Chapter 6
"Placido, will you help me with something?" Kara summoned the Elder away from the group he was talking to.
"Excuse me," he said, then followed Kara down the hall.
"How may I serve you, Empress?"
She held up a book, open to a specific page. "I need to do this."
His eyes scanned the page before looking back up to her own. "Are you sure about this?"
"Yes. Will there be any pain?" He didn't think she was asking for herself.
"A little, for a moment. Kara, this isn't a decision to take lightly. This ritual was reserved for those coerced into the wrong decision."
"I know, but there's too much at stake, too much to consider, to let things stand without talking about it first. I shouldn't have said the words I did. I wasn't thinking, and I need to reverse it. Please," she pleaded.
"Alright, if you will not be swayed. Do you have what the spell requires?"
"Yes."
"Then let's go."
There was a small sacred temple reserved for the most potent rituals and spells nestled far back on the palace grounds. It was a stone building, bare of any decoration. There was a marble table in the center, and torch mounts on the walls. Kara followed the Elder inside, the ingredients in her satchel. She was dressed in a black gown for the ritual, a cape around her shoulders. She placed the book on the table, then the items required.
"And you're absolutely sure about this?"
"The spell has to be done within 24 hours of the claim taking place. Yes, I'm sure," she said gravely.
"Very well. Take your place while I prepare."
The ingredients were mixed into a small bowl, then the Elder handed her the dagger.
"Heart's blood is the final ingredient."
Kara nodded, and quickly plunged the dagger into her chest, piercing her heart with incredible pain. She pulled it out and held the dagger over the bowl so the blood could drip down into it.
"Undo the bond I initiated, as is my right, knowing the consequences," she intoned. The wound sealed itself.
The Elder chanted the words of the spell over the bowl, the liquid changing to deep purple. "You have only to drink this."
She nodded again, took a breath, then swallowed the potion in one gulp. Kara doubled over in pain, feeling like something deep inside was being ripped out of her. A blue glowing ball leapt from her chest and floated away up to the stars. She collapsed to her knees, drained from the ordeal.
The Elder knelt down next to her, wrapping his arms around her as she cried.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Across worlds, Spike sat up in bed, not knowing where he was. He felt a brief burn to the mark on his neck, and then it was gone. He could no longer feel Kara as strongly as he had. His senses told him that he was in his crypt, in the cave down below, so he reached for the lighter next to the bed and found a candle. He was alone, in bed, naked, and his things were on the end of the bed. What the bleedin' hell?
"Kara, what did you do?" he whispered.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My dear, are you alright?"
Kara sniffled before answering. "Yes. The loss just hits hard. I'm fine. Let's head back to the palace before we are too long missed."
"As you wish."
The Elder helped her back to her room. Kara's powers would be drained for the next day, and the effect left her weakened.
"Would you like some food sent up?"
"Please. Will the tattoo have changed?"
"Possibly. It might even be gone. You will have to look for yourself, Empress. Can you still feel him?"
"Yes, a little. Being in two different dimensions, we'll only be able to know the other is alive. A one-sided vampire claim isn't strong enough, magically, to reach beyond that."
"It sounds like you've researched it," he stated carefully.
"Yeah, a while ago." Her voice carried from the bathroom. "The tattoo is gone. Must have been part of the pain I felt." Kara came back out in her robe. "He's going to be pretty upset with me when I get home."
"Explain your fears. Hopefully, he will understand."
"Yeah. Have Sarina knock when she comes up with food. I'm going to sleep."
"As you wish, Empress."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spike tugged at Kara several times through the claim, but he couldn't get an answering pull.
"She must still be in Ossiriand. Which doesn't make any bloody sense! Well, if she was goin' to teleport me starkers, at least I landed in my own bed. We're going to have to have a little talk about using those powers of hers on me. Not fair at all that she's playin' pranks I can't return." He took another swig of alcohol. "Bleedin' women – liable to drive a bloke bug shaggin' crazy with their silly whims."
One of those "bleedin' women" happened to walk in the door right then.
"Hey! You're back. I need your help with my math homework."
"And hello to you, too, Bit," he replied sarcastically.
"Someone not have their blood yet today?" At his withering glare, she changed tactics. "Please, can you help me with my math homework? Mom and Buffy aren't good at it, and Willow can't come over today," Dawn pleaded.
Spike rolled his eyes exaggeratedly. "Fine, but I'm not doin' it for free."
"Spiiike!"
"You ask short notice, you have to pay for my tutorin'"
"Fine. Why are you so grumpy on a Sunday? Nothing happens on Sundays."
"Don' wanna talk about it," he grumbled, placing a mug in the microwave.
"Ah, I see. Did you and Kara have another fight?"
"No."
"Okay…well, these Algebra 2 equations are confusing. They did have that in the 1800s, right?"
"Of course. The Greeks invented it, pet. Now, what's makin' your head spin?"
It wasn't the first time he had helped Dawn with her homework for this class, so he quickly started explaining the steps to her and guided her through a few problems. She succeeded in distracting him from his Kara-related confusion for a while.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Your Highness, supper is ready." Sarina shook Kara's shoulder to wake her.
"Hmm? Oh, Sarina. You must be here with food," she mumbled sleepily.
"Yes, Miss. I can bring the tray in here? You look very tired," the servant offered.
"Long day. That would be great, thank you."
Sarina was soon back with the tray of dishes. There were four covered plates to choose from, and the servant started spooning some from each onto the empty plate, then handed it to Kara.
"Will you be leaving soon, Empress? It is almost dark, and there is a concert in the village tonight."
"I'm not leaving until tomorrow, after all. I don't know about the concert. I might be too tired."
"I understand. I hope you can make it. The people have missed you."
"I'll think about it, Sarina. Did Cook make any fruit ices today? I think I'd like one after this."
"I'll find out, Your Highness."
The servant girl scurried out to fulfill her mistress' wish. Kara definitely didn't have the energy to jump dimensions tonight, not if she wanted to control the time she arrived on Earth. She'd get there a week from when she'd left. Which didn't seem like such a bad idea, except that it would inconvenience her sister. It would only take a little present to appease her, though. Fact was, she didn't want to face the conversation she would have to have with Spike for a while. He'd know where she was as soon as she was home, and there wouldn't be much time to prepare. She had to say all this just right, or…well, it would probably blow up in her face. Kara really needed an old friend about now.
"Yavanna!" Nothing. "Yavanna! Get your ancient ass over here!"
"Geez, Kalari. You don't have to be insulting." Yavanna materialized at the foot of the bed. "Gracious, dear, you look like a truck ran over you."
"Oh, please. I don't look that tired. I'm not too tired to kick your ass, either. I need your help."
"Oh? What can I do for an all-powerful goddess?"
"Best friend duty, like the old days," Kara said softly.
"Well, in that case, tell me all about it."
Kara proceeded to explain the situation of the whole weekend, including some background information that was relevant to the decision she had made. Yavanna listened intently, finally cringing at the description of the dagger wound Kara had inflicted on herself, her eyes wide by the end of the story.
"And the tattoo is completely gone, you say?"
"Yep, like it was never there."
"Interesting. That shouldn't have happened, unless its point of protection was no longer required."
"That's just the thing. Placido won't tell me what the symbols meant. I don't know what the blessing's true purpose was," Kara stated.
"Can you show me where it was located?"
"Sure." Kara pointed to the spot where it had been, over the vertebra.
"Lie on your stomach? I'm going to try to get a reading from where it was." Yavanna placed her hands over Kara's spine, where they started to glow. She passed them around, hovering above the skin for a few moments.
"Anything?"
"You're in picture perfect health, did you know that?"
"Yeah, becoming a Protector did wonders. Yavanna, you're stalling."
"I don't sense anything wrong from you that you would need protection for, how's that? You'll have to make the Elder talk to get the exact meaning for the symbols."
Kara scowled as she sat up. "You're supposed to be see-the-future girl. How can you have no clue?"
"I've got no vibes or visions for you to worry about. The Powers don't just tell me everything for everybody. If they wanted me to be all-knowing, I'd be part of them. Love you in black, by the way. It's very sexy."
Kara smirked, amused. "You never change. Mind if I crash with you for a few days, or is there a new fling in the way?"
"Nope. I'm in between men. Well, not really, 'cause that would be way more fun than standing here, but I'm not dating anyone, to be specific. How's life otherwise?"
"Can't really complain. It's weird that as Kalari, I remember being tall. What do you think of your old friend being in a different body? You should take a look outside, by the way, since the landscape has changed so much since you were here."
"You're quite fetching, as William would say. For being a shrimp."
"Ha, ha. I missed you why, now?"
"Because everyone you knew is either dead or on another plane. When do you want to leave? I'm starving, and the Thai place will only deliver for another hour."
"Okay, okay, I get the hint. I'll go pack." Kara got up off the bed and headed for her closet. She grabbed a leather satchel and tossed a few things in, then changed into the pants and top she'd arrived in. She grabbed her tote, then scribbled a quick note to leave on her desk. "Let's go. It's your lead, since my powers are dead until tomorrow."
Yavanna looped her arm through Kara's, and teleported home.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The sounds of New York streets were by now very familiar to Kara. She heard cars passing the house frequently, since it was only around 8 p.m. Yavanna showed her to a guest room, then went in search of a phone to order dinner.
Kara spared no haste in using the shower. She hadn't had a chance to clean up since the day before, and so much had happened since then. It didn't even feel like she was still in the same day. She let her mind drift to thinking of nothing as the water pounded down on her head. Of course, this meant she wasn't maintaining active concentration, and Kara was jolted back to reality by the tug on her mind through the claim. She closed herself off again, but it might have been long enough for him to track where she was. She hurried through the rest of her shower, dried off, and slipped the robe on that had been provided on the back of the door.
"Yavanna? Where are you?"
"Down in the kitchen!"
"Can you do a cloaking spell to hide me?" Kara asked, panicked.
"Whatever for?"
"So Spike can't find me until I'm ready to go home. I just felt a tug through the claim while I was in the shower, and I don't know if he'll be able to track me down off of that."
"Ah, I see. Very well." She gestured with her hands and muttered a few words. "Do you feel him now?"
"No. Thanks. When will the food be here?"
"Around ten minutes. Wanna watch TV?"
Kara shrugged. "Okay."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damnit! He had felt her, for a moment, and then she was closed off again. Spike had been watching a movie with Dawn, his mind drifting because she wanted to watch a chick flick, when he had sat straight up in sudden awareness that Kara was back in this dimension and her guard was down. He'd tried to call her home, but had felt the wall in her mind slam up tight, and now there was nothing.
"Spike, what is it? Do you hear something outside?" Dawn asked, concerned.
"Nothing, Bit. Movie's just makin' me drift off."
She shrugged and turned back to the screen. Spike had actually taken her to a theater, for a change, so she wasn't going to waste the opportunity. She munched happily on her popcorn, slapping his hand every time he reached for some.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hello?" Buffy answered the phone.
"Hey, sweetie. How's my girl? Doing homework before patrol?"
"Hi, Will. No, my work is all done, so I've been chatting with Mom over dinner. Dawnie's out, so it's just the two of us."
"That sounds nice. I'm sorry I haven't been around for a while. I'm going to try my best for next weekend. We have an anniversary to celebrate."
"One whole year. Do you have any special plans in mind?" Buffy asked.
"Maybe," he said slyly. "If I say, it would ruin the surprise, if there was one."
"Oh, of course. Theoretically…"
"Exactly. I'll let you get back to dinner. Say hello to Joyce for me."
"Will do. Love you."
"Love you, too, Buffy. Sweet dreams tonight, sweetie."
"Thanks. Bye."
She turned the phone off and walked back into the kitchen.
"Who was that, dear?"
"Will. He says hello. He hinted that he's making plans for our anniversary."
"That's nice. Would I be right in thinking you need some time to reconnect?"
"Yes, Mom. I haven't actually seen him in weeks. Either I've been too busy, or he has. Our relationship has been over the phone, basically, since the wedding."
"I thought he was going to move closer."
"He decided to wait and save more money. First year teachers don't make much, apparently."
"Mmm, you're right about that. So, Sebastian has been tutoring you?" Joyce asked, wanting to test the subject.
Buffy had been twirling her spaghetti on her plate with her fork, but she smiled at her mother's question.
"Yeah, he's really good at it. This stuff is actually sticking in my brain, and I don't even like the subject. The guys met him Friday at The Bronze. You should have seen him cringing at the music. It was so funny. It really wasn't his type of scene, but he totally tried to have a good time with us, anyway. And Anya knows him! From World War I, or something, when she was still a vengeance demon. Xander started to panic, you could tell, thinking this was another of Anya's old boyfriends, but Sebastian can't date demons, so they just played cards while being stuck in an elevator. He's going to quiz me on my other classes, too, just to make sure I'm prepared for my tests. I guess an education is important to him, or something. He has that upper crust accent like Giles, so he probably went to college in England, too. Have you ever seen Guinney? Something like that. It's this really smelly black beer. Sebastian drank it, but I think it looked like oil," she rambled.
"Oh, Guinness! Rupert has mentioned liking it, too. I bought him some for when we watch movies."
"I still can't believe you're dating my Watcher. And thank you, by the way, for never letting me catch you having sex, or anything. I think I'd be scarred for life."
"You wouldn't be the only one, Buffy. That would be embarrassing for all of us. Are you done with your pasta?"
"Oh, yeah, I guess. It's cold now." She dumped the little bit left on her plate in the trash, then put the plate in the dishwasher. "Mom?"
"What, honey?"
"Will's been kinda pressing for us to make future plans, and I'm not sure if I should, yet. I think he thinks I'll be able to leave Sunnydale after college. We all know I can't, unless someone takes my place guarding the Hellmouth. I'm starting to wonder if he really understands my job," she confided.
"Well, I think you need to have a talk, then. As much as I'd love for you to have all the options of 'normal', being the Slayer is so much of who you've been growing up to be, and I'm proud of you for saving the world every night. I know this life isn't easy for you. I know you love him, but does Will feel like your 'forever guy'?" Joyce said.
"I don't know. I haven't really thought about it. I mean, I've thought about what it would be like to settle down with Will, but,…you know what I mean."
"I do, honey. Take some time to really think about it, then tell him what you came up with. He'll appreciate the honesty."
"I hope so. Did you know for sure Dad was the one when you married him?"
"He was the one for me at the time, yes. We were very much in love in the beginning, before his work hours kept us apart. We both made mistakes. Your father started that job to provide well for our family. He did well, and as things go, the better he did, the more work they gave him. I started to resent that he wasn't home much anymore, and when he was, he was exhausted. We should have talked about it rationally, re-connected as a couple, but we both let the loneliness and bitterness consume us. I locked myself away with my art when you girls were at school, and your father sought out his secretary. She was nice to him and there, and you know the rest. The divorce was never about you, Buffy. It was about us being angry and not talking for so many years. We just got tired of trying to hide it from you girls after a while."
"How do you not sound mad at him for having an affair?" Buffy wondered.
"Because, in hindsight, I know why he did it. I'm not excusing it, but he isn't the only one to blame for our filed marriage. I'm more upset that he has so little to do with you and Dawn."
"Yeah, Christmas and birthday money in the mail doesn't really scream 'I love you'. The last time I spoke to him was when you were sick."
"That explains the flowers he sent. Do you know if Dawn still tries to keep in touch?"
"I don't know. I've left their relationship her business. As far as I know, she hasn't given up on him, yet. Can we change the subject? I'm glad for the info, but…"
"How about a movie? We can make hot chocolate and cuddle up on the couch like old times."
"It's a deal, Mom."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday morning…
Yavanna knocked on the guest room door bright and early. "Kara! Rise and Shine, lazy head. We've got shopping to do!"
"Ugh! Go away! It's too early," Kara groaned.
"Nonsense. The stores open at nine. Practically every New Yorker is up and out the door by now! You're lucky I've let you sleep until 8:30."
"Vana, I'm going to kill you," she growled, getting up and opening the door a crack. "Have you ever had your powers drained? It feels like the worse frickin' hangover of your entire life. I have no bloody interest in even thinking about sunlight right now."
"Oh, is that all? I've got the cure for that in the kitchen. You might as well have breakfast with me, since you're already up."
"Fine, as long as it'll get you off my back."
Yavanna grinned and walked toward the stairs. Kara tied a short robe on over the t-shirt she'd slept in, then grabbed her sunglasses. She padded after her friend, muttering curses under her breath. She hadn't slept well at all, taking forever to fall asleep in the first place, so being up right now was not her idea of fun. Maybe she could escape back to bed after breakfast.
Yavanna mixed up some kind of tea and handed it to Kara. "Here, it will make you feel better."
"What is it?" eyeing the cup suspiciously.
"Just some herbs. Do you think I'd try to drug you? Nothing would work, anyway."
"You're right. I'm just in a bad mood."
"Which is why we need to go shopping! We're gorgeous with lots of money. The city is truly at our disposal," Yavanna tried to convince her.
"Yavanna, aren't you a bit conspicuous?"
"You mean the hair? Pfft. I just use a glamour when I go out during the day." Her long hair changed from silver to blonde before Kara's eyes. Yavanna could be a supermodel, with her violet eyes and tall, slender curves. The silken hair that hung to her waist disguised her slightly pointed ears.
"I bet you have every designer in the city begging you to be their muse. It's disgusting, you know."
"Now, now, Kalari. Jealousy does not become you," Vana teased. "You can't stay hung up on this height issue forever. Bagel?"
"Sure. Got any cereal?"
"Kashi," she offered.
"Blech. I said cereal, not cardboard."
"Uh, I think there's a box of Lucky Charms left from my last boy toy. You'll have to make due with bagels and fruit, otherwise."
"Who were you dating, a 16 year-old?" Kara asked, testing the box of cereal. "Yuck, these are stale. Oh, well."
"He was 19, for your information. Such stamina, and so eager. His next woman is going to be very happy with what I taught him. Ever deflowered a man before? I highly recommend taking the chance."
"Oh, my god, you are such a slut! You can't just go around playing with virgins!"
"I didn't seek him out. Geesh. He was playing guitar at the coffeehouse, and we got to talking about music. It would have crushed the poor dear if I'd turned him down."
"So, what happened?"
"We had a fling, until he fell head over heels for a girl in one of his classes. There were no hard feelings, and I think we both had a lot of fun. Your turn to share," Yavanna demanded curiously.
"Three guys including Spike – the end."
"Ah, come on. I know all about Kalari's love life. Tell me about Kara Taylor's. Please?"
She sighed. "Fine. First real boyfriend was when I was 19. We were together for about two years. We were each other's firsts, after we got engaged. Didn't work out, but he's still a friend. Second guy was basically a re-bound, and I needed support when my mother was sick and dying. We were together for 6 years, but I should have ended it long before that. He had serious issues that I had no clue about until I was too heavily involved to make a quick break. I tried to help, but I wasn't enough, since he had to want to get better. We broke up in May 2000, and I stayed single until Spike basically wore me down. That's it."
"And is William the One?"
"Yeah, or at least, he was, until I freaked out this weekend. He's either going to want to lock me in irons from now on, or never see me again." Kara rubbed her temples, trying to ease the ache in her head. "I know it isn't fair asking a vampire to try to fit into my life. I'm still mostly on a daylight schedule. He lives in Sunnydale, I'm 2 hours away. I have to help people in L.A., which I'm cutting back on, by the way; and watch over Ossiriand. We haven't even dated for a year. I can't just ask him to move in with me when he has responsibilities in Sunnydale, and I'm not moving from my house. My mother gave me that house. It's just…being mated is like being married, right? And we aren't in that place, yet. There's certainly no rush, since we both have eternal life stretching out in front of us."
"You sound like you're talking yourself into something," Yavanna observed.
"Am I? I really have no clue where to go from here."
"Well, let's get out there and have some fun, get your mind off things for a while, and maybe you'll feel better."
"Can't you just let me mope here all day?"
"Nope. I'm invoking the oldest-best-friend-you-have right of cheering you up when you have man trouble. You have no choice but to end up smiling today. Don't make me cast a spell on you," Yavanna warned.
And Kara discovered that the 'resolve face' was not exclusive to Willow.
