you have been well. The thought of not training with you for the next year is strange to me somehow. I do believe I shall miss you. Your training and company were a pleasant occurrence in my day.
I hope we can keep up a correspondence for the remainder of our respective journeys.
With the highest of regards,
Angelus
A soft smile played around her mouth. On one level she knew perfectly well that Angelus was trying to obtain a goal with all means at his disposal. But she was enjoying the attention and the fact that this time around Angelus had not left her so easily even though it was his idea to go to America with Darla.
The decision to reply to his letter was made swiftly. Then the thought popped into her head that Darla would expect the letter to contain a dismissal just like Buffy was ordered to. After reading Angelus' letter she was in no mood to accommodate Darla. She never truly feared the Blonde vampire and before she was turned she always had to play by the rules but I'm in the Evil camp now! Maybe I could start playing by my own rules. Have some fun. After Buffy requested a letter set and an ink pen from Jessie she set out to compose a return letter in her best 'posh' English, as Spike called it.
Dear Angelus,
I hope you made the journey to the other side of the world safely.
I have finally arrived in Paris and plan on spending an evening enjoying its pleasures. (See? Reading those period novels did pay off.)
Receiving your letter was very pleasant. I would like to continue that sensation. I think I would like to receive more letters from you. (Oh Buffy, you said sensation. Naughty girl!)
However, Darla made it clear to me that she was very upset by our close contact. She gave me an incentive to end it. I have no intention of doing so but maybe it might be a good idea to not be too forthcoming about the nature of our current contact. (Say hello to Buffy the diplomat.)
I'm sure I will have more to tell you in a next letter.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Kind regards,
Buffy Summers (The games have begun. )
It was magic, there was no other word to describe it. And Buffy had seen a lot of magic in both her lifetimes.
Mitch had taken her to a small Bistro behind Mont Martre where they enjoyed the finest foods and wines. Then they had strolled through Paris letting the food settle down slowly and looking for something to really sustain them.
Along the banks of the Seine they saw a couple of rich boys pester a farmer with their swords after which they robbed him. Buffy fed with a little more zeal that night.
Now they had exited a park and stood on the Champs Elysee. It was lit with 2 large rows of candle light lanterns and a soft late summer's breeze created an agreeable atmosphere. It felt like a magical place to be and they weren't the only ones to feel like that. The boulevard was full of strolling couples feeling romantic.
Mitch had offered Buffy an arm while he led her along the sidewalk telling her an anecdote of his human years. Throughout diner and the walk following it, Mitch had been pleasant company and Buffy had shared some of her life story with him. Veiled and turned to fit into this century of course. Being called as a slayer now turned into finding out about the existence of vampires which was more or less the same thing anyway.
Buffy walked along Paris' beautiful streets with an inwardly stupid grin on her face. The 'give me a reason for living' Buffy was having the most fun ever as an undead. It's final, the fates have the strangest sense of irony.
She was magical, there was no doubt about in Mitch's mind. This magical creature had been laughing at and joking with and touching him all night. Of course all of it stayed friendly and he understood from past experiences that this would be all it would ever be but that was enough for him. Right now Mitch 'the clumsy' was walking around Paris with a gorgeous vampiress on his arm. He mentally stuck out his tongue at the London society and hugged Buffy tighter.
Charles tapped on Buffy's door nervously. What is keeping that blasted girl so long? Does she not remember I have important appointments waiting.
Jessie opened the door and led him to a lounge chair, in the bathroom he heard Buffy moving about and tinkering with bottles.
"I asked you to be ready at noon. What is keeping you?" he asked his voice filled with irritation. The object of that irritation hopped in to the room on one leg while she closed the clasps around her boot.
"It's just 10 minutes after 12. Why the hurry, it's not like you're getting any older. Where are we going anyway?" While she spoke she was rooting around in the bottom of her travel trunk looking for her other boot. Charles stood up with a deep sigh and plucked the boot from beneath her bed. He handed it to her and bristled. "I told you. We are going to inspect the French regiments. Now are you finally finished getting dressed?"
She looked at him while putting on her soft yellow mink coat. "Yes, grumpy! I'm ready. Let's go see the troops." Charles growled softly at her disobedient tone and led her to a blacked out coach in the stables.
When Buffy got out of the coach she found herself in what appeared to be and in fact was a barn. A barn with a descending stairway in a closed off horse pen. The stairway ended in a large space below the ground level. It was filled with large wooden tables and benches. At the end of the space was another opening and another stairway going down into darkness. The vampires shifted into their demon faces to compensate the loss of sight.
The second stairway ended into a landing between two corridors and another stairway downwards. The corridors had rows of openings in the walls and each opening held 2 sets of stacked bunks.
They took the stairs going down again and stood at the edge of a huge dome. The space had obviously been carved out of the earth and was as large as a modern day football stadium. The walls held torches meant to illuminate but without vampire sight the center would still be shrouded in deep darkness. The floor held woven mats from some sort of nature product. Soft to the touch and yet though. There were several rounded exits at interspersed places and even elevated platforms on all 4 corners of the oval ground plan.
Charles led her to the platform closest to them that held two vampires on it already. When they reached the other two, Charles spoke in a solemn voice. "In the darkest age of our Order these lands were the property of the St'lynovich. The Master and his last followers went into hiding and worked at regaining the numbers he needed to claim what was rightfully his. We fought for many years and in the end we came out victoriously. The Legions of Aurelius are meant to insure that the filth of St'lynovich will never again rule what is ours."
As his words still echoed on in the dome its floor started to fill with colonies of vampires literally marching in from the doorways in the wall. They arranged themselves in large squares. Each square held a banner and a different uniform. When they all stood there fell an eerie silence over the dome, not even a breath was heard.
Charles stood on the platform looking regal and dangerous. Buffy was amazed. Here stood a small town farmer, cultivated and groomed in so many years to become a king and a dome full of vampires awaited his judgment. Buffy felt nothing short of proud that this was her Sire.
He then turned to the vampires Buffy did not know and they cowered. With a brisk turn he left the platform leaving Buffy no choice but to walk after him. He walked through the countless squares of vampires. Sometimes he would point out things to Buffy.
"That regiment has too little flesh on their bodies to be strong enough to withstand long hand to hand combat."
"Smell that row. Do you smell the human whores and alcohol on them? They are fledglings just arisen from the grave and don't think that we can't smell it. Discipline them for not adhering to the strict rules but kill the sergeant for failing to tell them to wash before the inspection."
"The state of those metal breastplates is appalling. If they combat in those the stakes will surely enter their chest straight through their so called protection. The armory must be fined for their sloppy work and the fighters chastised for not requesting good materials."
The whole inspection/lesson took a full two hours. After which Charles made his way back to the platform. He completely disregarded the almost weeping vampires still standing there and spoke to the regiments.
"I'm not pleased by the state in which I find you. You have allowed yourself to become a disarray of underfed, pleasure seeking, undisciplined soldiers. You may think you're safe here but the St'lynovich scum have started to invade our borders again and when the time comes to teach them who is master of this land you will be needed. If you are successful in such a battle the entire Order will be at your feet."
They shouted and whooped and screamed their appreciation of that idea. Charles boomed over them using his years of speaking in that dome and knowing exactly what volume of voice was needed.
"BUT THE STATE YOU'RE ARE IN NOW WILL ENSURE THAT YOU WILL DIE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THAT HONOR."
The cave went silent yet again.
"You can become the soldiers that will make the Order proud but you will have to work at it hard and long." Charles took one step towards the 2 vampires on the platform. "and you will need a strong leadership to inspire that in you." In a flash Charles had turned around and drawn 2 stakes. Before even Buffy realized his intentions he had plunged them in the hearts of the other 2 vampires and they were disintegrating into a dusty pile when a loud 'oh' was heard from the vampires down in the dome.
"Who is the third in command?" from the first square a vampire stepped out of the first row. "I am, Commander. My name is Zack Morris."
"Come join me here, Zack." Charles bid while waving his hand. The man climbed the stairs to the platform and Charles continued. "Zack, as first in command of the French Regiments I would like to introduce to you to my Child, Buffy Summers. Buffy, this is Zack Morris." The bewildered Zack and highly amused Buffy shook hands. Then Charles turned towards the vast audience again. "Regiments, I present you the new first in command, Zack Morris and your second Legion Commander, Buffy Summers. Make them proud in the name of Aurelius." The vampires all put their hands to their hearts and shouted in unison "Aurelius". Apparently this signaled the end because now the squares filled back into walking formation and exited the dome. Charles turned towards Zack who in turn took an involuntary step back. "I will be back in 2 years time to see if there are any improvements. Trust that your predecessor got the same warning but learn from his mistakes."
When they were in the coach headed back, Buffy could no longer keep quiet.
"All right. Color me confused! I have no idea what just happened. What those regiments are for? How this works? Why they are there and a whole bunch of other questions that I just can't think of right now but they will probably come to me when I'm sleeping and I hate it when that happens."
Actually Charles had been surprised at how well behaved she had been. He would have at least expected one question.
"Tomorrow we leave for Spain to check on the armories. There I will explain everything and teach you about troop movements and warfare with large legions and many more undoubtedly new skills. I just had to take care of this first."
Buffy sat back and contemplated this new destination. Spain, I hope it's hot there because I miss the warm Californian temperatures.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Paris - Baeza
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Warning: strong language
#~~
The warmth slowly flowed into her skin inhibited only by the long cotton sleeping gown she wore for modesty reasons. Her spread fingertips felt the grainy surface of the tiles. Her hair was pinned up allowing her neck to absorb every bit of heat.
And as she laid there feeling the day's heat, the air above her started to cool down and it pulled the heat away from her again.
The sound of the fountain was the only thing that was heard throughout the hacienda because the human servants did not stay after dust. Even if one or two had stayed behind, the water clattering on the marble was too loud to drown out their faint heartbeats.
Buffy looked up at the sky from the fully shadowed patio as it changed from blood red clouds to blue starry night. Tonight she was contemplating the time gone by. It was hard to wrap her mind around the concept that she had been here for a year. Shouldn't I get used to this being the vampire and all? The day that she had arrived to the hacienda located in the hills above Baeza still stood out clearly in her mind.
~~ * ~~
They had driven through the French countryside at a leisurely pace. Stopping after only a half night of traveling and mostly staying a day or so in the villages they encountered to enjoy the scenery and then they would head out to the next stop.
Buffy was entranced by the country. The tastes of both the strange foods and the inhabitants of the land were light and full of different flavors like herbs and flowers. The architecture of the castles and manors they were invited to for diner as they traveled under the guise of Mitch's former station in life. The way the local ladies of lesser nobility fawned over Mitch and Charles and envied their 'cousin' for traveling so intimately with two such lovely male specimens. This was something Buffy always laughed about because those ladies often got much more intimately acquainted with either of them than she had ever been.
It had taken them a full month to reach the mountains of Andorra. They passed through them in a full day and night, without making any stops and afterwards they took a whole week in Barcelona to recover from the trip. From there they continued on towards Baeza in the same way they had traveled through France. But there was a profound difference in the ambiance. It seemed like every experience became richer, deeper and darker. The wine was stronger, the people tasted of thick coppery blood with an earthy tone underneath. The men aggressively chased after Buffy and more than once paid for their forwardness with their lives. The houses became larger and less extravagant but much more rich in furniture.
Two months and two weeks after they had left Paris, they finally rolled into Baeza and came to a stop in front of the large hacienda that stood overlooking the hills surrounding the town. The hacienda was built in a square shape with the patio in the middle. It was two stories high and one corner continued into a squired tower room. The rich terracotta and brown colors on the outside almost made it blend into the landscape surrounding it. The inside was decorated much more vibrantly, in deep sky blue and a striking sun yellow.
Buffy felt immediately at home when she dropped herself onto her large bed in her own set of rooms. The whole Spanish décor gave off a very native Californian feel and yet it wasn't anything like her old stomping ground and she loved it.
~~ * ~~
The months since then had been filled with new experiences. First she was shown around the armories where the Order's blacksmiths made swords, lances and other weaponry from the best Spanish steel. Even experimental guns were made there, although the use of them for a vampire Order was highly doubted, since a human that had been shot tasted less than desirable and besides, one had to be an exceptionally good shooter to be able to hit a vampire in the heart with a wooden bullet. Yet Buffy found it amazing what a 300 year old blacksmith could produce. She felt like a little girl on Christmas morning picking and choosing everything she liked from battle axes to swords and knives.
Then there were the daily lessons with Charles. They studied charts, maps and books. From dust till dawn they sat in the tower room discussing troupe movements, battle strategies, defensive and offensive actions and soldier discipline.
Some nights he would take her horseback riding through the hills and mountains. Six months ago he had started to teach her sword fighting on horseback. She was becoming quite skilled at it.
Soon after they had arrived Buffy had started to itch for a good training session or even a good fight. She had done some tai chi on the patio and Mitch had approached her.
>
"You really are very graceful, Buffy. I look like a big clog compared to that. "
She giggled at his remorseful tone.
"Yes, I think you do. But this particular clog still gets his dinner every night so what does it matter?"
He raised his eyebrow at that. "Maybe one day I'll run into something that'll be more than I can handle. Or maybe I just want to be a better fighter to impress a certain member of the fighter clan."
"Are you asking me to train you?" She remembered the inauguration and knew that Mitch could hold his own against most vampires. He wasn't a real match for her yet but there was definite potential. Besides it gave her a good excuse to fight some more without playing with her food as Charles disdainfully called it. Demon hunting had been out of the question. Besides the fact that there were hardly any demons around, Charles would definitely be suspicious after her whereabouts, he was nothing if not protective of her.
"Are you offering to train me?" Charles countered the question.
"Do you think you could keep up with my training schedule?" she punned.
Even if it had been decided with that simple exchange, the challenge was still on to see who would end up having the last word. Unfortunately Mitch won.
"I know it's worth it. All of Angelus' regular conquests spoke of his renewed vigor since you started training him. That alone is reason enough." He blew her a kiss and walked off towards his own rooms. He never saw her face become serious.
>
Angelus still sent her letters.
For the most part they were descriptions of his life at the other side of the world. Stories about the rogue vampires he met and she could easily read between the lines that he secretly admired them.
He wrote to her about his training routine and asked her advice or gave her tips about new moves he had learned.
And sometimes he would write to her about how much he missed her. These paragraphs had started out friendly just like their relationship had been in London. But slowly they progressed and Buffy had been a willing accomplice. Her time in Spain was a wonderful adventure but being away from Angelus had shown her that he had represented a familiar part of home for her. Warped as it may be, Angelus was something she knew from Sunnydale and that gave her a weird sense of belonging.
So she indulged herself in these letters to Angelus. She thanked him for his compliments and coyly flirted back. As Angelus' feelings for her grew stronger and more in the open they forced her to really examine her own.
Was she just playing to feed her own homesickness?
What did this Angelus meant to her?
His latest letter had sent all these thoughts into a headspin. So she found herself lying on the ground of the patio like she did every evening but she was unable to appreciate the sensation.
The words of his letter went round and round in her head:
Dear Buffy,
I dreamt of you yesterday and I was certain I smelled you on my pillow as I awoke. Finding you not there left me with a lonely heart. Darla is off again on one of her long trips with a rogue leader. She is closing the final stages of our deal. Formal requests for representatives have been sent to the Master. This means that we will be returning home soon.
My Beloved, I am going to ask a favor of you. Understand that I can not leave Darla. She is my Sire and holds my place in the Order within her grasp but she no longer has my love or my admiration. They are yours now. Can you search for a way that we could be together?
Your letters reflect your loneliness. Give me a chance to make you happy again.
My love is yours,
Angelus
And there it was. No more room to maneuver, no more chances to escape, it was time to accept to herself at least, exactly what she was feeling. There were a few things that she knew for sure. One, Angelus was an amazingly beautiful male and he got her motor revving so to speak. His strong brown eyes, his defined face, his sculptured body and the hands that held such a promise of passion, she knew exactly what those hands could stroke up in her.
Then there was his mind, it was devious and maybe it was the demon that lived inside of her but she relished the mind games and the taunts that he played. Of course her demon also loved the fact that she could see right through them.
This vampire was a contradiction to everything she ever wanted and yet he held her passion and desire in his hands. And she was going to take everything he offered her.
But how are you going to manage to keep that particular relationship a secret in a place where even the smallest sigh could lead to the biggest rumor?
Now there was a real problem. Darla would surely take very extreme measures to keep Angelus with her and she had made the choice to keep Charles safe before they left on this European trip. If this was going to happen she needed to be really smart about it.
That opportunity presented itself in the form of Mitch, who at that moment entered the patio from his rooms. She rose up from her lying position and sat on the floor with her legs tucked underneath her. Mitch walked towards her and sat down on a bench right next to her. He carried a single long stemmed red rose with him.
"Are you enjoying the evening?" He asked as he handed her the flower.
She smiled at him and answered truthfully. "I am still unsure about it but maybe you can change my mind?"
Spending some time with Mitch would take her mind of both Angelus and missing Sunnydale. A slash of bright hair went through her head. She quelled the feeling quickly. "You up for grabbing a bite to eat in town tonight?" she asked with a flirty tone and seduction in her eyes. During their year in Spain, their evenings out had started to become more and more like dates, pushed ahead by the close physical contact during their training sessions.
"My Beautiful Buffy, I would love nothing more and we will, but I have a prior engagement that I have to attend to first. Can you wait until midnight?"
"Sure, pick me up outside the Hacienda!"
She became aware of Charles standing on the upper level balcony that ran across all sides of the patio. He looked at them smiling pleased. Another plus in Mitch's box. Charles approves of him, but would that be a good reason to… Her thoughts were interrupted by her Sire speaking loud enough to reach their sensitive ears on the ground below him.
"Buffy, I need your help with the weekly budget rapports."
She groaned. "The slave driver calls. I am looking forward to later tonight." She impulsively kissed him on the cheek, after which she ran off to change and help Charles.
**~**
The dress consisted of a black silk shirt covered in shortening layers of black and red gauze. Its body was tightly laced onto her own torso with a v shaped red lace trimming across her bosom. Her hair was rolled on top of her head and was kept together by a blood red large comb.
She looked like the ultimate Spanish beauty except for the fact that she wasn't Spanish.
"Mi belleza, Gordita, My love, you look like the moon and the stars out on a Summer's day. Your appearance entrances me so. When are you going to give me the pleasure of your company?" He asked her as he came close enough to kiss her.
Buffy noticed that he went in for her lips and thoughts flashed through her head. Do you want him to kiss you? Maybe if you let him kiss you, you will forget about what you feel for Angelus. Is it fair to kiss him if I have feelings for another man? You better decide soon
Mitch saw the insecurity in her eyes and made the decision for her. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her in their normal friendly hug. He would wait for her to make the first move. Besides he had been sated for the evening.
Buffy felt relieved as she returned the hug. That feeling changed as she got the chance to smell him up close. Underneath the citrus eau de cologne, she got a whiff of a female's arousal and sex. This particular smell was from the human maid that cleaned their rooms and Buffy was surprised at the lack of blood. He had fucked her but not fed of her.
Buffy pulled back to look at him. Deciding that joking about it would be the best approach, she swatted his arm. "You rascal, you. Did you came to me straight from another woman's bed? Did you think I would not smell her on you? And then you ask me when I'll let you into mine? I will admit that you are a bold vampire, Mitchell, very bold indeed."
Mitch laughed out loud and his eyes danced with mischievous mirth. "Buffy, you know that I am a vampire with needs. It's not like you are requesting a mating with me and should you decide to couple, I would of course be discreet, but you are not proposing either of those things, so I am free to enjoy the carnal joys of a human's body."
Buffy cocked her head regarding him seriously. "Suppose we would 'couple' and I wanted to be discreet as you call it. What would you think about that?"
His face became solemn as he answered her. "Buffy, you are a grandchilde of the Master. I could not control you even if I had the desire to do so. My very being is compelled to obey your commands."
"And what does this coupling mean exactly?" she asked.
Surprise filled his eyes. "You don't know?" Then he figured out why. "Of course you don't know. Angelus is bold enough to try that even though he is coupled to Darla and we all know that you are quite capable of handling him. Other than that there are no available vampires high up enough to propose it to you and I understand that Charles is not eager to have a competitor for your loyalties. He would not volunteer the information so you could pick a coupling for yourself. "
She laughed with him hoping he would not catch on to her insecurity.
"Come, I will walk you to that tavern and buy you the best calvados they have to offer and I will make you one."
Mitch's step was light as he walked beside her in the night. This European trip might present him with what half the Order desired, 'The intangible Miss Buffy Summers.'
*~~~~*
My sweet Angelus,
I apologize that this letter took so long. After your request in the last letter I needed some time to think.
I admit that your offer of affection and companionship is very seductive and I have decided that I would very much like to be seduced.
I understand your choice to maintain your connection to Darla and must say that I in no way wish to get entangled into Order politics by joining my fate with yours. Therefore the attention of the Order must be diverted from any possible romantic involvement between the two of us.
I have found a way to procure this.
Mitchell, childe of Charia, has asked me to grant him a coupling with me. We have agreed to be discreet in our own affairs so he will never know about us. I have told him I need some time and I will await your answer before I give him mine.
I hope you will see the benefits of this arrangement like I do.
Before you answer me, I do have one demand. I respect your decision and will tolerate Darla in your bed but I will not share you with anyone else. In return Mitch will be my only other.
I was pleased to hear of your accomplishments and glad to read of you quick return to London. I am starting to forget the way your eyes brighten when we spar.
As I understand it Charles wants us to head out to Austria next week. After that we are going back to London ourselves.
I hope to hear from you again soon.
My deepest regard,
Buffy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Baeza - Vienna
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Angelus stood in front of the windows of a large townhouse. His eyes were angrily staring into the black abyss of night.
She wants Mitchell, childe of Charia to join her in a coupling?
This new and unexpected development did not at all fit in within his plans for Charles and her. Now that bastard will never suspect that it is me that is occupying his precious Buffy. How am I going to feed him the knowledge that not only do I hold his place in the Order but that I am also his Childe's lover when Mitchell is flaunting her on his arm. Damn that smug little piece of horse dung. He should have stayed away from her and now he will pay for his insolence. I will teach him not to mess with my plans.
Of course those were all his conscious thoughts, carefully arranged and thought up to appease his demon nature and his need for power over himself. Even he knew that they were lies to justify the feeling churning deep in his stomach, the little voice underneath his thoughts that spoke to him however hard he tried to deny it.
Right now it was saying that he was jealous of the young vampire, of his ability to openly pursue Buffy. He was jealous of the fact that the boy would be able to stand before the Master and declare that he would join his fate with that of the Master's newest Grand-Childe. He knew that Buffy's words would cut him deeply when she announced to the gathered Order that Mitchell, Childe of Charia was hers and invite any other to fight her for him.
He would detest every time he would have to smell the boy's sex fragrance on her just to keep the charade believable.
Then the voice reminded him that the charade was for his sake and for the first time in his existence Angelus smiled a genuine happy smile. He remembered Liam's amazement when he was approached by the glowing beauty in her rich dress and her blond hair. Where all the local girls worshipped and feared him, this woman acted like she was allowing him into her presence and it felt like a great gift was bestowed on him.
But that amazement was a pale comparison to what Buffy's decision inspired in him.
This small package in a glorious female form with a mind that withstood his every try at mind games and confusion, her razor-sharp wit and mighty fighting skills, this proud vampiress had chosen to be with him even if he would disgrace her with his decision to not leave his Sire.
Of course he quelled the voice that wanted him to keep his own self respect firmly in place.
So now his problem was what to respond to her. How to express himself with the necessary dignity, what words to use to convey a message of distaste and consent?
He sat at his desk and wrote,
And rewrote,
And wrote again.
*()*
Buffy remembered being a huge fan of the Sissi movies with Romy Schneider when she was eight. The story was a romantic one. A noble girl from a small town in the Austrian Empire fell in love with the Kaiser and became the Kaiserin of the people. Of course there was a wicked mother in law and an evil count and tragic deaths but that wasn't why Buffy was in love with the movies. It was the amazing dresses with their large skirts and richly embroidered bodices worn by ladies with elaborated hairdos of pinned up curls. It was the colorful rococo houses with beautiful hunting scenes on the walls and beds that were dressed in silks and hung with velvets, lighted by large chandeliers that sported arrangements of cut glass.
In the previous three years Buffy had moments in which she felt like the eight year old that wanted nothing more than to be Sissi but it was nothing compared to how she was feeling now. Sitting down in a gold enameled window sill on a embroidered pillow wearing a large crinoline and beaded bodice. Her hair was in curls and beads and the room she was in, her room, was just like a picture from the movie only slightly less rich in furniture.
They had arrived at Schattenburg in Feldkirch 2 days before after a long and tiring journey through France and the Alps. Man, those were cold!
Buffy was glad they would be returning home soon because as much as she loved seeing all these different countries and learning all these new things, this traveling took a lot of energy and after all the decisions she made in Spain, Buffy felt up to getting some proverbial solid ground under her feet.
The hidden door in a large wall panel of a meadow with cows, opened as Jessy entered the room. The girl crossed the expanse of the room and delivered a letter from Angelus after which she discreetly left again. That girl is getting really good at this servant deal. I have to get her a bonus of some kind when this traveling business is over
Then she turned her attention to the letter in her hands. Only a small part of her doubted that it contained a rejection but she was apprehensive about Angelus's reaction to her proposal.
No more procrastinating. It was time to act like a slayer and read this letter.
December 1802
Dearest Buffy,
I write to you with mixed feelings. I loath the thought of you in another's arms. My wish is to possess you whole and solely.
Maybe one day I will make that wish come true but until that time comes, I will consent to this arrangement and hold my tongue.
I intend to show you what a real lover can be, my beautiful creature of the dark. When we return to London, I will start making preparations to make our reunion a memorable one.
Till then, My precious!
Angelus
Loathing, possession, those were the terms Buffy recalled from the Angelus she knew in Sunnydale. Yet this one was very different, maybe it had been the influence of the years being repressed by the soul. Maybe she really was in another time and another place, where Angelus was still a badass vampire but one with a sense of duty to the Order and his Sire. A place in which Angelus felt a deep desire to be with Buffy, deep enough apparently to accept her being with somebody else publicly.
While she was pondering this character difference, the naughty part of her brain provided another perspective. "Well Buffy, it seems like you are going to be able to eat your cake and have it too!"
She looked up as she felt her sire approaching. She hoped he hadn't come to instantly whisk her away to this grand affair he had been drilling her on the whole journey. She wanted to ask his opinion on her coupling before she gave her affirmative answer to Mitch.
--*--
She sat looking at the door when Charles opened it, holding his precious cargo in his hands, but he knew that the jewelry would only enhance his Childe's beauty. He felt a sense of anticipation and a little bit of fear coming through the bond now that he was closer. Is she nervous about tonight's ball?
He put the boxes on her dressing table and walked over to kiss her on the forehead. His lips lingered near her skin as he whispered. "My beautiful Childe, the rays of the cursed sun still glow from within you, even after all the years under the moon's light."
She chuckled. "You're a real charmer, you know that, Charles? Real smooth with the words."
Instead of answering her quip, he took her hand and led her to the dressing table setting her down with her back towards the useless mirror.
He opened the box when she started to speak. "I have something to ask you and I know I can make this decision without your consent but I will not do it if you don't want me too. You mean everything to me, you are all the family I have in this place so I really want you to be okay with this."
She closed her mouth only to open it again and take a big unnecessary breath obviously trying to stead her nerves. He just went on opening the boxes and lying them out. At her look, he nodded for her to continue as he pulled out a set of deep ruby and white diamond earrings. He pulled back her hair to fasten one of them on her ear as she continued.
"Mitch asked me if I would agree to a coupling with him."
He walked around her to fasten the other earring on her other ear and asked. "Do you desire a coupling with him?"
Going back to the table, he retrieved a bracelet of deep blue sapphires interlacing with the same white diamonds.
Charles's dead heart felt like it jumped for joy at this conversation. Not only did his Childe choose the vampire of his choice to couple with but she also wanted his approval. She wanted to keep their link intact. Charles had accepted the risk of losing their connection when he subtly pushed her towards Mitchell. It wasn't unheard of that younger Childer who initiated a coupling could lose themselves in the perceived link with the other coupler and thus severing the existing link with their sire. Some less strong Childer had dusted because of the severance but Buffy was an exceptional strong child and would survive. Charles would have been extremely disappointed if she had chosen that way nonetheless.
"Yes, I think I do want him and I want your approval too." She said as he clasped the bracelet around her wrist. She sat waiting for his answer.
He walked to the last box. With both hands he lifted a necklace from it. The solitaire ruby was the size of a small rock and it was surrounded by the white diamonds. From the center, with the ruby, the sapphire stones ran up the length of the necklace both ways each encased in a circle of the diamonds. It created a collection of blue flowers with white pedals and a red one in the middle.
He showed it to her before he clasped it around her neck. She did a sharp intake of breath and he knew she was impressed. He slid his hands from her neck to her cheeks and held her face lightly. "I approve, My Childe"
Then he tilted her head and kissed her forehead again.
"Now let's attend this Ball and show the world Buffy Summers, Childe of Charles." He took her hand to lead her out of the room but she stayed in her seat and pulled his hand.
"Sire, thank you."
He merely nodded and crooked his head because he was well aware that this was not what she wanted to ask him. She squirmed a little under his scrutiny which was unusual because she was very good at standing up to him A little too good!
"Why am I wearing these enormously expensive jewels? Don't get me wrong, it definitely adds to the whole Sissi décor but why?"
"Walk with me and I will explain, we are running late."
He left the room and kept on walking through corridors and staircases towards the back and ground level of the castle.
"These pieces were made for my first Childe when I presented her on this exact same occasion. No other has worn them until now. They enhance your beauty and will show the gathering how proud I am of you."
She didn't stop walking, although her heart told her to hug him close and never let him go. "I know," she muttered quietly.
She felt the ballroom long before they approached it. Her slayer sense went haywire at the room filled with vampires, some of them were really ancient.
Charles stopped. "Now remember! This year Aurelius hosts the Lustrum Gathering of the Vampire Orders. The diplomats of all Orders are here as well as representatives. You and I represent our Order. Watch your back because we are the most sought after trophy kills, although it is frowned upon to use the actual gathering for this end."
She grinned. "I know Charles and this year the border disputes with the St'lynovic make it even more of a sensational event. You will go in first and I will be announced after Mitch and the other new Childer of the gathering Orders. I will be careful with my words and not let the others provoke me. I was listening all 10 times, Charles."
All he did was sent his apologies through a shrug of his shoulders, after which he pointed out the waiting room.
Buffy entered with a familiar thought Showtime!
0)(0
She had been silently regarding the other Childer present, her peers like Mitch but also enemies, allies and the undetermined. There were vampires from all ages and all walks of life but it was certain that all were strong enough to attend the Gathering. A show of a weak childe would reflect badly on the Order.
Buffy was kept for last as she was the highest ranking debutant at the Gathering and would be ushered in with due respect. She heard familiar words behind the entry doors to the ball and prepared to dazzle them. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is why I would have been Prom Queen if I had shown up or I haven't set fire to the gym.
Charles looked at the same doors but from the other side. He heard the same words as his Childe: "Presenting herself to the Gathering, Miss Buffy Anne Summers, Childe of Charles, representative of the Order of Aurelius."
She pushed the doors open to walk a few steps into the room. Then she bowed deeply and the room was stunned for a few minutes. Only Mitch and Charles understood why. The lamps of the room behind her lit up her skin and gave her that radiance that only Buffy could show off so well. Her blond hair created a halo around her head full of lit up curls. Her smile was dazzling and her eyes sparkled. She was using her best grace in the bow and she looked like a fragile small poppet.
Slowly applause broke out across the room. Males and Females alike looked upon her with lust and appreciation. Charles went to her and held her hands as he announced:
"Now that the debutants have joined us. Let the Gathering commence!"
She figured that the worst part was now behind her. Of course, she was wrong. Soon after she had been introduced Buffy became aware of approaching humans. They were lead into the ballroom by a few minion vampires. They were all young and beautiful men and women who stood without a fear and with clear eyes in a room filled with vampires. From the corner of the ballroom that Charles had identified as the St'lynovich party, a male came forward.
He stood straight as a plank but an elegant plank . His brownish black hair was cropped really short leaving his ears and forehead free. His face was a collection of elegant lines and flats. The smooth forehead that ended in a straight line of eyebrows, the nose that was in precise proportion to the rest of the face, the lips that were actually luscious and deep crimson against his pale skin. Yet the most striking features of his face were his eyes. They were set back a little but round and dark and they spoke in volumes whenever he did.
"Charles, we offer you these faithful as a token of our appreciation for your hospitality." The man kept his voice pleasant but he spat out the words appreciation and hospitality like viper's venom.
Buffy's sire bowed and spoke with the same mix of pleasantries and venom. "We accept these gifts in the spirit in which they are given and present them to our guests."
At that vampires started to approach the group and pick and choose from their numbers. They fed the humans bits of the hors d' oeuvres and gave them glasses of the champagne. Laughter was heard throughout the ballroom and as soon as the music started so did the dancing.
Buffy turned her back towards the spectacle and took a glass of warmed blood with spices from Mitch. "What is this?" she questioned him with a dark look on her face. Somehow she was sure her conscience wasn't going to like this.
"This is a custom that the Order doesn't indulge in. Faithful take too much time and energy and very few are found in Europe. A Faithful is a person who craves the bite and has the faith that the Order will some day turn them immortal as a fledgling; that if they serve the Order well, they might even become a Childe. When they are presented at a ball like this, they are used to show how much the vampires here can refrain themselves. It's a token of civilization to laugh and dance with something that will soon become your food." In some dark corners vampires were already biting in human breasts or wrists.
The Slayer inside Buffy was screaming at the indignation of it all but what was she to do? She knew these people were dying at the hands of vampires and for the first time in years, she felt like a slayer again; but the room was filled with vampires and to start slaying now would mean starting a war on the Order of Aurelius and her Sire who would be extremely disappointed in her. Besides these people had come here knowing full well what that meant.
She wasn't going to intervene but she couldn't just stand there and look at it either. She needed to be distracted and she knew just how to do that. She caught her Sire's eye and he nodded. "Mitch, would you like to come with me outside to the garden, there is something I wish to discuss with you."
Outside they were greeted by the crisp mountain air and a clear but only half moon. Feldkirch village offered a spectacular view down in the valley below. They stood next to each other enjoying the silence and chill.
Buffy found it was time Let's have some cake shall we? She asked her naughty self. "When we get back to London I will announce to the Order that we are to be coupled."
First came the surprise. He must have not expected it anymore after it took her so long to agree. Then came amazement. That punched Buffy in the gut. Here she was just using him and he thought of it as a great gift but all that soon left her mind when he kissed her.
His hand felt protective around her waist. His lips felt soft as they pressed against hers and his other hand entangled delicately into her pinned up hair trying not to disturb it and still caress her in a most tantalizing way. His lips opened in a sigh and in her desire to pay him back for what he was making possible, Buffy opened her own and touched his lips with her tongue. His own soon joined her and they played a game of caress and feel. His mouth was warm from their drinks and the added flavor gave all the more leisure to their kiss. Until Buffy felt her Sire beckoning her along their bond. She broke the kiss off with some regret and explained that Charles needed them inside. He squeezed his hand on her hip and let go of her.
Charles stood in the ball room together with some of the Aurelian diplomats and the St'lynovich representative surrounded by his own Court.
"There she is." The dark stranger spoke as Buffy approached the group. "Your bond must be very strong if you can summon her so quickly, Charles."
Her Sire wore a proud smile. "She does not disappoint me!" he answered. "Buffy, this is Marius of St'lynovich."
The representative now wore a sly smile mirroring Charles and his tone was even more condescending than before. "But it does puzzle me why you would choose a pretty face as your second in command. Were you getting lonely, Charles?"
Buffy felt Mitch stiffen next to her and Charles sent her a warning across the bond not to speak.
"Marius, you cannot accuse me of bad taste now, can you?" The question was answered with a bark of a laugh.
"No Charles, I can not! She is without a doubt the most beautiful creature here." A woman in his Court snorted very unladylike at the remark and Buffy could understand why. Not only was she very beautiful with long straight raven black hair and gorgeous deep pools of eyes framed by long lashes but she also smelled very strongly of Marius and sex. Then something in the ongoing conversation caught her attention.
"There is also another explanation. You would not have turned a slayer now, would you Charles?" This time Mitch snorted, Buffy tried very hard not to look like a deer caught in headlights and Charles simply laughed out loud.
"When I turned Buffy, the slayer was very much alive in London and another was called in Sweden when our Master snapped her neck after draining her dry."
"Good!" Marius replied. "I would not want to have to put you to the question for breaking the rules."
The growing agitation Buffy felt along the bond made her decide to intervene before her Sire did something rash on her behalf. "As much as I'm enjoying all this attention, I am certain there are much more important issues to discuss at a Gathering than my origins."
"Normally I would be inclined to agree with you, but seeing as you are Aurelius's Second in Command, your origins and abilities are the subject of much scrutiny." Her opponent spoke while turning his attention towards her. He stood gazing down at her with piercing eyes trying to intimidate Buffy.
Buffy on the other hand had dealt with more than one master vampire before and a cyborg and a hellgod to booth; so this particular demon did very little to intimidate her.
She took a step forward placing herself directly inside his personal space and looked at him square in the eyes. "If you are that interested in info about me? Here's a little tidbit to tide you over: I'm not stupid. Now unless you wish to discuss our border disputes, I think my time is more pleasantly spent somewhere else. What will it be?"
A wave of warning growls were accompanied by a movement of Marius's Court to punish this insolent debutant. They were abruptly stopped by the risen hand of their leader whose eyes were still locked with Buffy's. "As far as I am concerned St'lynovich Borders are clear and these alleged incursions are yet to be proven. When you have the proof, there will be something to talk about until then I bid you goodbye, Charles of Aurelius."
Charles made a small bow as a farewell greeting but the gesture was lost on the backs of the retreating St'lynovich court.
Keeping his face pleasant Charles addressed Buffy at a near whisper. "For someone who claims they are not, that was extremely stupid, as you call it."
Buffy smiled the same pleasant smile but much more genuine. "Yes it was, but it was also extremely fun!"
A small twinkle appeared in her Sire's eyes. "That it was my Childe. That is was!"
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AN: The vampire named Ineke is modelled after my grandmother with the same name. Even if she has not (yet) played a major part of this story, she did play one in my life. I miss her dearly and this was my way of immortalizing her if only a bit. I hope that 2004 will bring you all more inspiration and beauty. Love, Esile
AN: Chapter 15 is dedicated to Kumiko because of her endless support of this fic.
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