Best Spike w/Other: Round 6 at the The Lost In Spike Awards Best Crossover: Round 2 at the Love's Bitch Awards Best Crossover(Book & Movie) & Best AU: Round 5 at the Sunnydale Memorial Fanfiction Awards
Chapter 6
"What a pretty dolly!"
Queen Drusilla made the most of her entrance, each step deliberate, every movement airy from the toss of her long dark hair to the hand she stretched toward Tara. Her stride was serpentine, swaying, mesmerizing. Every eye in the room was upon her and the sly smile on her lips made clear that the Queen relished the attention. She was performing for the crowd but her gaze never left Tara for a second.
One of the white chess soldiers helped Tara to her feet. She wanted to go to Spike, make certain Spike was all right, but the soldier carefully but firmly turned her toward Queen Drusilla. Tara was too weak to protest.
Queen Drusilla was dressed in voluminous white silk, one shade paler than her skin. Her crown was a delicate lacework of white diamonds shimmering in her dark hair. Tiny rubies glistened in a fine spray across her bodice and skirt and a necklace of rubies clotted in a dark red slash across her neck and dripped down onto her breast. She played with the rubies and licked at her fingers as though she hoped to taste blood. White doves embroidered on her sleeves fluttered as she moved. Tara's gaze was drawn to the Queen's mad, glittering eyes and she thought of ghouls, skittering about in dark places. She heard Spike's voice murmuring, "Dru?"
Spike knew the Queen? Tara wanted to turn to him, look at him and ask him how, but she was frozen in place, unable to move her eyes away from the Queen's piercing glare. Queen Drusilla's hand loomed larger in her view, hovered before her face, two fingers extended. The ruby tipped fingers danced like butterflies dipped in blood and Tara knew they could pierce and blind her within seconds. Queen Drusilla cooed. "Such pretty eyes the dolly has. Such tasty treats they would make. But the dolly has a secret." She pulled back and spread her arms out in a dramatic sweep. "Just look at the lovely mess she's made!"
Queen Drusilla hugged herself joyfully and twirled, whipping the white skirt of her dress into a froth. She made a precise stop in front of Tara and knelt. "My Spike has found a volcano to keep him warm. All that power seething down deep 'til he needs to feed the burning fishes and then it all erupts in a fountain of fire."
She stood and her voice changed in pitch, becoming petulant. "I wasted my cannonball. I wanted to see all the pins go sprawling and all the funny little people run screaming away. But you already broke them, spoiled my fun." She hugged herself again but there was no joy this time. She began to hum, a broken, high-pitched sound. Tara felt the soldier at her side trembling, saw that all the white soldiers were frowning and twitching uneasily.
"Dru, Luv, she didn't break them all. She saved one for you. The best one of all." Spike shrugged off the soldier who attempted to stop him and gestured to the body of King Snyder. "Have a look. Your cannonball met the King's head and they got along smashingly!"
"Really?" Queen Drusilla's mood shifted and Tara could feel the collective sigh of relief that the soldiers didn't make. Queen Drusilla rose to take Spike's hand. "You always know what makes me feel better. Always my White Knight … oh, what pretty pictures the blood makes. I can see faces."
"Drusilla." The White Knight stood with his hand on the shoulder of the still kneeling Queen Walsh. "This … is the missing White Knight? Are you sure? I don't think he looks …"
Queen Drusilla spun about, once again turning her dress into an agitated froth. "Missing? He's been here since the game ended. Are you saying he isn't here before? I shall have to do without him?"
"He wasn't here after the changes started. He was the only one of us missing. But it's not like it's been a loss. I mean, you still have me. Everyone keeps saying he's the one …" His head rocked back and forth and he rolled his eyes and chanted, "Once the missing piece is found the old rules will be restored ..."
He stepped forward, unable to keep still. "Who needs him? One White Knight's more than enough." His massive brow furrowed. "Look at him. You can tell he's nothing but trouble … and his hair's not really that color, you know."
"Oooh, Angel's jealous." Queen Drusilla glided to the White Knight and ran her hand down the side of his face. "Don't worry, Daddy, I'll always love you best." She turned back to Spike. He looked like a boy staring through the window of a candy shop. She smiled sorrowfully and blew him a kiss. "I will miss my boy. He's so sweet—he tastes like baby's blood."
Tara couldn't identify the feeling that choked her, made it difficult for her heart to beat. The expression on Spike's face made her want to cry and she was sorry for him. She was sorrier for herself. What was the Queen to him? He loved her. Tara could tell. The Queen was older than he was! Tara's heart quickened and her head felt tight around her brain. She hated the Queen. The Queen was a scag. She was evil. Why didn't she and that Angel knight just go off somewhere and leave Spike alone. He was hers! Tara took a deep breath. What was she thinking? They wouldn't even be here if not for her. She'd be lucky if Spike ever talked to her again.
She looked at the expression of longing on Spike's face and thought perhaps the same longing was on her own face.
Maybe Spike wouldn't listen to her anymore—not after she'd urged him to stop fighting the King's cardboard soldiers. Look how well that worked out. They were trapped in this nightmare place. Still … she'd make Spike listen.
Moving quickly before the soldier at her side realized what was happening, she ran to Spike and spouted her words, willing him to listen. "Please, don't look at her, Spike. She's enchanting you!" Tara squeezed his hand, shook it to get his attention, praying that he would snap out of his thrall, praying that he wouldn't reject her if he did. Wouldn't blame her for the predicament they were in. A niggling worry wormed its way into her brain. Would he think this was a predicament? Was he so enthralled by the Queen that he was happy with the way things were happening? If she could get his attention would he just turn around and go back to Queen Drusilla?
Spike stared at her and for a moment Tara was afraid he didn't know who she was. He glanced at her, then at Queen Drusilla and back to her. His lips pursed, moved without sound and his eyes darted around the room. He seemed to be examining everything. Tara waited, just held onto his hand until his gaze came back to her face and wonder spread over his features.
"God, Tara, I'm so sorry. Don't know what was wrong with me. Was like I was in two places at once. Everything overlapping and I couldn't tell what was real. Dru. It was like she was the only thing that was real. Until you …" His expression changed to one of horror. "The storm? Whatever that was. It happened? You're all right? Din't hurt you, did it?"
"No. No, I'm fine … now. Are you okay? You were so sick."
He stopped and looked at her, searching for something in her expression. "I'm still not … I'm not seeing both places at once anymore. The storm made that stop, but now--one minute I'm here and then the next I'm there." Spike lifted their joined hands. "It's easier to stay here when I'm touching you. Like you're grounding me. Not sure what that's about."
His voice faltered. He swallowed hard and peered at her from under his lashes. "I think maybe my noggin's gone a bit soft."
His expression made her heart ache. He was looking at her as though her acceptance of him was the most important thing in the world. She remembered her own thoughts just moments before. She'd thought he must hate her when he didn't even remember her. Now he did and it was like … it was like he was glad. And that made her glad.
Was it possible that she was putting her own thoughts onto Spike? Not really seeing him but seeing what she thought he should be? Giving him the feelings that were really hers? She needed to really look at him. Really listen to him and not to herself. Something bad was happening to him and he needed her to see clearly.
Pushing aside her feelings, her doubts and just looking at him, she saw the physical symptoms of his illness were gone. The fine marble sheen was restored to his skin, his eyes were clear. Something else was different though, he wasn't just disheveled and dusty. She looked at him carefully and realized he was taller. They had been almost the same height but now her eyes were level with his lips—such beautiful lips, but not the ruby red she remembered. His clothes didn't fit any longer. His sailor suit stretched across his chest and the seams were torn. She had assumed the damage was caused in the ruckus but now she realized he had simply outgrown his outfit.
She suddenly realized why she felt so uncomfortable. Her own clothes were too tight. She had grown as well! The collar of her dress pressed against her throat and her sleeves cut into her arms. The pinafore that had fallen past her knees was now an inch above them and her chest had been flat but now … well, now it wasn't.
Tara looked directly into Spike's eyes. He was beautiful. She loved him, she adored him but she understood that it wasn't just Spike who had changed. She wasn't the same. He was still the most wonderful being on the face of the earth, but her own sense of wonder had evolved. She could see his flaws. No. She wouldn't call them flaws but she could see the … he wasn't perfect. She could recognize the impulsiveness, the cockiness, the recklessness. Spike could be careless, vicious. He could also be shy, brave, loving. Giving in to her impulse, she hugged him and he wrapped his arms around her, hesitantly at first and then his arms tightened. She could feel his breath on her cheek.
Tara felt as though her heart was growing larger with each breath she took. She did love Spike. So much. And it was real now. She loved him for what he was, not what she thought he was. And something else was new. Something that made her tingle. She wasn't sure but she remembered vague things about boys and girls and she thought maybe the feeling was S-E-X. She wished she could remember more clearly but everything was jumbled. She was aware of Spike's body pressed against hers, so strong, so hard and she never wanted to let go. She wanted to keep him and never let another girl look at him. She wanted all the girls in the world to see them together and think how lucky she was to have somebody like Spike. But he would never look at her like that. Would he? He'd want somebody beautiful and powerful and … he'd want somebody like Queen Drusilla. Wouldn't he? Tara tried to reason through her doubts but her clarity of the moment before was lost in the sensations flooding her body. She couldn't think past the thought that Spike's arms were cool yet she felt warm where they surrounded her.
"Oooh, clever little dolly. She's listening to the stars and they're telling her naughty stories. Better be careful, little girl. There's a dragon in that cave and he'll make you burn until there's nothing left."
Angel and Spike spoke at the same time. "Dru. What are you talking about now?" They stared at one another with dislike until Queen Drusilla stepped behind Angel and pushed him away. "It's not your time, Angel. It's time for Spike."
Spike moved away from their hug. Tara could almost see the pull he felt and she squeezed his hand, trying to keep him with her. A shamefaced grin appeared on his lips and he turned to stare at her but she could tell he was really attempting not to stare at Queen Drusilla. Tara saw the sly smile on the Queen's face. The Queen knew it as well.
"He's my White Knight and her Red Knight and when he's not, you've already gone ahead. You'll have to hold on tight to keep him here."
Queen Drusilla advanced on her like a cat and Tara shook like a mouse. Then Tara remembered she was protecting Spike and she looped her arm around his and dared to look directly into the Queen's eyes. She felt as though her soul was being sucked out of her brain.
"Not your soul, dearie." Queen Drusilla's fingers imitated butterflies again. She fluttered them in a dance about Tara's head and moved on to Spike's. "You've called him a soul of his own but he still needs your blood and magic and you still need his. You've both been greedy—stealing back and forth. Naughty! You must learn to share properly."
She began dancing, throwing out her arms as though to embrace a lover and Tara realized she was dancing with her own shadow. The Queen stopped, deliberately blocking the light and her silhouette was thrown across Spike, covering him in darkness. She whispered, a sibilant hiss that made Tara's ears ache. "I didn't want to share. She's good and he's evil and he will make a choice—won't you, my Spike."
Tara could see Spike's eyes were glazing and she dug her nails into his arm until she drew his blood. Remembering the Queen's words, Tara ran her fingertip through the tiny beads welling from the wound and touched it to her tongue. Her own blood fizzed in her veins and she felt light-headed, felt as though she were hovering above herself, looking over her own shoulder. She rubbed at a cut that ran across her hand, made it bleed and lifted it to Spike. He kissed it and closed his eyes. They were yellow when he opened them and Tara wondered if they were making a mistake. But it felt right, exactly right. The Queen hadn't moved but Spike was no longer hidden in her shadow.
Knowledge came to her, the blood speaking within her, her magic translating. She and Spike were each other's shadow now. They were Good and Evil and no other shadow had power over them.
"Ooh. It's happening just like it did. You're a clever dolly but if he loves you, then he'll love me. The Jabberwock can only be slain by innocent blood and the Jabberwock has promised …" Queen Drusilla put her hand to Spike's face, "… if my Spike fails, he wins me!"
"Dru, pet." Spike took the Queen's hand and moved it. Tara was relieved to see his eyes were clear and his tone patient. He showed no signs of being enthralled. Not any more.
The harsh notes of a trumpet blasted into the room and all eyes moved to the door. New soldiers had arrived. They marched in precise formation, with exact cadence, each soldier moving into place, forming a guard on each side of the door. A herald declaimed in stentorian tones, "All kneel in the presence of the White King Giles or feel his wrath!"
Tara tried to kneel but Spike held her upright. "We don't kneel for anyone, Luv. Not you and not me." He pressed a kiss to her forehead and Tara was breathless. The look in his eyes made her think maybe … just maybe … Spike might think about her like … that. The thought niggled in her mind that maybe he was being reckless again. What would it hurt to kneel? What would happen if they didn't?
She decided she didn't care. She could be reckless, too. From the corner of her eye, she could see Queen Drusilla and Angel were still standing, as well. She pulled her gaze to the door as she heard the clomping of feet and hoped she was making a better decision this time.
T.B.C…