A/N:  Well, it's Tuesday and here's your promised chapter! Remember to R &R! I have become addicted to reviews ::drools::

Chains Forged In Fire

Chapter 12 – Answers

"So what'd I miss?"

Harry smiled at his demon, happy at her return.  Until that moment the boy hadn't realized how much he had missed Slayer.  He frowned slightly as he noticed the two figures standing behind her.

Both appeared to be teenagers around his age.  The taller one had dark hair and eyes and was wearing armour and a sword similar to Slayer's; he had a goofy grin on his face but his eyes were sharp and calculating, taking in the strangers and noting exits.  The other blond wore simple clothes that were immaculately clean and unlike his companion his face showed no emotion.  Both watched Slayer like dogs watched their masters waiting for a signal.

Noticing Harry's gaze, Slayer grinned and gestured for the two to come forward.

"Master, this is my Shadow – my disciple – Tuath."  The dark haired boy bowed slightly; Tuath had been informed about Slayer's master but was still surprised that the ruler of a hell dimension was servant to such an unassuming human boy. 

"And this," Slayer said with flourish, "is your new present.  I had my chief advisor personally train him as your personal slave.  He goes by Valet, but you can give him whatever name you want."

"What!" came the strangled cry from the watching Scoobies.  Until that moment, Harry had forgotten they were there, so caught up in Slayer's return.  They were staring at Slayer in disbelief, amusement, and horror.  The demon raised an eyebrow.

"Yes?"

"You can't just give people as a present!" Willow blurted out.  Valet ignored the other humans and bowed before his new master.  It had been a great honour to be chosen by Lady Slayer to be trained as a valet for her own master.  Having been raised in a place where all humans were slaves, Valet found the other human's lack of fear towards Slayer frightening in and of itself.  True, humans were treated better under her rule but Slayer was still their master. 

"I am pleased to be yours, Master.  I give my life in service to your needs," Valet said, reciting the ritual words that a slave gave to his new master.  He waited, face downcast, for the ritual response but was forced to sneak a glance when it wasn't forthcoming.  The demons looked away from their staring contest with the humans, and regarded Harry with amusement.

"Master, it's traditional to accept a slave by saying, 'You may live in service until your death serves me'," Slayer prompted.  The boy wizard swallowed hard, and stammered out the response.  If the slave was disturbed by his master's ignorance, or lack of diction, he gave to indication.  Instead, he placed himself a few feet behind Harry and stood silently, as if he was trying to disappear.  Harry nervously looked over his shoulder at his new shadow, before turning back to Slayer.

"Ummm…Slayer, why did you get me a …slave?" he asked weakly, knowing that Slayer wouldn't allow him to refuse.  Even if he ordered her to take the slave away, she'd probably kill the poor boy.

Slayer shrugged.

"You told me to bring back a souvenir."

At that moment, the Scoobies almost lost hope for retrieving their friend.  Buffy had always placed great value on human live, and now to see her give a human life as a souvenir…? 

"Buffy would never trade with human lives," Xander said, giving Harry a 'You-have-to-help-us' look. 

"And I told you, Buffy's dead," Slayer growled back, but made no move to hurt the humans.  One, she had promised her master she wouldn't hurt any humans without his say so; two, a year of bloodshed had calmed the demon down for a time.  Still fearing a bloody confrontation, Harry asked Slayer to give him a moment with the Scoobies alone.

"Gawain and the others will want to meet your Shadow and hear about their homeland," Harry wheedled, knowing for the demon it had been a year instead of a few hours since she last saw them.  Slayer nodded her acquiesce, whispered something in Valet's ear, and disappeared along with her Shadow. 

"You must see that it is imperative that you help us to recover Buffy's memories," Giles said, still stricken over the latest evidence of his Slayer's new character.  "She cannot continue on like this – she is human, not a demon."

Harry was silent for a moment, and when he spoke it was barely above a whisper.

"But she's been like this for over a hundred years, and she's fine."

Harry startled as he heard a crash, surprised to Faith throwing a desk across the room. 

"Buffy is not fine!  For god's sake, she's giving away human fucking slaves!  She reeks so badly of blood that even I can smell it.  With or without your help we're getting Buffy back, so what's it going to be," Faith growled.  The depth of emotion displayed by Faith surprised even the Scoobies.  Before her capture, Faith and Buffy hadn't been the best of friends, though they were growing closer.  They hadn't realized just how deeply Faith cared for her sister Slayer, and still didn't know how Faith still carried the guilt of being responsible for Buffy's capture with her. 

"No," Harry said quietly, but firmly. 

They just stared at the Boy-who-lived in shock – almost unable to process the full meaning of that single word.

"No?" Xander asked in disbelief, a sentiment echoed by Willow.

"No."

"May I ask why?" Giles asked, carefully hiding his own shock.  Having talked privately to Dumbledore about the matter, the headmaster had seemed convinced that Harry would aid them and retrieving Buffy's memories.  The professor had struck the Watcher as someone who was very rarely wrong.

"No."

"That seems to be a favourite word of yours," Faith sneered, and advanced on the boy wizard.  At that moment, Valet stepped between his master and the girl.  She halted momentarily, having forgotten the slave's presence.  Valet watched the girl warily, sensing that she had power. 

"My master has expressed his wishes, it is not your place to question him."

"And you think you're going to stop me, slave boy?"

Suddenly Faith found herself flying against the wall.  Everyone turned to stare at Valet, who looked slightly embarrassed at the display of power.  Seeing the questioning look on his master's face, he said, "As your Valet, I have been versed in several methods of protection – including magical.  I hope I have not over stepped your authority, as I am aware of your own power."

Harry shook his head, dazed.  The sound of his stomach growling brought him out of it.

"Perhaps it would be best if you ate, my lord," Valet said, gently guiding his master towards the door – keeping an eye on the humans.

"So, what do we do next?" Xander asked idly. Giles headed for the doorway.

"We have a talk with Professor Dumbledore."

"Why?  It's not like he can do anything, or else he'd have gotten off his ass and done something," Faith asked.

"I need to know how to contact someone," Giles replied, unfazed by Faith's comment.

"Who?"

"Joyce."

TBC

A/N: Kind of short, yes, but unless my boss overloads me like last week the next chapter should be out soon.  Also, check out my mother's day poem to my mom, I've posted it in my profile.