Six Foot Deep

by eckles

Dawn has an opportunity to study with her idol, Lara Croft. And Buffy decides to tag along as the next adventure of her sister's Hero happen's to be directly linked to the Slayer Origin. But a deeper mystery is why is Lara now calling herself Mrs Harris?

3. Chapter 3

Buffy entered the Library with the Manor's owner, and as soon as she crossed the room's threshold her eyes began straying everywhere at once. Not in her entire life had she seen so many books or free standing columns supporting even more books. Shelves stacked to capacity. Her mind spined at how so many tomes of all sizes had been accumulated into one place, or how one person could be able to read so much within a hundred life-times. Eventually her straying eyes discovered her sister sitting behind a large banquet style deep oak table. To the Slayer's sharp hunter-eyes, her sibling looked minuscule amongst her surroundings, but her face betrayed a young woman immersed and consumed with interest in round flat object that she was examining.

Lara Croft did not lose her stride as she entered the room, leaving her stunned blonde haired companion standing transfixed at the library's entrance. She was used to people reacting as Buffy did and it always secretly amused her no end. With grace and poise she announced her arrival to the room's only occupant. "Well, Dawn? What have you been able to deduce?"

Dawn Summer's looked up from her private inspection, her eyes wide with amazement. "This…. This …. This is incredible, Lady Croft. I mean this is more then incredible, this is astounding! Is this real? I mean, are you sure it's not a copy? Because if it is, it's perfect, not only in detail, but presentation as well. I mean there is not so much as even a chip or a crack. It could have been crafted yesterday for all I know."

Lara smiled at her excitement, but showing none for herself. Instead allowing an almost serine mask form over her face as she answered her young protégés questions. "Trust me Dawn, it is very much real. I retrieved it myself from an earlier expedition off the coast of Greece."

Buffy had just caught up with Lara and was looking down with curiosity at the flat object in her sister's hands. "What is it?"

Lara pulled out a chair next to Dawn for herself and invited her, with a gesture, to educate the blonde.

"It's a plate, Buffy. I put it circa 300 BC during the height of Alexander III of Macedon's reign." Dawn's eyebrow arched looking for both approval and confirmation from the Mistress of the Manor sitting to her left.

Lara nodded with a glint a small pride in her eyes. "Well done, Dawn, most experts would have problems distinguishing such a detail given its perfection, they probably would have appraised it much younger in age."

Buffy's brow scrunched as she leaned over the chasm that separated the two women to gain a better angle of view of the plate being carefully held in her sister's hands. "Alexander the third? Whose he?"

Dawn went slightly pink in embarrassment for her elder sister, who was looking down at her quite immune to her question. Lara turned her head up to look at the Slayer more keenly in the eyes. "Alexander the third is more popularly known as Alexander the Great, Buffy."

"Oh. Well, yeah, *HIM* I've heard of."

Dawn proceeded, addressing Lara more then she was Buffy. "It's in excellent condition and it depicts one of the Labour's of Heracles, the seventh I think."

"Ninth." Lara corrected her leaning back in her chair, her left hand falling protectively over her stomach.

Without missing a beat, Dawn proceeded with her analysis. "But what is odd about this is that typically during the portrayal of stories the artesian presents the concluding aspects of the tale, not the beginning."

Lara shifted herself closer so that her line of sight was unobscured of the plate's central theme, but still keeping her hand placed protectively over her midsection. "What makes you so certain that this isn't the case here?"

"Well for starters, if this is Heracles ninth labour then he should have Queen Hippolyta's girdle in his possession. But he doesn't. Besides that he is also looking towards the Amazon's, not away."

"Queen Hippopotamus?"

"Hippolyta, Buffy, not Hippopotamus." A frustrated and growingly embarrassed sister corrected her elder sibling as Lara, offering an amused smile, and removed the ancient plate from the once-Key's grasp with her right free hand.

Feeling that this might be an opportunity to impress her new mentor, Dawn continued instructing her sister on the Amazon Myth. "The Amazon's, Buffy, despite what you might believe of popular fiction were a tribe of women and before you ask, no, not all of them were warriors. They were, rather, a collective of females who chose to shed their dependence upon the male of the species. Living relatively peaceful lives, tending to their own needs. Though it is true that some of their various noted accomplishments in literature were seen as being very … manly. They were not all Xena: The Warrior Princess types. They grew crops and they hunted. They herded animals and quite possibly were the very first semi-democratic society of their time. Straying far from the monarch based division of rule and law. Their leadership's were chosen every year, but unsurprisingly given that they were a female society surrounded by a male ruled one, their various elected leader's had to be able to physically compete on the same level of men."

"So that means?"

Dawn pinched the bridge of her nose in a Giles like manner. "It means, Buffy, for an Amazon to become elevated to rule for year, and to be accepted as the best to be taken seriously by other male-rulers, they all competed in physically demanding challenges. Queen Hippolyta was quite possibly, at the time, the most accomplished female athlete of her day on the planet."

Lara placed the plate flat upon the table, picking up the lecture where Dawn left off. "But it wasn't just the physical side of things either. Perspective candidates also had to prove themselves in battle, hunting and problem solving other then athletics. They all had to rise to the station that they sought, it wasn't a simple case of one person being the best in a majority of fields and falling short by only a few. The person who would rise up to the title of Queen had to be the best in all aspects and demands. Fail in one and the title would be lost and returned to the original barer."

"Wow. Talk about pressure." Buffy commented with awe. To be the best in one thing was in her way of thinking great, to be thought of the best in EVERYTHING, that was something she couldn't wrap her mind around. It was living a life were everyone expected her to earn 'A+' in everything she did. "Hang on. Wasn't that Sorbo Guy, y'know the legendary story of Hercules and stuff, well, wasn't he a good guy? Why would he be stealing a girdle from the Queen?"

Lara laughed at the innocence of the query. "Heracles, or 'Hercules', wasn't a 'hero' in the truest sense of the term. In fact if he was to exist in today's world he would be looked upon as an anti-social ruffian who probably would have spent more time in prison then out of it. If you look deeper into the Labours of Heracles, Buffy, deeper into the myth and the legend surrounding him you will discover a very selfish and disturbing individual. A person prone to boozing, brawling and bedding. A man who was abnormally strong and who lorded it over everyone else. A Bully in the purest definition of the term. An arrogant and ego-centric man who sought to glorify his name whether it was in accomplishment or scandal.

"In Ancient times, Buffy, the Greeks did not distinguish character from deed. A person could be the devil-incarnate, but if he was able to accomplish great and 'epic' things then most often then not a blind-eye would be turned towards their past indiscretions in order to protect the 'ideal' image of what they wanted that person to represent. So basically, Buffy, you should not confuse hero with heroic. Heavens, if you need more to compare, just look at the various 'Sports Stars' of today's era. How many have been caught in violent or drug related crimes? How many have been found in scandalised situations? How many such 'Heroes' have been before the Court's of your country and of mine only to receive a 'slap on the wrist' that would have various other unknown personalities placed in Prison? We as a people, Buffy, look after our celebrities until we grow tired of them. Then we conveniently start to forget the person and allow the legends to grow.

"The original Heracles, Buffy, you could say was a man who was more Devil then Saint. But that was always the way with the Greek's and their hero's. None of them were ever perfect; they all had flaws that made them decidedly 'human' and relatable. Zeus was an old Horn Dog, Achilles was arrogant as the day was long, and Theseus was determined, so on and so forth. Heracles famed 12-Labors were in fact penance for him murdering his wife and twin boys. Some stories claim that he got blind drunk one night and went into a rage slaying them all with his bare hands. However, 'supporters' of the 'Godly Version' of the Heracles myth claim that Hera, Queen of the Olympian's, who was offended at the mere existence of Heracles as he was living evidence of her own husband and King of Greek God's repeated infidelity with mortal's took exception to him and chose to plague him with a temporary madness. In this frenzy he murdered his wife and boys in their sleep. You can either believe in the frailty of man or in the omnipotent vengeance of a Greek Goddess, regardless, he as a man, myth and character was fearful of what might happen to his soul if he arrived in Hades Underworld.

"Wracked with the fear of what he would have to endure for eternity for perpetrating such a crime, as no crime in the eyes of the Greek's was greater then the cold blooded murder of ones own family, he decided to seek out a Seer. The Oracle told him that in order for him to earn a 'free-pass' and make amends for his earthly offence all he had to do was approach his long time rival and have him instruct him on a series nigh impossible challenges of his choosing. *Heracles*, Buffy, was not a romantic figure of Disney Cartoon's and various Hollywood Productions. He was, if you strip away the veneer and look at the core of the original story, an arrogant brutish man afraid of his comeuppance."

"Yeah, but that still doesn't explain why on the plate he's not holding a girdle?"

Dawn all but screeched out in embarrassment to her sister's question. "Because Buffy as I said this is a depiction of Heracles arrival, not departure."

With a steady and commanding finger Buffy pointed down at the plate. "Then why is the boat facing away from the shore, 'Ms I-Go-to-Oxford-and-I-know-Everything'?"

To the side of the feuding siblings the sound of a lone applause echoed throughout the library. "Well done, Buffy. I was wondering if she would ever notice that small piece of data."

Dawn's face grew crimson; she picked up the plate carefully and studied it once more. Buffy was right, the ship was pointing away from the land, which meant that this was an admission to the ancient story that she was not aware of. "But if he's leaving, why is he looking towards the women?"

On the plate, Heracles stood larger than life dwarfing all other images looking towards an almost pathetic gathering of figures, who by their shape, curves and long hair, Dawn surmised were females.

With a calm and steady voice Lady Croft pondered aloud to both Dawn and Buffy. "I ask you this, why would you look back on something that you are leaving willingly?"

Lara's question hung tightly in the air between both females. Both sisters looked at the other wondering who would be able to answer the riddle first. Buffy took the first attempt.

"Because he might have forgot something?"

Lara shook her head.

It was now Dawn's turn to step up to the plate, so to speak. She took a deep breath and considered all that she knew about the mythical hero. "Because he left something very important to him with the Amazon's?"

"Correct."

The Slayer and the Key looked at each other with curiosity, then at the plate with further scrutiny. To their eyes nothing really seemed amiss, but then again they both didn't know what they were looking for either in the ancient ceramic. So the mystery only made them more and more frustrated.

Carefully and with ease a fine and perfect finger belonging to Lady Croft drew itself across the breach and singled out a lone and tiny figure in front of all the other female representations. It was a female a third the size of all the others.

Dawn's mouth opened involuntarily, understanding immediately what was being shown to her. Buffy, however, still had a very perplexed look on her features.

Observing that the blonde was having difficulty keeping up with the tones of what was being communicated, Lara continued on with the lecture. "Like Chinese Whisper's, with the telling and the re-telling of the myth of Heracles it experienced many variations. Some portions of the story remain adamant, whereas others differ significantly. With relation to the Ninth Labour, one thing however remains constant, whether it was by invitation or by force Heracles and Queen Hippolyta had ..."

"… Sex" Dawn finished off.

"Yes." Lara said with a nod. "But my money, however, is based on the possibility that it was a consentional act and not rape."

"Why?"

"Because, Buffy, if Heracles had violated their Queen, as mighty a fighter as he was, he never would have made it out of the village alive."

Lara's finger traced over the masculine image of the rendered Heracles. "The Amazon's would have looked upon Heracles, with all his strength and other attributes and considered him a prime specimen for breeding. And Heracles, being as arrogant as many myths and stories support would have considered that only the Queen worthy enough to be his mate. Bare in mind, Heracles would have known that only Queen Hippolyta, would have had to have proven herself to have been the best of the best of all present and as such it would have appealed to his enormous ego."

"And still he goes when he has his fun?"

"In fairness, Buffy, I think he was awaiting to find out the sex of the child before he departed. The Amazon's were a single sex tribe, in order to prevent their population dwindling they used to do raiding parties of nearby villages, kidnapping the fit young men. Holding them for an indefinite time. A time that was spent where they were repeatedly copulated with. When a certain acceptable number females had become impregnated the young man would be returned back to his tribe. Where I am sure he received a hero's welcome and high-fives from all the other young warriors. Nine months later, if the females gave birth to boys they returned the infants to the village of the father to be raised, and if they were female they would be raised as Amazon's."

"What a gyp."

"Actually, Buffy," Dawn stepped in. "It would have been considered a pretty favourable system. In Ancient Times the value of males superseded females ten-fold. To be born a female would probably place your value to that of a goat or a dozen chickens. Many Villages that would surround the Amazon Territory would look at this as a win-win."

"So what? Queen Hippo has a daughter and Heracles decides he doesn't want anything to do with it?"

"In truth, Buffy, Heracles probably didn't have much of a choice. Amazon Law would have dictated that the child would have had to have been raised as one of them. As formidable as he probably was, he was not invincible. I suspect that the inclusion to the myth of the girdle was probably a bribe for him to leave peacefully and too never come back."

"But still, too give up your own child?"

"Different times, different values. And remember in Heracles eyes it wasn't a child. A *SON* was a child. A daughter would have been seen as a burden and an embarrassment to his virility and manliness."

Dawn picked up the plate once more and examined it in closer detail. "If you don't mind me asking Lara, but how do we even know that it's authentic? I mean sure it looks real and I believe it is certainly period appropriate. But how do we know that the detail it is offering is accurate and true?"

"I'm glad you got around to asking that question, Dawn. Because I retrieved it from the 'Lunar Temple'."

"Hang on. I remember that. Two years ago off the coast of Greece, a sea quake opened up the sunken temple. But … but didn't aftershocks close it again?"

"Yes, but not before I recorded its location. Sadly those aftershocks destroyed close too 90-percent that had been left intact for over two thousand years, what you have in your hands now is a piece of the remaining 10-percent that was not disturbed or harmed."

Dawn now looked more reverently upon the piece. All doubts now removed. Unfortunately the Slayer did not understand the significance.

"Excuse me, but how does that mean that this is not a sham?"

"Because it came from the Lunar Temple, Buffy. Weren't you listening?"

"Listening. But not getting. Could you guys start recognising that my understanding of History really only extends too 'American', and in that I only got a 'B'. So throw me a life line, I'm begging you."

"The Lunar Temple, Buffy was Alexander the Great's private depository of knowledge and truth. Alexander was not some megalomaniac who wanted to conquer the world. Sure, he wanted to do that, he aspired to great things. But he wanted to do it for, I daresay, the right and noble reasons. He wanted to bring enlightenment and education to the world. He wanted to draw out from the various Tribes of the World the ages of darkness and superstitions and replace it with illumination and reason. He wanted to educate the people, Buffy. Regardless of their race, religion, sex or orientation. If this plate was found in his Temple, Buff, then it meant that it was significant and told the truth of the story of Heracles. Alexander would have allowed nothing less to have graced his Temple's confines then the absolute truth."

With the tips of her fingers, Buffy commenced to rub her temples. For some bizarre reason she had just been onset by the mother of all headaches. But this tale was proving to be too fascinating for her to interrupt it with a request for aspirin. "Okay, so to recap: Hercules has a daughter and returns back to Greece leaving her to be raised by the Amazon's. So what's next? What happened to her?"

Lara leaned back in her chair and folded her arms in front of her. "Ahh, now that is where we fall into a bit of disrepair and have to rely on the overlapping of many other stories, Buffy. My gentleman friend, who I mentioned to you both earlier this evening, has been working on this from the other end. He's been working on this tale backwards and several months ago he asked me to see if I might be able to use some of my considerable resources to find some connection and for me to work forwards. With the aim of possibly meeting in the middle. This plate, to date, is what I have been able to link to his own discoveries, but I daresay it is not exactly what he will be expecting."

Dawn angled her body to more firmly face her new mentor, her brow crunched. "Why? What's his idea?"

"Well, to be honest Dawn, he doesn't have one. He knows what happened to the girl, but not to her true origins. He has no idea of my theory of this girl-child of his being the off-spring of a Demi-God and an Amazonian Queen. He's been working another hypothesis, his theory though just happens to neatly tie in with this one.

"His research and I have to say in advance that it was considerable given that Africa didn't have any written language 3,000 years ago and that he was reliant upon the validity of word-of-mouth from Village Story Teller to Story Teller. Anyway his independent discoveries tell of a girl who was born with incredible strength, speed, agility and near inhuman tolerances. A female child, who could by the time she could stand and walk, possessed and easily matched the physical strength of a fully grown man. This 'girl' was born to a tribe where its Leader was selected by contest of physical strength and merit. Sound familiar, doesn't it? Much like our Amazon friend's."

Buffy and Dawn both briefly shared a glance to one another then looked down upon the plate again, focusing their attention upon the painted figures of the female Amazon's and the smaller figure standing at the front of the group.

"The trouble was that her athletic abilities were not earned unlike others in her tribe. She didn't have to train or work hard, her skills, strength, speed; endurance and agility were all natural. This made her arrogant. According to folklore, the various elder's of the Tribe were concerned that when she reached the age to compete for the Leadership of their people that she would triumph with little resistance. And instead of having a temporary and humble leader who knew of the valour and the abilities of her people like all the other Queen's before her, they would instead have one full of ego who lacked an appreciation to the worth of her subjects. What was worse then bowing to the will of an arrogant Queen was that there existed little chance that by law this Queen would not be able to be deposed. For if she won the right to lead by way of competition then it was generally believed that she had the favour of the God's to do so. And as was her right, as with every Amazonian Queen before her, she also had the opportunity to compete every year, WIN every year and thereby keep the Crown securely upon their brow every year.

"This secessional oversight, as it was, had the Elder's of her Village justly concerned to what her leadership might wrought, so they hatched a plot. A full season prior to her eligibility to compete they called her to attend a Council Meeting. There they flattered her with affirmations towards her fierce hunting and fighting abilities. They then told her of news that had reached their ears of a great and dangerous creature that threatened to consume all the innocence of the world and that only *she*, it was decided, had the abilities to face and defeat this monster in battle. Full of self importance and pride towards being chosen over all of her other 'sisters' she pledged a vow to do war with this creature and not to return home until she had been victorious."

"So just like that, she left?" Dawn said incredulously.

"Apparently. At least according to folklore. I suppose you could explain it away as she was either eager to test her abilities on a worthy candidate, or maybe she inherited Heracles famed bluster. Who really knows? At any rate from Village to Village she went in search of this figment, facing all manner of evil creatures in her travels and vanquishing each and every one of them. But never in that time did she find the one that her Elder's had described. Eventually, whether it was to exhaustion of always constantly fighting or due to battling a creature that was maybe a little bit faster and stronger then she was expecting. She found herself bested, but not before destroying that which would eventually take her life.

"Part dead she dragged herself into a nearby village, a village she had protected from further ravages of the creature she slew. The warrior's carried her to their Healer, the Medicine Man tried to tend to her injuries but unfortunately the wounds were beyond his skills and he knew she was not much long for this world.

"This young girl had earned quite a reputation in the villages she had been at. Knowing that her time was nearly done he became worried for what might happen if she died without a successor. He was able to keep her alive, barely and only very temporarily. He sent Runner's out in all directions to other villages demanding an immediate and urgent audience of others of his profession to join him. When they arrived the group conferred and in their shared desperation they condemned her soul."

"What do you mean?"

"The world back then, Dawn, had evil that walked under the guise of night and this dying girl had earned notoriety within the region for being able to keep such things at bay. They felt that she could not be blessed with the death and reward that was dearly due to her. Her skills and abilities were needed far too greatly in the living world. So they selfishly made the decision to bind her spirit to the mortal realm. Her body may decay, but her warrior soul would jump from vessel to vessel and continue her eternal fight and quest."

Buffy and Dawn did not know when the two of them had started to hold the other's hand. But they felt reassured by the simple contact. The story Lara Croft was telling was becoming far more familiar and eerily with the telling of it. And deep inside the mind of the Slayer her brain was throbbing like never before.

"For all the good she had done, the poor child was cursed to never know rest until she did away with the 'fictitious monster' that her Village Elder's had sent her to slay. And her random and appointed vessels would never be free of her curse until they died or until they found the Love that they sought."

Buffy's hand went limp in Dawn's grasp and dropped to her side in shock at the last thing just spoken. "Sorry, what did you say? What do you mean 'Love' freeing them of the 'Curse'?"

Unfolding her arms and turning herself slightly to look upwards to address the blonde, Lara, answered with supreme confidence to her claim. "Yes, Buffy. Every Curse, no matter how it was given form, has in it a back door clause."

Under her breath the utterance of 'You're telling me' could be barely heard from one of the two visitors', but Lara did not react.

"And as Cliché as it is, Love is a very powerful and emotional force where Magic is concerned. All Magic is driven by some form of passion. Whether that passion is positive or negative. Curses created from anger and hate are typically countered and nullified by opposite emotions such as Love, Affection or Devotion of some form and visa Vera."

Now it was Buffy's turn to fold her arms. "Okay let me throw this out there, hypothesis wise. Let's say a guy is, I don't know, 'cursed'. He was a bad-guy before, cursed, and then becomes a good-guy. Where is the anger in that? The Curse made him a good guy."

Lara laughed a polite laugh as though she was finding amusement in some private joke, after a brief moment she composed herself and answered. "Don't confuse the intent of the curse, to the orchestration of it, Buffy. If he became a 'good-guy', I'm sure he wouldn't regret such a transition would beset upon him. But enduring the memories of a time when he was a 'bad-guy' and living with the fear of becoming such a person again *that* is where the administration of the hate and the anger comes from. The 'curse' is him being the 'good guy', and the threat of becoming a 'bad guy' if he broke the conditions of the curse. If the recipient of a curse is not in some turmoil 24/7 then it really doesn't play as a curse now does it?"

"R-i-i-g-g-h-h-t-t. Got it." Buffy nodded in 'ignorant understanding'. Lara had passed her little test, though not an obvious authority, she did know a little bit more then the lay person on the topic. "So Curses based from anger and hate usually has peace and love as a loop-hole to having them broken?"

Lady Croft shock her head. "Not exactly. That's a very simplistic explanation, but for close to 90-percent of most 'curses' I daresay all it usually takes a bit of genuine love and tenderness to make the spell collapse upon itself, or at the very least the applications or simulation of such affections do. If in doubt just think back to nearly every Fairy Tale you have ever heard as a child where a curse had been performed, these childhood tales of wonder have been said to have been based in some fact is only by a small degree, but what if the magical portions of them were true?. And think of the various counters towards breaking their spells? Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, The Princess and the Frog, and a thousand others. All had 'Love', or the simple demonstration of such, prominent in ending their curses.

"The Medicine Men, Witch Doctor's, Shaman's, Wizard's, Holy Men of this ancient story, call them what you want; they could not force a curse upon an innocent being that did not have the ability of being broken. No-one really can, at least no-one human and who was mortal. Otherworldly sources might be able to condemn without repercussions, but then again these beings would be drawing upon magic and sorcery that are not governed or manipulated by 'mortal' comprehension. Curses that are created by a mortal and a souled being must always have loop holes, a chance for freedom and redemption by the bearer. But in controlling the loop holes to escape a curse you also must submit control to the conditions of the curse itself. You cannot side one without making allowances for the other."

"Huh?"

Becoming concerned that her sister was misrepresenting her own intelligence, Dawn spoke up to answer the blonde's confusion before the brunette adventurer could. "Basically, Buffy, what Lady Croft is saying is that you cannot have a broad curse without a broad loop hole to remove the curse. The larger and grander the curse the more vulnerable you make it towards being broken with an equally sizable 'get out of jail free' card attached. Same goes with a narrowly defined curse too, it needs an equally narrow opportunity for the recipient to gain their allotted freedom. For a curse to have a near indefinite shelf-life the wielder has to make it very specific. This is what these Witch Doctors did. They tailor-made their curse so that it would fit this girl's soul and character like a very tight glove. A curse that was a pure reflection of her core personality and one that she could not resist or deny. And because the curse was so 'form-fitting' and one targeted towards her core-character it becomes unlikely that it will ever be broken consciously. Understand?"

"Not really."

Lara held up her hand to steady Dawn's further explanation, the expression on the face of the young female betraying the annoyance and frustration that her sister was subjecting to her reputation. With calming influence in her tone, Lara once again took over in explaining herself. "Very well Buffy, let me spell it out to you in another way and one relevant to this young woman's sad lot. This young lady never really knew love; at least not the romantic kind. She was from a tribe full of women, she knew about kinship and duty, nothing more. She was training herself to be a Warrior and a Hunter, and eventually aspiring to become a Leader. Love and affection would have been seen by her as a … inconvenience and hindrance to either role. So throughout her life and maturity she avoided it with some measure of success. What she understood above all else was loyalty and devotion. The Witch Doctor's who ended up binding her spirit knew this and they made this personality glitch intricate towards her voyaging soul finding itself a suitable vessel. Making the countless number of intended Host's that the spirit would chose to inhabit over the numerous generations to come already pre-vulnerable to certain factor's that would be both appealing to the character of the Spirit and the parameter's of the curse placed upon it. These Tribal Holy Men were, as the saying goes, 'stacking the deck' in their favour thereby narrowing the opportunity of freedom to an almost finite chance that of the curse ever being broken and her wandering soul ever finding the deserved peace it had earned."

"That's … that's so cruel. How could they do that to her, let alone to all the one's she ghosted into. Forcing people time and again to*"

Lara cut the Slayer off from her speech, correcting her on a few cruel facts before the discussion strayed in a tangent on morality. "They were, from a certain stand point, not 'forcing' any thing on anybody, Buffy. Not the Spirit and not the young women who would eventually become the Spirit's vessels. The host's who would accept the Warrior Essence into their being would already be pre-disposed to the emotional mindset of this 'Spirit' becoming an influence in their lives. This pre-determination, this factor-selection, would ensure the longevity of the curse, enabling the guidance of the vessel's by the Slayer-Soul to shy away from other elements that would offer them their 'freedom'. Remember what Dawn said to you earlier, females had a lower value in the ancient world then males. As such what they did to this young girl and for all those females that followed would have been seen as a necessary evil and one that they would not lose any sleep over. A different time equal's different values, who is to say that a thousand years from now that 'OUR' way of life won't be interpreted as barbaric, frivolous or decedent?"

Buffy mumbled her heated reply to the Ladyship's question. "Oh, I don't know, maybe common sense."

Lara offered the blonde dynamo a smile that revealed a perfect row of teeth with no pretence. "Women back in this age and culture were perceived as 'property' and suitable for menial labours and child bearing. They had no vote, no voice, and no opinion in a man's world. It was probably for this very reason that some chose to segment themselves apart from the whole and form the Amazon Nation. These 'Vessels' were not random choices. They all met the criteria deemed acceptable for the Spirit's continued existence, physically and psychologically.

"To offer you a mental-visual to what I mean just imagine an animal being raised to only live inside a penned or fenced area. Then one day you open the gate. What happens? Does the beast bolt? No, the poor creature is left confused. It would much rather stay within the boundaries of the 'World' it knows and is safe in then venture out into the scary unknown. The Slayer-Spirit is this 'animal'. It is trapped in the mind, body, soul and emotions of whatever girl it becomes suddenly linked too. It might be able to assimilate to the age and the culture, but emotionally, at its very core, it is still an Amazon Warrior and as such it possesses a 'Live by the Sword and Die by the Sword' approach on life with little forethought to its future, family or life beyond its own destiny. The girl's that were chosen by way of the curse were generally no different. They were ones who were emotionally uncertain towards the general point of their existence and most likely ones who doubted their value or worth and/or contribution to others. Young girl's who were at a tragic crossroads in their collective lives, ones who were maybe one or two arguments away from cutting their own wrists. Girls, who without knowing it, would subconsciously welcome a strong and dominant influence to help direct their lives. These girls were the unknowing quarry of the Slayer Spirit. Girls who wanted to take some level of control over their lives and were prepared to sub-consciously give-up whatever they had to in-order to achieve it, even part of their own soul and life if they had too."

Buffy's headache was now thundering to the point where she was actually surprised that she did not have blood coming out of her ears. Her eyes beaded down upon the brunette beauty, she didn't enjoy being compared to that of a simple farm animal, especially where her love life was concerned or having herself referenced as some emotional mess-up. But thinking back upon her various suitor's in the past, nearly all of them from Angel, Riley, Spike, all the way to 'The Immortal', they all were typically the 'take-charge' kinda boyfriends that she usually latched on too.

"You seem to know a Hell of a lot about this, infact this kinda has moved off from being a simple bit of conversation about some stone-age Tupperware and into a completely different area and I want to know where you're leading us."

With a sad nod of acceptance, Lara answered the slayer's suspicious question. "Sadly you are correct, I do know more about this subject then I am comfortable in admitting."

Lara then pushed herself away from the table and got up from her seat, approaching a shelf where a very thick Leather Bound Book was stacked vertically. With an effort she drew it out and lumbered it over to the table that Dawn and Buffy were still sitting and standing at. "You see I have a very deep, and you might even say shameful connection to the daughter of Heracles, Buffy, or at least my family does."

With due care, the brunette beauty placed the large bound book upon the polished wooden dining table. "They are called 'Chosen Ones' or more popularly known within a select community and sect that they circulate also known as 'Vampire Slayers'. Basically, as the legend goes, it eventually falls to one female child born in every generation who becomes obligated to combat the evils that stalk the night and combat the terrors that prey and haunt our most fearful dreams and histories."

Lara then released the aged clasps on the sides and opened the Tomb to the mid section to reveal an intricate page of writing centuries old, ignoring with ease the stunned looks upon the two sisters. "My Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather was what was known in that same very closed off society as a 'Watcher'. And at one time he was even responsible for his very own 'Chosen One' as well a girl, a Vampire Slayer by the name of 'May'. She was 'called' on her sixteenth year, most Chosen Ones apparently are. According to this memoir of his my ancestor believed that this age to be quiet relevant towards their ascension from being a mere girl to being something else entirely. Given my more recent research, I believe that it is likely that 16 was the age that the daughter of Heracles passed over. At any rate, May, lasted all of about two years before she met her own demise. Killed by a Coven of Witches in the late 1700's.

"When she died my ancestor didn't have the heart to continue on with his 'calling' as a Watcher. So he concluded his relationship and severed all ties with the Society. Still relatively young he started a family and did his best to keep to the periphery of the Council's notice. But as he advanced in his years he became more disheartened and disillusioned with the Order he had so much faith in when he was a younger man. He vented this disappointment and anger by way of this book, asking questions that he never before dared asked. Even going to extreme lengths to seek possible explanations to his hundreds of queries. This Text is the compiling of three-decades of his independent labours and research. Work that sheds an unflattering light upon Watcher doctrine and Slayer History." Lara finished her claim by broadly gesturing over the book before her.

Buffy's curiosity was overwhelming, she inched closer. "Why? What does it say? And what was that crack about these 'Vessels' not knowing about love?"

"I wasn't speaking specifically about the individual, Buffy. I was generalising and speaking in relation to the nature and foundations of the curse itself. My gentleman friend in Africa was able to find a reference to this in a few of the several stories that he had tracked down. It was through no small effort on his part to sift through the quagmire of folk stories to find ones that supported the legend of a lone female warrior. And the revelations of his own research appears to be concurred by my Ancestor as well; who considered the question of what it was that separated these 'Chosen Ones' from other girls the same age. And both discovered that each girl, at the time of their selection, were at a intersection of emotional doubt towards love, that is not to say that they disbelieved in it's existence, just that they all thought, or despaired rather, that they would live their life without it."

For whatever reason Buffy found her head nodding in agreement. She remembered nearly to the day when she discovered she had been 'called'. It was the same time her Mom and Dad were fighting and more and more talk of divorce was being heard through the thin bedroom walls that separated her room from their's. It was one of the lowest points of her young life. What was worse was that during those arguments her name kept being lobbied back and forth like a hand grenade on who'd have to shoulder the burden of raising her. She had turned to her 'Hemley Posse' but they made the Cordette's look like a gang of Mother Theresa's and if it didn't involve the latest fashion, boy's or the next big party to attend they were all pretty oblivious to the emotional pain of one of their number. Not even her Boyfriend at the time was sympathetic to her plight, the only time he seemed to even acknowledge her existence was when they were in the back seat of his car. All the other times she was just a 'non-person' in his eyes with no opinion, only a body with kissable lips.

At the time she became 'The Slayer' she had no true friends, no reliable BF, hell, even her own parents were using her in their tug of war, with the loser being the one forced to take custody. During that time she never felt more unloved or more in question into the existence *OF* love. So maybe what Lara was saying was actually on the money. She couldn't have imagined Faith to have had a perfect up-bringing. And Kennedy once mentioned that her parent's were so rich that they paid servant's to look after her while they travelled around the world. Maybe all Slayers', prior to them being called, lived a life of self-resentment and self-pity?

"But if a Chosen One *did* fall in Love after being called. *REAL* Love, not the puppy dog kind. The curse that permitted the Slayer Spirit inhabiting their body would be broken and the Slayer Soul would move on to some other poor wretch."

Lara's statement suddenly caught Buffy's attention and she was drawn out from her internal ponderings causing her to listen more keenly.

"… According to my forefather and my gentleman friend, the Warrior's Soul that inhabited these girls doesn't know how to deal with love; it can't cope with that type of intimacy which is why it flees. That's why the Watcher's, once a Chosen One is found, typically used to isolate them away from all other contact, males especially. But according to this," Lara tapped the print of the ancient pages hard "there had been dozens of instances and accounts where a Slayer was found, fell in love, then lost her powers and went on to live normal lives. Much to the frustration of the Council who had to search far and wide again for another recipient host."

Instinctively Dawn raised her hand to ask a question. "So what you're saying is that, what did you call them? … 'Slayer's, these people actually exist and there was a secret organisation created to monitor such people and to stop them falling in love? An entire Organisation created to curb the love-lives of a bunch of teenage girls?"

Buffy couldn't help but smirk at the futility of her sister's efforts to distance the Summer Siblings from this extraordinary tale. Unfortunately Buffy had been caught in traps like this before. Lara knew EXACTLY who her audience was and there was not a doubt in her mind that she knew that a Vampire Slayer was standing in her presence; everything right now was for pure show. A subtle reference to them both that she knew the truth of who she was. The warm feelings Buffy was beginning to feel for her Ladyship when they were outside chatting with one another was now starting to chill. The best they could do as a pair would be to 'play dumb' and see how far this 'Rich Bitch' would take the charade. Hopefully gleaming from her more information as they did so.

Lara shrugged at the question. "To be frank, Dawn, I can't be certain of anything. It seems extraordinary, but stranger things have happened. The Watcher Organisation existed for the sole purpose of supervising and instructing 'Chosen Ones', it wouldn't be too surprising that they would take their role further and try and control their love lives as well, would it? I am even lead to believe from this Book that if a Chosen One wasn't living up to their potential, the Watcher's used to take a less active role in their guidance. Eventually, with the slackness of supervision the girl would find their 'one-and-only' and the spirit would move on. I believe though that this became too random for them, after all, what happens if the girl didn't find her 'soul mate' straight away? They would be left a Chosen One who couldn't measure up to their expectations. And because Watcher's considered themselves to be 'righteous people' they couldn't go about killing these young women themselves and sending the spirit on it's way, so they started looking into tests, serums and the like to be administered in their 17th year. Chemicals and drugs that would nullify and suppress the Slayer's Spirit influence. If the candidate survived the tests then they had a 'Prized Warrior' on their hands, if not then they would start afresh and they would be able to wash their hands clean of the bloodshed that they caused. Three-hundred years ago the success rate was 50/50; today I would estimate that it would be considerably lower."

"And you are confident of everything you're telling us is true? That Slayer's are the … the spiritual descendant of an Amazon Queen and a Demi-God?"

Lara shrugged her left shoulder once more, the only subjection of doubt to her own words that she was willing to offer. "No, Dawn, I am not a hundred percent certain. What I have done is adjoin two completely different stories. Not even stories really; stories can be based in some fact. What I have done is incorporated a myth, some African Folklore and something from a fanciful dream belonging to Anne Rice. It's hardly something I could get 'respectable' people to take seriously. But that's why, Dawn, I usually work alone. The risk's of error are greater, but then again so are the rewards.

"You'll learn in Archaeology that sometimes the greatest of discoveries are not what seem logical, but rather what seems … inspired. In this instance, as I said, I could very be much mistaken. What I know is what is written in my forefather's memoir. If it belonged to anyone else I would be sceptical, but in this case it is quite detailed and I have a great deal of faith in its accuracy. After all, if there is one thing I can speak with any authority it is this, we Croft's are quite obsessive. When he decided to commit and document his findings and conclusions he would have made sure he had left no practical and available stone unturned. Quite a feat considering the Council of the day had confiscated all his records when he chose to 'retire', leaving him a pariah in that community. But that did not deter him or mean that in his twilight years he couldn't chose to go on record with some of his discoveries and beliefs. This Book sat pretty much unopened and unread for I daresay a better part of half-a-century." Errantly Lara stroked the outer edges of the cover, while her face supported a look that offered the sisters someone who appeared to be almost lost in some distant and pleasant memory.

"I remember of a time when I was a little girl and I had seen 'An American Werewolf in London' on the Telly. I was awake far beyond my allocated bed time and what I saw on the screen, well considering I was seven; it frightened me a great deal. My father found me crying in my wardrobe. He then sat me on his knee and instead of scolding me for sneaking a peek at a movie that was too old for me to really understand, he instead told me of a fantastic story. A story about an ancestor of ours who was part of a secret society that fought such things. Werewolves, Demon's, Witches and Warlocks and even Vampires. I just believed it to be romantic nonsense at the time, pure fantasy, but recently I discovered that there might have been more too it so I scoured the Library trying to find some reference to this ancestor's life as well as this supposed 'Secret Society'. Four months ago, in an unlighted area and I must admit unused section of this grand room, I found it. A lifetime's worth of thoughts and opinions on Slayer's and some of the myths surrounding them."

Buffy reached over and touched the dry leather of the aged book, just as Lara had a moment earlier, in some way feeling like she was touching the Holy Grail itself. Her headache now starting to ebb away, but only slightly. "You mean too say this Book is everything he was able to acquire on Vampire Slayer's? What makes them tick? He did a detailed study?"

Lara nodded her head in affirmation, suppressing a smile from forming over her lush lips towards the desperate 'edge' in Buffy's voice. "As detailed as he probably could have accomplished given his limited resources at the time and of the Age he lived in. Bare in mind he did have the good fortune of having his very own Chosen One to reference as well. Sadly, however, I doubt his understanding of the 'Slayer Spirit' was one similar to what we have spoken of this night. Three hundred years ago he would have looked upon a virginal young girl who was miraculously ordained with the strength and skills to do battle with monsters, demons and vampires as something a little more … holy in nature.

"What was significantly interesting to me was that he was able to distinguish and separate the personality of May and the 'Slayer'. As well as expose the progression of the Spirit's influence upon May's character over the time of its infestation. For you to truly appreciate the significance of this you must comprehend that this was an easy two centuries before the birth of psychology. My ancestor was able to recount in his documentation that May's personality progressively shifted, not through environmental or natural factors, but rather through the onset and domination of the Slayer essence that had now inhabited her. "

"What do you mean?"

"When Lord George Croft was first introduced to May and was instructed by the Council to be her Mentor and Watcher he recalled a young girl very much resistive to her destiny. Almost obstinate. She was a farmer's daughter and one born to a simpler lifestyle. The Family were given a handsome sum and she was sold to the Croft Estate under the guise of becoming a Servant-Girl."

"SOLD? As in slavery?"

"It was common practice at the time, especially if a family found themselves in financial difficulty or debt. True, it maybe a repugnant prospect now, but three-hundred years ago it was considered an acceptable, honourable and advantageous exchange to that of winding up in a 'Debtors Prison'. A gruesome and bleak alternative to anyone who fell behind in their taxes and one which probably would have happened to the head of May's family thanks to the 'Poor Law' that was passed in 1601."

"Poor Law? That's barbaric. You mean people were sentenced to prison just because they didn't have enough money?"

"No money meant no one paid their taxes or bills, Buffy. No paid Taxes meant no finances for wars, upkeep of roads, constables or anything else society at the time valued important. And to term these places 'Prison's was probably due to the fact that families were forced to live there against their will. They were like 'Workhouses' akin to the kind described in Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist. If a family found themselves in debt of Taxes owed, they would have all their assets removed from them, and they would be sentenced to live in a 'Workhouse' doing soul destroying tasks earning pittance until their labours had cleared what was owed to the Government. Such a thing could take one year of collective toil, 5-years or even 15. Bare in mind, Buffy, that England back in the day, used to convict and send people, regardless of their age, to serve Life-Imprisonment all the way to Australia just because they stole half a loaf of stale mouldy bread because they were starving. Sensitivity towards a person's circumstance had no place in the courtroom back then. Right was right and wrong was wrong and allowing yourself to fall behind in your taxes was considered very, VERY, wrong."

"Still…." Buffy chewed on her lower lip.

Lara moved off the subject of her countries darker legal history more out of embarrassment and shame quickly, she did not feel comfortable getting in a debate over something such as this, especially as her family, being as highly stationed as they were during the time would have been exempt of any threats or like punishments. "The money that Lord George Croft provided would have gone straight to the family to benefit said family, not some Slaver who had just kidnapped the child. As despicable as the whole system was this kind of thing was seen as both acceptable and common practice. I am even certain that in some weird way May's mother and father probably thought this option was also one that would ultimately benefit their daughter. Though I am certain that as she was being transported away in his Lordship's personal carriage that her parents were probably silently thinking to themselves that their daughter's services would not exactly be suited to making beds for the thirty-something and very SINGLE Lord of the Manor, but rather that her various skills would be expected to that of lying on top of them. But still it was as good of a 'beard' as anything else for the legal acquisition of the young lady at the time.

"At any rate as her instruction and training began she would repeatedly ask Lord George: 'Why her?' Demanding that all she wanted was to be like all the other girls her same age, that she didn't want to be this 'Chosen One' and what had she done to deserve this fate? However as the months progressed, May's demeanour changed markedly in my ancestor's eyes, she began too almost revel in her role as a Slayer. She would no longer speak as though being a Chosen One was an unwanted burden, but rather the direct opposite. She used to act as though this was her destiny and hers alone. Completely disregarding relevant cautionary tales of the many other Slayer's that had come before her, but rather treating her own and temporary 'reign' as the Chosen like she was the One-and-Only.

"She even started to develop a thrill towards the task of killing, a bloodlust if you will for nearly all things supernatural; this 'enthusiasm' is what eventually led to her demise. She went on a hunt for a single witch and instead came face-to-face with a coven. Instead of doing the logical thing and withdraw and reassess, she thought herself capable of challenging all three at once. A big, but brief mistake."

Dawn looked towards Buffy and commented under her breath. "Gee, a Slayer who bites off more then she can chew, that sounds familiar."

The elder Blonde ignored the snide remark, her mind more focused upon thoughts of aspects spoken earlier of the other Chosen One's who had been able to successfully able to get rid of the 'Slayer Spirit' and live a normal life. Taking a deep breath she pressed her question so that they would get back on track to what was said a moment earlier and not stray any further a field. "You said that if a Vampire Slayer falls in love, this love acts like kryptonite to this Spirit-Thing inhabiting her. That it untangles itself then goes off and latches onto some other girl, right?"

Lara shock her head. "No, the *Vessel* falls in love, not the Slayer. The Slayer aspect actually works very hard to keep such temptations away from its host. Even going to some extremes of simulating that emotion with other parties. But this deception is only employed if it finds its connection with their present Vessel a particularly compatible one and one that they do not wish to abandon."

"What do you mean by 'simulating'?"

"I mean, Buffy, that a young woman will always tend to seek out some form of connection or companionship with another. And if the Slayer's Host became emotionally connected with their True-Love all would be lost, at least as far as it was concerned. As you said, love is its kryptonite. So as a means of self-protection it encouraged its host to always reject, push away or try and diminish these feelings. Typically it accomplishes these three by steering her vessel to someone deemed physically acceptable, but not 'ideal'. Counterfeiting these emotions for them or maybe even redirecting emotions that are felt for this 'soul mate' and transplanting it to the Slayer's preferred choice for their Host.

"Try and understand that you are dealing with a three-thousand year old disembodied soul, one that has jumped from host-to-host in that time. It has no 'roots' to speak of or any true appreciation towards life-fulfilling love, it would generally see a Host as a temporary 'home', one that in a few or even several years it would move on from. So if it finds a vessel that is remotely compatible with its own needs and is a glove-like-fit for all its wants, you better believe that she will not want to give up that piece of real estate without a fight. I daresay that if the Spirit found a Host that echoed all her needs then there would be nothing it wouldn't do to stay latched in that body."

Dawn shock her head almost angrily. "No, I don't … I can't believe that! You're saying that a Slayer's love … if Slayer's exist, that their love life would be nothing but a sham. A manipulation?"

Lady Croft's tone softened to counter the heated one coming from the younger Summer's lips. "Dawn, it's not just their love but their life in total. From the moment they are 'Called', a Chosen One is exposed to the dictates of the Slayer's Spirit. They could pick up any weapon that they themselves had never laid eyes upon prior and be proficient in its use in the first try. Before they were 'Called' they may never have been able, or had, thrown a punch in their entire lives, yet overnight they become near Master's of nearly every fighting style imaginable. The moment the Spirit enters their Host body; these young girls have already become susceptible to its physical manipulation of their limbs and their sensors. How farfetched would it be to believe that such manipulations only stopped at the body and not the heart?"

Dawn instinctively looked up to the face of her elder sister, trying to read her features.

Lara continued either not noticing Dawn's worried expression or not caring. "If I was to ask a Slayer who had an extensive dating life if she fell too pieces after a break-up, I think I would get the typical response that she would be unhappy for a day or so and pick up the pieces and then move on. With a 'No Harm, No Foul' outlook to the experience. Other women would not be so lucky; it might take them weeks, months or even years to recover from heart ache. But because these feelings would be false ones, and because her emotions are being guided by an Amazon Warrior who believes that Love is a weakness, a 'Chosen One' would recover very quickly from her 'heart break', don't you see?"

Buffy's eyes narrowed vindictively to the raven hair beauty as she tried to ignore Dawn's startled expression looking up at her. In several sentences, Lady Croft had turned her love life into a joke. No! Worse then a joke, she was herself turned into someone's puppet. If there wasn't so much being said right now that didn't make sense to her on some conscious level then she would be outraged, but the truth was that everything that was being communicated was hitting some common cord of recognition. When Angel left her, she dealt and recovered from the abandonment within a week, same went for Parker and his betrayal. Hell, when Riley was offering his neck to vamp-whores, she was pissed at him and all mopey, but she moved on. Sure there were residual stuff with Spike, but that was only because of the intensity of their relationship and the fact that unlike the other's he didn't exactly leave her life but came back in it. Even with The Immortal, as recent and as painful as that bust-up was, she wasn't exactly losing any sleep over that either.

"According to my forefather's records the oldest Slayer to accomplish this 'de-spiritualisation', had been one for about five-years. She was a French Slayer who got terribly injured in a village on the outskirts of Rodez in the 16th Century. Poisoned, if memory serves by a demon's talon. She ended up spending close to month mending from the toxic effects of its venom. As she recuperated she fell in-love with the Town's Blacksmith, he was 23, god-fearing and single. A real catch too."

"A blacksmith? Are you kidding me? A sooty, smelly blacksmith?"

"I don't know Dawn; personally I find that men who are able to create something from out of raw material are pretty sexy. Blacksmith's, Builder's, Carpenter's, Craftsman's are all pretty impressive in my book. I think it has to do with the fact that they are good with their hands."

Dawn's cheeks blushed and a dreamy smile found itself plastered over her face. "Yeah, I guess you're right there. Guy's who know how to make and fix things are pretty hot. Definitely the hands." Lara chuckled and Dawn giggled at this shared 'meeting of opinions', Buffy however only glared down at the two.

"Excuse me? But weren't we just talking about how these girl's broke the curse?"

"My apologies, Buffy. Anyway, according to my ancestor's account the next morning after the pair had … 'consummated' this shared love and passion for the other, all the abnormal strength, speed and skills she had acquired were no more. All gone. According to follow-up investigations by the Watcher's she eventually lived till she was sixty-two, a ripe old age in the 1500's. Having three children, all boy's, to the Smithy prior to her passing in 1570.

"You could argue that she was the exception if it wasn't for some of the other accounts. But as I have already said, Vampire Slayer's and Love … it's really not that simple; or as cut and dry on the romance front as I am making it sound. Most girls when they are 'called' are already muddled up where the concept of love is involved, so they are not really 'open' to the possibility that love will come their way and are often distrustful when it is given. They would, either through their own experiences or by the Slayer's influences rather chose a more servile or dominant role in every union, either way it would not be an equal partnership."

"And that's important, is it?"

"Maybe not for many young women, Dawn. But a vessel who would be able to freely offer their heart, I suspect would only do so to someone whom they would view as an equal. Defining that type of equality however is a problem, for each recipient of the Slayer Spirit has different ways of measuring such things. And the Spirit that resides within interprets these desires and expectations. A thousand, even hundred's of years ago it probably would have been someone who was physically capable with keeping up with the demands of a Slayer's life that would have her eyes a fluttering. These day's however it could be something else entirely. It comes down to the individual vessel and what they value the most important. Strength? Looks? Charm? Courage? Honour? Intelligence? Loyalty? Heaven's, in this modern age it might be all 7 for all I know. But that person, who ever it might be, would have to be compatible with her own character for the curse to break."

"That sounds near impossible. The perfect man? Is there such a thing?"

"Finding the perfect man is not impossible, Dawn. Being able to *SEE* that person as the perfect man for you, however, can be quite daunting and difficult. This is why it was probably chosen as the loop-hole in this curse. Most Slayer initiates would undoubtedly lack the maturity to make these types of distinction and therefore it would only promote the longevity of the curse. But still, once chosen all boundaries that led them to being selected as vessel's are no more, after they are 'chosen' what follows on is based on strength of character and their own desire to share their life with another."

"What do you mean? Who wouldn't want that?"

"Well, Dawn, the young girl could come from an abusive or broken home, she could be neglected or feel neglected, she could be in a one-sided and underappreciated relationship, she might have a very low opinion of self or be over shadowed by other siblings. Regardless, the consistent trend of my forefather's research had been that Host Candidates all had either a low opinion of self and/or of love in general. But he believed, and I concur, that it didn't mean that they would be incapable of changing their outlooks and wanting to find love after they had been picked to be the next Slayer. In fact because of the 'curse' she is almost guaranteed that her true love would find her more then any other person alive."

Buffy had to unprized her teeth to ask the question that seemed to lay lazily in the silence of the library and one demanding to be asked. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"Well, from what I understand in my Forefather's writings, Fate doesn't work against Chosen Ones in the 'Love-Department', it actually works for them. When a Chosen One is called, things start being put into place by Fate, Fortune, Curse, Providence, Destiny, call it what you will, too ensure that their 'one and only' will eventually be accessible to them. Affection, devotion … love, its all part of the torment for the Slayer Spirit. Don't you see? As I said earlier, curses are about the torment of resisting 'temptation'. You resist the temptation placed in front of you and you can expect not to be severely punished. The trouble is that Chosen Ones aren't the ones cursed. There is nothing overly special or unique that set these girls aside from others, prior to their calling, they are normal everyday females. Just a little bit more depressed and full of teenage angst then most, that's all. A simple case of being the right kind of person in the wrong place at the wrong time. The one who is cursed is the *FIRST* Slayer. The Chosen Ones are her Vessel's; the nature of the Slayer's Curse will always put into place the temptation's to destroy the bind. Do you understand now?"

"Kinda." Buffy started to rubbed her temples as she started to pace up the length of the table, trying to get her facts straight in her pounding head. "So this Host, regardless of whether they believe in love or not, will be subjected to people who could break the spell but the Spirit will generally always guide the host away from such people? Because according to your theory, or rather the theory of your great-great-yudder-yudder-yudder to invite such people into the Vessel's life could end up weakening the curse surrounding the Host and getting the Spirit kicked out, this time possibly to someone it doesn't wanna 'inhabit' as much."

"That's right, at least pretty much. Also, from the 'Spirit's perspective it actually sees itself as doing these girls a favour. It sees itself as their benefactor. It is turning them from being full of self-doubt and possible loathing, depending upon the reassurances and support of a 'Man' and making them into something powerful and confident. A true *Amazon*. But just because the girls that are selected question 'Love', or had thought that Love was a weakness, it doesn't mean that they cannot aspire to attain it. The trouble is that from the moment they are 'called' they always have had this other 'impulse' in the back of their mind steering them in different directions. That small and tiny voice belonging to the Slayer. At least that's what my ancestor believed.

"Their true-love could be standing right in front of them with a neon sign telling them that 'I'm your destined true-love' and they wouldn't have a clue because the Slayer part of them wouldn't *let* them know it. *That's* the torment. That's the torture. To be exposed to your perfect match, to have all the boxes ticked and not being able to go through with it. Could you imagine anything more confusing and upsetting for a young woman? There could be someone who she would logically consider the perfect man, her perfect match, right beside her. But all she would have is, at best, this camaraderie for them. That is why so few vessels are able to break the curse; they would listen to just about everything except 'logic'. They would go from the moment of their 'calling' to their grave never knowing the wonders of 'true-love'. Opting instead to listen to their 'inner-voice' then follow their 'gut'

"They would however be thankfully oblivious to what they would be missing out on. But the Slayer-part wouldn't be. The Slayer aspect would be well aware of what it was denying their host, even if it found 'love' a repugnant concept. It would still be painfully aware that it was diverting the opportunity for its Host's happiness away from them especially if it is aware that 'Love' is the one thing their Vessel's want in the entire world. As such it would view its own conduct as a great insult towards its twisted and complicated sense of honour. That is the true torture and the torment of the Slayer. Always fighting to do right and save lives by destroying 'evil', but never feeling cleansed or good about it's actions because it is denying it's host a true chance of happiness."

Dawn raised her hand, unnecessarily, once more. "But wouldn't the Host be able to work it out? I mean if I hear voices in my head, I'm gonna be a little bit worried. And if these voices tell me not to associate with a cute guy who is really into me, wouldn't it stand to reason that I might start to doubt the reasons to why that is?"

"You made an excellent point, Dawn. But that is why there were Watcher's usually around. It was not unusual that Slayer's would have, what they call, prophetic dreams. I'm sure that after you have one or two nightmarish dreams foretelling future events your logical side would go right out the window. Besides, this is not like a split-personality. It's a lot subtler. It might be easier for you to perhaps imagine this unique relationship like a Jekyll and Hyde dynamic, where like that classic tale where the Hyde personality slowly but surely starts to take more and more personal control away from the Jekyll aspect. From the Slayer's perspective, the Hyde, it was all about emotional self-preservation. The Slayer, you see, is about duty and obligation. Concepts like settling down and building a family are foreign and frightening to an Amazon Warrior. But it's not foreign or frightening to the host's that the spirit inhabits, in fact from the time we are little girls many of us are raised with this vision and expectation of our future. Even in our worst possible moments we cling to this fantasy. When the Slayer Spirit enters its host these various daydreams do not disperse, they remain, but the Slayer Aspect suppresses these wants, yet they are never truly gone. They remain. Eventually, if they *do* permit their vessel to look for love then they will be instinctively picking out romances with no longevity or are eventually doomed to failure. Loves that are good for the moment, but have no staying power whatsoever. Doing everything in its influence to redirect their 'hosts' interest away from the party that would get them expelled."

"What about that Slayer who married the Blacksmith-guy. You said that she was a Slayer for 5-years. Wouldn't the 'Hyde' part have taken over full control of her hormones by that time?"

"You forget Buffy; she was nearly tragically poisoned by a Demon. I suspect that the Slayer-Spirit's energies were all focused on healing her then towards the blossoming interest her vessel was having for the local hunk. By the time she had recuperated, Love was already in the air for the two and all it took was the simple physical expression of that love for the Spirit to be delivered its walking paper's."

"But what did your ancestor say about the timeframe when the 'Vessel' of the Spirit loses all governance. Is it a month? A year? Two-years? Five? What?"

"That, I suppose, is dependant to the strength of will of the Chosen One, Buffy. May, as I said, was born to a simpler life. She lacked the education and possible inner strength to put up much of a battle. So her transition to Slayer started to become noticeable to Lord George after a series of months. Other Girls' of that time and earlier were probably just the same."

"Did your Great, great so-on ever find a way in his research to stop it?"

"Sadly, no. Over time the Slayer's suppression begins to consume all, just as it did with May and the rest, and the Host starts to no longer consider any thoughts of relationships or building a family. It all becomes about duty and the hunt, with feelings that they are apart from society and social norms. Slowly the Host starts to become devoid of thoughts of a future, but as I said, these dreams of a happy and loving outlook never disappear or fade away. They remain, only they remain more prominent and accessible to the Slayer entity because it is this entity that is suppressing it. As I said before its all part and parcel of the torment the curse provides."

"What a complete Bitch!"

Lady Croft smiled at Dawn's impulsive insult and then released a gentle laugh. "I suspect that how I am wording this explanation to you makes the 'Slayer Spirit' come off sounding cruel and cold, but in truth Dawn I have nothing but the deepest sympathy for it. Its entire existence for thousands of years has been to live vicariously through the actions and the eyes of others. It would be easy to cast her as some kind of villain, but remember she never really had a choice in what happened to her. And just because she may have looked upon certain emotions as a vulnerability it didn't mean that she did not see value in other virtues."

"Sorry?"

"Think about it, Buffy." A sly smile crept over the thick lips of the Ladyship. "Pretend for a moment you are this 'Slayer'. A Warrior Caste. A Hunter of Darkness. A Being that sees their life and other's as mealy transient states of existence and you don't believe in mushy-trashy-romance. What kind of values would you rate highest in a mate, or a partner?"

Without needing half a second to even consider a response, the elder Summer sister answered. "Loyalty and Dependability. Someone I could count on always having my back and never deserting me."

"Exactly. Qualities like loyalty and dependability would be the most prized out of all others as far as a Combatant would be concerned. Not looks. Not intelligence. Not soppy poetry or well intentioned gestures. It would be consistency, fidelity and reliability. Someone that would always be there, steadfast and true. However this was never good, because whenever a Vessel and the Slayer found both their desires and needs met in someone it always led to one of two things. Suicide or ostracise."

"Excuse me?"

Lara pulled the brown leather book across the small expanse until it was in front of her. "There are stories of Slayer's who, in mid-fight with beast's and other creatures that were inferior in strength and skill of Slayer's and ones that could have easily have been defeated, who just stopped and allowed themselves to be slain. My forefather believed that in these rare cases the Spirit that was inhabiting these girls had grown tired and was in so much turmoil and emotional confusion that it decided it better and wiser to start fresh in a new host then continue with the misery of holding back a love that was causing it's Vessel and itself nothing but doubt and sorrow."

Instinctively Buffy's hands rose up to cover her chest; she remembered experiencing one such impulse of pure surrender. It wasn't when she jumped from Glory's Tower, that sacrifice served a purpose, protecting Dawn from that same Fate. No, it was when she went down into the Master's Lair during the end of her first year in Sunnydale. It was the night of the School's Prom and she felt the greatest level of abandonment from everyone she cared for. She just wanted to give up. To let the Master drain her dry and kill her, then have everything be finally over with. The fighting, the slaying, the pressure of the whole fate of the world thing always hinging on her shoulders.

She remembered as she was being led down into the Sewer's by that brat, 'The Anointed One', thinking that no-one cared. After all, it was foretold that the Master would kill her dead and nobody was telling her it couldn't happen. Not Giles, Angel, Willow or even Xan*. Skip that, Xander was the only one who believed she could fight the prophecy. But she didn't really find out about that until later when she was receiving a debriefing from Giles over everything that went down after she had made her mind up to 'meet her maker'.

Maybe if the two of them had chatted before she decided to descend into the Lair the whole Master's ascension thing probably would never have happened. But then again Xan was hardly in the talkative mood with her at the time, earlier in the week he had asked her to be his date to the 'Spring Fling' and had also confessed his hidden feelings for her. It wasn't like she had many offers to go from the other guys, infact Xander was the only one who had even screwed up the courage to even ask her out. Cordelia had back then been her bitchy-rival and had pretty much crushed any 'normal rep' she could have earned with some of the eligible at SD High, leaving her with only the dregs and the desperate, not that Xander fell into any of those categories. She told herself at the time that her rejection of him that it was to help push Xand and Will closer together as a couple, but the truth was that when he had finally poured his heart out to her, she was genuinely afraid. Xander was one of the dearest and sweetest and completely 'Xandery' people she ever had the pleasure and honour of knowing. And she knew that with her luck with guys, sooner or later, her 'Buffiness' would destroy whatever friendship or relationship that could have formed between them and she would be the one who would be the loser out of that deal. It was just easier just to keep her romantic distance and stay purely plutonic.

When he accused her hesitation and her answer of 'no' being related to her 'crush' with Angel, which was kinda a little bit true, it hurt. Angel was mysterious, tormented and more part of her 'world' then Xander ever could be. And no-lying, that appealed to her 'Romeo-&-Juliet' fantasy world. But when Xander got up from the bench and turned his back on her, she felt as though she had just ripped off her own right-arm. And it was *THAT* emptiness, *THAT* loss and *THAT* despair she took down with her later that night to the Master's Lair.

WAIT … hang on … Unnoticed by everyone else in the room, the Slayer's eyes widened and she released a little unheard gasp. The words Lara had said began replaying back over in her mind like a broken record.

'in these rare cases the Spirit … inhabiting these girls had grown tired and was in turmoil and pain that it decided … to start fresh in a new host then continue with the misery of holding back a love that was causing it nothing but confusion and sorrow … Their 'true-love' could be standing right in front of them … but the Slayer part of them wouldn't let them know it …. There could be someone who she would consider the perfect man, her perfect match, right beside her … But all she would have is, at best, this camaraderie for them.'

Buffy stepped back from the table and the two seated females, her head pounding like never before. A dull and solid thud that refused to be denied by its owner anymore as more memories, now as clear as crystal started to wedge itself into her minds-eye through the blunted pain. How close had the two of them gotten to the other over the years? Her and Xander? In her memory she could instantly think of a dozen experiences where the two of them were literally caught in what seemed like some invisible bind where their eyes were locked desperately and hungrily with the other with their lips already parting in anticipation for what might come. But the spell, the beautiful and instant enchantment that captured them both would always be broken by one of them pulling away at the very last possible moment. That 'one' was always her. Her, or was it the 'Slayer' part of her?

Her eyes closed to slits as small weeping tears started to glisten under her eye-lashes; uncertain to whether this was due to the pain racketing between her ears that she was silently enduring or her own sudden realisation. Xander. Always loyal, always supportive, always *there* Xander. If what Lara was saying was the truth, and a part of her, she had to admit, prayed that it wasn't. It meant that the last 10-years of living a life full of danger, pain, disappointment, complaint and loneliness would never have happened if she had just found the courage to have said 'yes' to his Date nine and a half years ago, or had even kissed him just once on impulse all those other times! True, maybe placing Xander as this fictitious 'Soul Mate/Love Interest' for her was a stretch, but it also seemed right here and right now an absolute certainty.

She always used to believe Angel was her one and only, but their relationship always came and went, flickering in intensity like a lit candle in a gentle breeze. But with Xander? With the exception of the last couple of years he was always there for her, through the good times and the bad. Backing her up, trusting her, being a ever reliant support to her when all others weren't. Never asking from her more then she was willing to give. And for him, every relationship he had suffered for it. First Cordelia and then with Anya. She wasn't deaf nor was she blind, she knew that both women didn't like Xand always dropping whatever it was he was doing to come running when she called. Sometime it was something she joyously and perversely exploited with Willow just to watch either female get riled or to see how much she could get Xander to do before he would say 'enough'.

"What about the other thing? 'Ostracise'?"

"Well, Dawn, it was either one thing or another. If the Slayer found that it was unable to direct its Host to kill themselves, then they would just as easily take the alternative and separate themselves from the 'distraction'. Either dismissing themselves or the other person's participation in their life."

"Did that ever actually work?"

Lara fastened the clasps on the ancient leather volume. "Hard to say really. My Forebear believed that inadvertent suicide by the Slayer was always the more preferable and quicker choice. After all, even if you are told to ignore the 'elephant' in the room it's still going to be there, isn't it? For the Slayer to take the stance of willingly choosing this process over their own death would go a long way towards demonstrating how much this person sub-consciously meant to them."

Buffy raked her fingers through her hair, wishing to god that the two would just stop talking. Every sentence was like an ice dagger burying itself deep into her brain. More memories flooded though of her decision after the Master's Layer and Angelus to give Xander his marching orders. To stop him from actively participating in the 'Scooby Adventures'. She justified this by stating that Xander was a normal person, unlike Willow and Giles who could call on magic. But wasn't Oz also just a 'normal person', with the exception of 3-nights out of the month and during those nights he spent them in a cage. Yet she never ordered the same restrictions upon the Lycanthrope?

"There were even one or two instances of murder."

This sentence temporarily broke the spell the elder blonde was experiencing. "What do you mean murder?"

"Well, as I pointed out earlier in our conversation, if the Slayer establishes a strong enough bond with their vessel and they dictate that they do not wish to go anywhere anytime soon. And if they genuinely perceive a person a threat to breaking the curse and getting them cast out into another vessel. Then it stands to reason that they would do anything to ensure that this did not happen. Even going so far as killing the person they believe could break the spell before that love could be confessed and enacted upon. This of course is all supposition, but my ancestor retold of two trails by the Watcher Council on Slayer's, that were eventually put to death, who had intentionally killed a human. A human who was not a victim of circumstance or accident, a person who the Chosen One knew very well and specifically sought out. In each case the victim was age-appropriate to the Chosen One herself and also male. During the Trail's the Vessel's stated that they did not know what had come over them. That they were unable to stop their actions until the deed was done."

Buffy's gut swayed and her voice trembled. "Did these guy's die from … from being strangled?"

"Actually, yes. On both counts the victims were strangled by the bare hands of the Chosen One as she straddled his chest."

Suddenly the throbbing headache that had been beseeching her consciousness for the past fifteen minutes disappeared. Buffy would have laughed in relief if she wasn't already caught in a torrent of her own past. She remembered with clarity that Angel had saved Xander from that very same fate, by Faith. But Faith wasn't in-love with Xander, was she? Besides they had sex and she was still a Slayer. Shouldn't the spirit have gone if that was the case?

Dawn croaked out a question, one that was obviously sharing Buffy's own line of thought about the former Black-Sheep-Slayer and their Xander. "Can a Vessel have sex with their 'true love' and nothing happen?"

"Of course."

"But you said before that Chosen Ones, once they expressed their love for their *"

Lara interrupted the now flustered youth calmly. "Dawn. Sex is Sex. I have had my fair share of sexual-partner's, but I have never had to be in love with them to enjoy the experience. Sex is purely physical enjoyment, but it is fleeting and it is transient. Sex when you are truly in love with someone is deeper and more profound. It's not a case of fun and games, when you are in-love you a truly sharing your all with the other person. A Chosen One could have sex with an individual and then fall in love with that person after, just as we all can. But if that did happen, the sex-first pre –emotion then the Slayer Spirit would take the threat of that 'Lover' far more seriously."

"I see." Dawn's eyes averted to the table, her voice and questions once so full of excitement now seemed tired and defeated.

Lara looked at the young beauty at her side, her face full of compassion to Dawn's sombre expression. "Look it's been a long night. Why don't I have Henry organise a room and some night garments and we all call it an evening, hmm?"

Without waiting for her younger sister to reply, Buffy spoke up. "Yeah, that would be great. I think we could all use some rest."

Within moments of Lara buzzing for his presence, her Man-Servant appeared indicating he had already taken the initiative towards preparing a room for both the Manor's visitors. As Buffy was about to leave the Library with the middle-aged man and her sister she turned back to address Lady Croft. "You seem to know quite a bit about Slayer's don't you?"

Lara lifted the tomb from the large dining room table. "I wouldn't say that I'm an expert, but I have tried to immerse myself in the subject given that my next chosen adventure will require a very intimate knowledge on the subject."

Buffy stepped forward, casually looking over her shoulder to ensure that Dawn was a distance away before she posed this next question. "Is it possible for Vampire Slayer's to fall in-love with other people, or do you think it will always be just the one person?"

Lara pushed the ancient book back into its place upon the shelf and considered her words a moment before she spoke aloud. "The moment a Chosen One is called she is in a symbiotic relationship with the Spirit. But any love discovered must meet both parties' desires for the curse to be broken, whether that love or desire is something that will evolve with the passing of time, I cannot say. I suspect if we were going to go all 'romantic' on this notion then the answer would be no. One Vampire Slayer – One True Love."

"But is it possible for, I don't know, if you had like one, two, three, seven thousand Vampire Slayer's they could all maybe have the hots for the same guy?"

Lara laughed at the implication. "Yes, I suppose so. Remember, all Vampire Slayers met the same pre-requisite requirements at the time when they were 'called'. This means that they were all identically vulnerable to the same degree in specific areas. Area's that mirrored the First Slayer at the time of it's first death. This means that at the core of their heart's they all probably sought or desired the same type of affection. Not every man possesses a 'spiritual-twin'. So it would not be inconceivable that what one generational Slayer found attractive another wouldn't find equally desirable. True, they may all have different manners or outlooks, their personas may be in complete contrast. One Slayer could be refined, another could be brash, and another might even be vulgar. But deep down in their heart's, in their soul they all share the same fragile spirit seeking to be loved by the right kind of man. Hundred's of years ago such girls would have placed a preference towards a male who could probably keep up with them physically on top of the other things. Now, as you pointed out earlier, devotion would probably be at the top of its list. So, yes. If there were seven thousand active Vampire Slayer's they would all most likely share the same compatible desires and might even find these desires met in a single individual."

Buff turned to leave but before she left the Ladyship she posed one last and all important question, one excusing itself of any pretence or charade, after all it was very clear to the elder Summer's that Lara knew she was indeed a Vampire Slayer. "If there was a Chosen One who was, I don't know the oldest one in existence, if she found her 'True Love' again and given the time that she and the Spirit had shared in the same body, would she be able to break the curse?"

Lara walked over to the window and looked up to the Moon that she and Buffy had both stared at earlier that night when they were out in the balcony garden. With a voice that was almost a whisper she replied. "I … I don't know. If we support the one slayer, one love hypothesis I suspect anything is possible. But time changes people, Buffy. The feelings of the Chosen One might still drive a strong heart, but what of their intended? If a Chosen One was unwilling to enact on her impulses and instead allowed whatever passionate emotions that exist to cool, would she be surprised if her 'True Love' has moved on from their earlier infatuation and possibly found someone else, someone … better for them in the long run?"

Creases left Buffy's face, she never considered that possibility. She never thought that the declaration of love could be deemed selfish. Choosing not to say another word, as she already had so much now on her mind, the Slayer left the Library. Walking double time she was able to catch up with Dawn without her even noticing that she had been absent.

When Henry returned he found Lara with her feet outstretched upon the polished oak table, flicking through the recent months issue of 'Survivalist'.

"You really enjoyed that, didn't you?" The Man-Servant said sitting in a chair just adjacent to her own. "Playing dumb to who they both really were and then offering that spiel."

Raising her magazine slightly to conceal a sly smile that was forming on her perfect face, the Ladyship answered with an air of innocence in her tone. "I don't know what you mean?"

"Lara, cat's toy with their pray. People are far more civilised, at least I thought you were prior to tonight. What was all that rubbish about?"

"You were eavesdropping? Henry, I thought better of you!"

"Of coarse I was eavesdropping. You've got speaker's in every bleeding room, do you really think I wouldn't want to listen in? Quite a show you put on too I might add, had myself and Bryce very entertained."

Lara answered with an air of sarcasm. "So happy to please you both with my little performance." Drawing her magazine up higher to conceal the amusement in her eyes.

Frustrated, Henry removed himself from his chair and approached a large ancient looking world globe in the corner of the room. Rotating the top half back and revealing a portable drinks cabinet within. He withdrew a crystal glass and began to pour neat two finger's worth of whiskey. This little enterprise did not go unnoticed by her Ladyship who decided to toy with her staffer once more. "While your up, could you mix me a Bloody Mary. After tonight's festivities I could truly use a stiff one."

A firm thud of a lone glass was placed upon the ledge of the window sill. Lara tried to stifle a giggle from rising in her throat as she imaged the expression of both anger, disappointment and disgust upon her most trusted aide without turning around to betray herself and her 'game-playing'.

"I will *bloody* not. Not while you are in your present condition. I will serve you Tomato Juice, plain. But that is all. Seriously Lara, Dr Pascoe was very specific on what you can and can't do. And one of the 'Can't Do's is drinking alcohol, at least for the next seven months."

Lara Croft couldn't control herself any longer and burst out in a hearty laugh. "Your going to make a wonderful mother one day, Henry."

Realising he had been the butt of a joke, the dutiful butler surrender a chuckle at his own expense. "Well, I believe one of us should be, don't you?"

Lara protectively lowered her left hand down to her stomach and then began to massage it fondly. "Oh, I promise you, Henry, I will be the best mother this planet has ever known, just wait and see. And besides, Pascoe didn't say I couldn't drink, just that it was not recommended and if I did to limit the consumption."

"Still I am not going to stand by and place the next generation of Croft's in danger of any potential birthing difficulties all because you feel a trifle 'dehydrated'. If Master Harris found out I could have stopped you and there were complications down the line, well I dread to think what nasty things he would do to me."

"Alex isn't like that and you know it. He's a puppy dog."

"Puppy Dog my left eye. He's down right scary when he wants to be. Last year with that Ghana Adventure he caused poor Bryce to literally change his shorts."

"That was just an act. Come on, Henry ii was the two of them against seven armed-to-the-teeth neo-Nazi's with only a pocket knife for defence. He had to get all dark and dangerous or it would have been game over for him and Brycie. It was a performance, pure and simple."

"Well then it was one certainly deserving of an Oscar, Bryce says he still has nightmares about that experience and he keeps muttering 'He likes the quiet'. What does that even mean anyway? Every time I ask him he just goes as white as a sheet."

Lara smiled a small smile before answering. "It's just a line in a speech Alex uses to unnerve people. He employed it once when he was younger on a sociopathic zombie and it proved very effective. And if it can give the 'walking dead' the willies then imagine what it can do to those of us who have their hearts still beating?"

"All I am saying is that Master Harris has proven to be a man not to be underestimated that is all. And when it comes to looking after people who are important to him, Bryce included, he has no problems exceeding those expectations and going to very 'Dark' places. Now will you mind telling me why you have not, as yet, introduced yourself properly to these young ladies?"

Lara took a sip of her prepared Tomato Juice and pulled a face. "It's still warm."

"Which means it will digest well, now stop evading the question. Why this ridiculous charade?"

"I wanted to get to know them as people first. I didn't want to force myself upon them by stating that 'I am Mrs Harris, it's a pleasure too meet you'. I also wished to take their measure without the biased opinion of Xander swaying my judgement."

"And your conclusions?"

"Dawn is exactly as Alex described. Clever, creative, proper and someone who is repeatedly struggling to escape her elder sister's shadow. He did however leave out one important thing."

"And that is?"

"Her adolescent crush of him has progressed to a full-on infatuation."

Henry took a sip of his whiskey as he processed this drama and looking decidedly uncomfortable with what he just heard. "Are you certain of this?"

"Oh yes. I laid out the breadcrumbs and she followed the trail whole heartedly. Not that I truly needed too. When Alex and I uncovered that scam artist in Botswana and he jumped in front of me in order to shield me by being cleaved in two, she didn't know it, but I was there when she came storming into the hospital the following day all but screeching out his name to the first Nurse that crossed his path. She was in near hysterics."

"Ahem, from your own retelling you yourself weren't much different. Infact if I remember correctly you actually waved your Beretta's in the Head of Surgery's face. It took the promise of a brand new Annex to the Hospital for him to drop the charges."

"Excuse me, but I had Alex bleeding all over me as well as the floor. He was unconscious and probably only minutes away from dying if he wasn't immediately stabilised. I had just finished driving twenty minutes with the man I love passing in and out of lucidity, offering him reassurances that he would pull through. When I make a promise, Henry, I keep it. And no second-rate surgeon is going to make me a liar. If Alex was going to have to go into Theatre then by God I was going to make sure that he was going to be operated on by the best that Hospital had available, end of story. And if he got testy because I put a barrel to his forehead and threatened to squeeze the trigger unless he got off his wrinkled ass and save my man, then who of the two of us is the real girl?"

"I'm just stating that your reactions, though more extreme, were on par with her own."

"Exactly, that's how I know what she feels for him. When Alex was being operated, it was the worst eight hours of my life. I couldn't stand it. I ended up leaving and hunting down that 'Animal' who tried to kill him *"

"* Actually Lara, that 'Animal' was trying to kill you. Master Harris jumped in front of you, remember?"

Lara looked away, haunted by her own memory. "I found him, I never came closer to beating a man to death then I did right then. I dragged him to the nearest Police Outpost, returned to the Hospital and called the Council letting them know what had happened to Alex. Not in a million years did I actually expect them to send anyone."

"Mistress Dawn's arrival was a surprise then?"

"Very much so. I was coming out of the cafeteria after reloading on Java when she barrelled through the doors. The moment she said Alex's nickname, I froze. They gestured her to his room and I followed, when I reached the door and peered in I saw she was sitting in the chair I left, holding tightly the hand I had let go five minutes earlier and she was crying like a baby. I watched from a distance for over four hours, waiting for her to pause for a moment so I could walk in and introduce myself. On the fifth hour I decided that I should just leave and catch up with him when he was discharged knowing well that at the moment he was in as good a hands as anyone. You don't cry non-stop for five hours like that Henry, without there being more then just 'friendship' or 'sisterly-love'."

"I see, that could make things awkward."

"No, I don't think so. Buffy, however is far more intriguing."

"Ah yes, I got the impression that she doesn't think that much of you."

"No, your right. She doesn't trust me, she knows that I know who she is and she doesn't like that. But she doesn't, as yet, know if I am friend or foe. In a lot of ways she is a very disagreeable person. But I truly believe despite her manners she would lay down her life for anyone she cared about without hesitation. So in my book that earns her some respect. But just like her sister, she also has deep feelings for my man."

Henry looked up astonished from his drink. "BOTH? Are you kidding me?"

"I wouldn't have believed it either, but at dinner as I was chatting to Dawn about any beau's who might have her eye and we did some back and forth 'girl-talk', I told her about a 'mysterious' man-friend I have in Africa. When I reference Alex, Buffy became very distant and eventually had to excuse herself. I spoke to her outside and I allowed the topic to stray towards her this friend of her's in Africa. Words can lie, Henry, expressions don't. She looked heartbroken and tormented at merely referencing his name. And when I was educating them both on the 'True Love' Clause of the Slayer Curse, she looked decidedly distracted. Mulling over and hanging off nearly every word I spoke. Especially the part about how the Slayer Spirit had a tendency of pushing Vessel's into incompatible romances and forcing their 'True Loves' to be perceived as mere-friends."

"Amazing. So when will you tell them the truth? About you being the bride of their own heart's intended as well as the future mother of his brood?"

Lara picked up her tomato juice once more and stared longingly into the glass in her hand. "Technically we're not officially married yet, so I can't go introducing myself as Lady Harris yet now can I? And as for the other thing if I haven't told the father yet it seems unfair to tell my rivals first don't you agree?"

"Rivals?"

"Yes. Right now I am more then prepared to set Xander free of my love if he wishes it. It would break my heart, but I would much rather have this issue hashed out now then run the risk of losing him to one of these vixen's later on. I will still keep and raise this child and he will still be a father, just not a 'Dad'."

"So that's the plan is it? Place the three of you on display and offer Master Harris the chance to take his pick, whilst at the same time keeping something as important as impending fatherhood from him? I never thought you would be that cruel, Lara."

"Believe me, Henry, this doesn't thrill me either. I hate it. But the Queen herself has instructed me to take this action. She is sick and tired of her aristocrats getting divorces and she wasn't too thrilled when I informed her that I was officially unwed and in the family-way either, to an American 'Adventurer' no less. She does not want another scandal to touch the House of Windsor, she has enough headaches keeping the gossip rags under control will respects to Will, Henry and Bea. And she has instructed me to take whatever extremes I have to ensure this union will stick."

Henry finished off his glass in a smooth action and stood up, he could never understand women. Men were far simpler. If you had a problem with another guy you either said your piece or you just punched them. He would die protecting his 'England' and it's Monarch. But this request by the 'The Old Girl' herself was out of the ordinary and it both puzzled and distressed him. He knew that the British Tabloids loved a scandal, but surely this wouldn't rate as high as the many other Royal 'Mistakes' in the past couple of years, could it? Unless there was something the Queen knew about Master Harris that he and his own Mistress didn't know?