Chapter 16 Deception is Thy Name
Xander had been listening but not believing what Anya had told him. He needed to do something. With Buffy, Giles and Willow missing anything could happen in this town.
"Listen Anya, you can't let anyone else know about this, ok. This is just between us. We can't let anyone or anything know that the slayer is missing." He was looking at Anya intently and hoping that she understood the seriousness of the situation.
"No problem, I won't say a word. Besides, I have plenty of things to keep me busy here. I can't be worrying about missing slayers and such. I have money to make." Anya was not interested in helping Buffy. Her being gone was a good thing anyway. Xander paid more attention to her when Buffy wasn't around. Good riddance she thought.
"Good honey, you do that. I am going to go to the library and see what I can find out. Hopefully someone there can tell me what's going on. I'll be back in an hour or so." He kissed Anya and left the Magic Box to go to the library. He needed answers quick if he was going to help his friends.
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It wasn't long before Buffy and Spike had made their way to the dining hall. Again, Julian was there waiting on them.
"Good morning Buffy; William. I hope that you slept well." Julian was again offering his hand toward Buffy and it was already putting Spike into a foul mood.
"Yes, Julian, thank you. We slept quite well." Buffy looked at Spike and could see that Julian's demeanor was irritating him. She hoped that it wouldn't last.
Spike came up and put his arm around Buffy. "Well, we slept as good as could be expected. After all, it was our wedding night." He pulled Buffy to him as if to warn Julian that she belonged to him. He then gently kissed Buffy square on the mouth. It was a short but soft kiss.
It was enough to startle Buffy and she tried to speak. "Yes, right. I….I don't think that was exactly what the prince was asking honey." She was giving Spike a look that said "drop it" and although he understood perfectly he wasn't ready to be the quiet husband quite yet.
Julian looked a little uneasy at the interaction between the two but shook it off. "William, I trust that you received the blood that you needed?" Best to change the subject.
"Yes, yes I did." Spike wasn't quite sure what he should say about it. Buffy had suggested that he needed to be ill so they would have an excuse to remain in the castle for another day. He gave her a look and she took the signal.
"I wanted to thank you again Julian for your hospitality. William and I are most grateful for everything that you have done. I am afraid though that although he has received his transfusion this morning that he is still a little under the weather. I don't believe he is well enough to travel today. Do you think we could impose another night?" Buffy was a little nervous about asking. He hoped that Julian couldn't see that she was lying.
"Of course. I was just contemplating this morning how I was going to explain to you that we were without transportation today. I am afraid that my driver and carriage were needed early this morning to take an ill relative to a doctor some miles away. He won't be back until tomorrow. I am glad to hear that you are not ready to leave as yet." The prince was smiling now and looking straight at Buffy. Spike was sitting down now and getting more agitated by the minute.
"Oh my, I hope that it wasn't your sister. She hasn't gotten worse has she?" Buffy was concerned now. She hoped that Anne hadn't been taken away or worse before she had a chance to find out how she could help her.
"No, Anne is still ill but she remains here in the castle. We have the means to take care of her here. This is a relative that lives outside the castle but on the grounds." Julian was surprised by Buffy's concern over his sister's illness. She really was a wonderful woman.
"Right then. That settles it. Let's eat." Spike was getting angrier at the prince's obvious attraction to Buffy and he was flaunting it right in front of him. He wasn't feeling well all of the sudden. Probably lack of sleep and not for a good reason either. He just wanted to get this breakfast over with and get back to their room.
Buffy looked at him and frowned. It wouldn't do for him to be rude like this. They had a deal and he was breaking it.
"Yes, please, let's have our morning meal. I believe everything is ready. I will have the servants bring in the food." Julian rang a bell and the servants brought in all sorts of wonderful food. Many kinds of breads, fruits and assorted meats. It all looked delicious.
As soon as the smell hit Spike's nose he became sick. The room started to spin and he felt as if he would pass out. What was wrong with him? He had gone without proper sleep before and it hadn't affected him this way.
Buffy noticed something was wrong. "Are you alright William?" She was concerned. First his agitation and rudeness and now he was looking as if he would throw up. She needed him to be ill for their story to be believable but this was a little much.
"No, I don't think I am. I think I will just go back to our room and lay down for a while." Spike rose from the table and stumbled a little. He could hardly walk. Buffy hurried to the other side of the table to help him.
"I think I should help William to our room. I am afraid that he is more ill than I realized. He needs some rest." Buffy was worried now. Spike wasn't acting. He was really feeling ill.
Julian stood up. "Of course Buffy. Whatever you think is best. I will have some food sent to your room. Maybe a bath would help William. I will have the servants to prepare a tub in your room as well. If you should need anything else, please just ask."
Buffy stopped for a moment with Spike leaning on her shoulder. "Thank you again. That will be fine." She continued to help Spike up to their room. His body was usually cold but she could feel heat coming from him as they climbed up the stairs. She was worried. Very worried.
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Willow and Giles were worried. They had both realized after they looked at the knocker and the symbols that they were the same as the ones on the front of the book that had sent them here. The only thing they had remembered from the book was now staring them in the face. They were now wondering if it was wise to try and knock. The book was called Keeper of the Dead after all. That couldn't be good, or helpful.
"Giles, we have to do something. What if Buffy is here? What if they have captured her or worse? We have to help her. I think we have to try and get inside and find out what is happening." Willow was frantic now.
"I realize this Willow. I just don't know what we should do now. It is obvious that this castle belongs to the King. The symbols on the door prove that much. Do you have any of your supplies with you?" He was grasping at straws now.
"No, I only have a few crystals and some powder. I didn't bring my things to the library with us. I wasn't expecting to have to do any spells." Willow was searching her pockets now for anything that she might have that would help.
"Do you have any paper? I think we should copy down these symbols. If we can find out what they mean that might help." Giles was staring at the symbols on the door, trying to make sense of them.
Willow reached into her pocket and found a piece of paper and a pencil. She carefully copied the symbols, making sure that she kept them in the same order of the circle they were in. It wasn't long before she was finished.
"I don't think we have a choice Giles. We have to knock and see who's here, unless you want to walk all the way back to the stables." Willow knew he wouldn't want to make that trip again.
"No, I don't relish that walk again. I don't see another way to go about this either. Whatever happens Willow, take my lead and follow. I don't know what creature we might encounter on the other side of that door."
With that Giles pulled the ring and knocked three times on the door. It wasn't long before they both heard footsteps and the door opened.
Instead of a hideous creature, there stood a handsome man. Both Giles and Willow were surprised. "Yes, may I help you?" The man seemed refined and well dressed.
"I am sorry to bother you sir, but my…..daughter and I seem to be lost. We have walked a long way and your residence was the only one in sight." Giles wasn't prepared to see the young man answer the door and was fumbling a little with his story.
"Yes, well, there seems to be quite a lot of that going around. Please come in." The prince opened the door farther and motioned for them to enter. This was certainly going to be another interesting day.