Chapter 10
Coven's Temple, Devon
Willow paused, ceasing her tirade and taking stock. She could see around her now the allies she had mowed down with her blind anger. She could see Giles lying still in one corner, unconscious near to some fallen masonry. She could see Morgana and Amy looking at her, scared but confused.
But more than anything she could feel something inside of her. She looked around once more and saw that there was no one in a position to have cast any enchantment upon her. She looked deep within herself and felt an inner warmth, a serenity that she had not felt in years. It was as if her anger was being cooled, her fears and pain were being reassured and comforted in turn. She felt calm again, no longer a prisoner of herself, but her mistress once more.
Buffy reached the top of the balcony, determined to talk her friend down, only to see Willow, hair and eyes returning to normal, float down gently to the temple floor. She smiled and exhaled a huge sigh of relief. One less problem to worry about, she thought.
Morgana launched a fireball at Willow, determined to destroy the woman she realised she could no longer attempt to control. She watched in vain as the fireball dissipated before it reached its target, Willow standing with a calm smile on her lips.
"Nice try, Morgana. You tried to control me. You failed. Boo Hoo, get over it!"
"I could have given you the world, Willow, now all I can give you is death. Amy, play with your old friend."
"Yes My Lady."
Amy began to chant, but almost immediately began to cough and choke, as if someone was holding her throat. She fell down, grasping at the imaginary hand.
Morgana glanced around the room and saw the Coven's circle had recovered and were now chanting in silence, and that it was their attack on Amy that had been so clinical and effective. She now attempted to launch her own attack but saw quickly that a barrier had been placed around the populace by Willow. Morgana saw that her options were now gone. There was no way for her to cast a spell and be able to escape or cause damage. She was done. She allowed herself a brief smile as she saw the Dark Man crawl out from the quicksand floor and attempt to strike, only to see his strike having no effect upon the barrier.
"Game, set and match, Morgana", smirked Buffy. "And, I have to say, this whole "destroy Avalon, kill or enslave my best friend" idea of yours, there are one or two small glitches. Mostly the one involving me."
"Drop the barrier and let My Lady leave or the boy dies!" The voice came from near the entrance of the temple. It was Claire Danvers, holding David close to her body with her right arm, and holding a long ceremonial dagger in her left. "Do it! Or I'll slit his throat right here and now!"
"Seems the game isn't quite over yet, Miss Summers. Well done, Claire. I assume that Mister Carter is no more?"
"I let him sleep permanently, My Lady. Nice of Willow here to make him easy to overcome. Rather naïve to think that I wouldn't have detected the drug in our drink. I have a higher constitution than most, Miss Rosenberg, plus enough magic to diffuse the effects of the tranquiliser. But it was a nice shot. Now allow them safe passage, or there will be one more Merrick funeral to arrange."
Buffy glanced to Althanea, and saw in her eyes a simple pleading from a woman who had lost her daughter and son-in-law and did not wish to lose her grandchild too. It was a plea that Buffy was more than happy to comply with. "Keep the shield up but allow them to cast their little portal spell. But hurt the boy or attempt to take him with you and we will close the portal with all of you trapped in limbo. And believe me, Willow and the Coven can pull that little trick off. It'll be your own little Phantom Zone." Buffy's eyes never left Morgana's as she spoke, making it plain that every word was not so much a threat, as a promise.
"We will meet again, Miss Summers. And next time it will be in a battleground of my choosing. As for you, Miss Rosenberg, I have no choice now but to destroy you. You could have been the greatest of all my students, now you will be the one who suffers the most by your denial."
"We'll see who's suffering come the end." Retorted Willow in defiant voice.
Amy and Morgana began to chant and within moments a portal opened, allowing them to leave. The Dark Man entered first, followed by Morgana, Amy, their other soldiers, and lastly Claire, who pulled David tight toward her all the way to the opening, before pushing him away and disappearing through the portal, which closed behind her.
Althanea ran towards her grandchild, hugging him tightly as tears fell from her eyes. "I thought I had lost you too, David. Thank the Goddess you are alive."
Buffy surveyed the scene, ensuring that no one was left. "Now that the excitement is over, Miss Harkness, you have some questions to answer. And I'm not in the mood for cryptic."
Althanea nodded and stood up. "Yes, things have progressed far quicker than expected, or at least far quicker than I expected. We shall go up to my office. Gabriel, there is a change of clothes in your room I believe, something a bit more formal than your jeans and t-shirt. Change and meet us there."
"Be with you all momentarily." His tone was all business now, gone was the self-deprecating humour and in its place was the calm, authoritarian inflections that belied his Watcher training.
Glastonbury
The world stopped spinning, and Tara regained her composure. She had seen a terrible sight in those few moments, a Willow she did not recognise but yet seemed all too believable. Now she looked around her and saw only the meadow, the road ahead and the town in the distance.
She looked down and noticed Michelle was now scrambling to her feet and that Heather was sitting up. Both looked dazed and yet composed. "Have your memories returned as well?" Tara asked both of her companions.
Michelle and Heather nodded. Michelle was smiling. "I know this area. My mother has a Coven not too far from here. If we can get to a phone box, I will call her. She can pick us up. We don't have much time. I understand now why they sent us away."
Tara hugged Heather, who was strangely silent. "Are you okay, little one? I told you we would be okay." Tara gave the young child a radiant smile that brought out a similar expression in her young charge.
Michelle stood up fully now. "C'mon. We will be with my Mother soon."
Coven's Temple, DevonGabriel Caine entered the office of Miss Harkness washed and dressed in a dark suit and tie that made him look like a member of the cast from Reservoir Dogs. It was a better cut of dark suit though, and he looked more serious now than he had seemed during the fight or the brief meeting he had had with them in the Watcher's Headquarters.
Buffy noted all of this in her head before turning her attention back to Althanea, and the situation at hand. "So, why did you hold back on us?"
"It was necessary. We honestly didn't know who to trust and who not to. Joseph and Michelle always insisted that as few people knew as was necessary and after they were killed I strongly suspected a traitor within the Council. I felt it wise to withhold until I could ascertain the guilty party."
"And in doing so you placed us all in danger and kept vital information from us." Giles was furious and he allowed his temper to vent.
"You're more than capable of handling yourself, Mister Giles, as are Miss Summers and Miss Rosenberg. The others we knew would not be in the front line. We did under-estimate Morgana though in her speed. Should have known it was an archivist that was spying for her. I honestly thought it was Carter." Caine's voice was stern and could not hide the desire to protect the head of the Coven.
"Why didn't Joseph leave his notes here with you? Or if he trusted me enough to send David to me, didn't he leave them with me?"
"Because we would have been the target of an uncontrollable barrage from which there would be no survivors and no way to prevent her finding Avalon. You too would have been picked off if you had the information. Joseph placed it in a safe place, not even we knew where he had hidden it, although I had suspected the Council library." Caine seemed ready for the argument, his body language proclaiming that he would happily take Giles down if need be.
"I know. I came with it in the car. Joseph hid his notes in the Council Library, in the Watcher's Diaries of Wesley Wyndham-Pryce."
A thin smile graced Caine's lips. "Good old Joseph! Guess he couldn't resist the irony of it all! He knew you would find it, Mister Giles. That's why he chose you. He knew you were up to the task."
"Why not you?" Giles' could barely contain the venom in his voice.
"I was too close to Joseph and Michelle. I was too obvious and they knew it. They would have sent an attack to Masterson and been back here before anyone had a chance to figure out how to deal. No, the books had to remain in England, or at the very least Britain, for them to be of any use to us."
Buffy shot up her hand, as though she were back in school. "Hate to butt in but we can have recriminations later, let's just deal with what is. So, we assume that Claire will have heard us discussing Avalon and the Entwined in the car and may have Giles notes with her. So we have to know, right now, Where is Avalon? Who or what is this 'Entwined' and does it have anything to do with Willow? Who was the guy with the seriously hard skin and fancy swordplay? And how do we stop this gothic bitch from making Avalon a former place of beauty?"
Althanea leaned back into her seat. "Thank you, Miss Summers, for bringing this conversation round to the pertinent issues." She shot an angry look at both Giles and Caine, who both retreated to their corners. "In answer to your questions, we know that Avalon is located somewhere near Glastonbury, shrouded in mist and powerful magic, warding off people from entering the Veil that shields the Fey realm from our world. The Entwined were supposed to have been together by now, and no, we don't know who they are but we do suspect that Miss Rosenberg is one of them. We have suspected this since she came here from Sunnydale after the death of her lover, Tara. I was cautious, but Michelle was convinced."
Caine now stepped forward, clearing his throat. "The man you were referring to is Philippe Devereaux, Sword master and, more importantly, Morgana's son. He is a descendent of Mordred. We knew that she had a lotion that could be applied to armour to make it near impregnable but it seems she has perfected it so it can be applied directly to his flesh. I am sure with the Council's notes and the Coven here we will find some way to crack his shell, as it were. But his skill is natural, just the speed and strength of it that has been enhanced. Even without them he would still be a tricky opponent."
"Which only leaves us with Morgana and how do we stop her before I go all dark again and kill everyone in the room." Willow had remained silent throughout all this conversation. Her thoughts had been introspective, worrying and fearing for her safety and that of others after the episode downstairs that had caused her to lose control. The only real moments of conversation she had caught were the mention of Tara. Her name should have hurt, but Willow found only calmness where there had once been an empty hole. Have I lost her completely by going so dark, asked Willow to herself.
Giles crossed over to Willow and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It won't come to that, Willow. You showed Morgana that you are capable of reversing the effects. And we will ensure that the magic you face will be minimal. In fact, I plan to keep you out of this fight as much as possible, just to ensure you feel safe. I think its time the Coven became pro-active in this battle."
The buzzer of Althanea's telephone sounded. At first she ignored it, hoping it would cease, but it did not. Sighing, she answered. "Didn't I tell you no calls whilst I was in this mee….. Put her through!" Althanea's voice was now one of barely contained excitement.
Giles saw anticipation and hope on the Priestess' face and as the first muffled sounds of the voice came through the receiver, tears flooded her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
"It is so good to hear your voice! I honestly thought. Yes, she is here. Giles, Gabriel, Buffy, Dawn. Yes he is here too. He will be glad to see you. Yes, I understand. We will come and collect you straight away. So you were right. Yes, I think that will be the best course of action. We will be with you soon."
"Old friend?" inquired Buffy, desperate to get the conversation back on topic.
Althanea could barely hold back her smile. "Someone I have known all her life."
Caine smiled with her. "Do you mean who I think you mean?"
"Yes. And she has brought with her the answer to the riddle of the Entwined. I can't believe how obvious it was. Gabriel, remain here and help Buffy and Willow prepare for the coming battle. We may be asked to either defend Avalon or take out Morgana, possibly both. Mister Giles, we are needed in Glastonbury, right now. I will assemble the Coven to create a gateway. We must hurry, time is of the essence here."
Wyngarde CastleMorgana smiled. Usually her smiles meant death, by violence or sex, to someone in the castle but there was something in her smile, in her very movements, that seemed to send signals that no one was dying by her hand as a result of this news. Not yet, anyway.
"So, we attack at first light. That will give both myself and my men a chance to rest and refresh. By noon, Avalon will be obliterated and the Entwined will be powerless. Send out the word, Amy, and ensure that no one disturbs me tonight."
"Yes, My Lady."
GlastonburyMichelle quickly returned to the small hiding place in the back street where Tara and Heather were crouched.
"I called my mother and told her where we are. They should be here any time now."
"She lives that close?" asked Heather, sleep fighting her for control.
"No. She is the head of a powerful Coven in Devon. They are going to open a gateway, my mother will appear, probably with one or two others."
Tara looked at her companion, who was shaking back a tear. "Going to be emotional for you, isn't it?"
"Yes. She told me that my son is still alive. I thought for sure they had killed him along with my husband. But he's alive and now I can be with him again."
Tara's heart went out to Michelle. She had similar feelings with regards to Dawn, whom she saw as her surrogate daughter and hoped to see at some point. But more than that, she wanted to see Willow.
She knew now that 5 years had passed since her death. A lot can happen in five years, she thought, but hopefully those years have been good to her. But Tara knew that Willow would have moved on, and part of her was glad for that. The idea of Willow still feeling alone after all this time was not one Tara was prepared to contemplate. She just wanted to see for herself that Willow was alive and well, and happy. For all the things that Tara had ever wanted for Willow, her happiness had always been her main priority.
And that had caused the friction, she knew. She had become so concerned with Willow's happiness that she didn't speak up and speak out when it was obvious that Willow was abusing her power. So worried was she about her after the death of Buffy that she didn't voice her deep concerns about the spell to resurrect their friend, and the consequences it may have on her. So scared of hurting her after their argument and after Willow had shown such patience after Glory had stolen her sanity from her that Tara had stayed silent when she saw Willow dabble with forces and ideas that would do her harm. All to keep Willow happy.
She knew now that if she had the time to do over that she would have said something, would have challenged Willow more. Maybe if she had, then the events that led up to her death might have been altered, and they would still be together or if not, then at least Willow would have chosen her path and Tara might be with someone new. Someone who would not have raped her mind as Willow had done.
But she had forgiven Willow, just before her death. And try as she might, she could not let herself feel any anger over her lover. She still loved her as much now as she did the day she died, and that would be hardest part of all of this. Letting go of the past.
Bright light illuminated the afternoon street. Michelle looked round from their hiding place and saw two people materialise from the glowing sphere that floated some twenty feet away from where she was. She recognised both of them instantly.
"Stay here. I'll greet my mother and her companion then I'll come and get you." After seeing Tara and Heather nod, Michelle left the hiding spot, and entered the street.
It took the briefest of seconds for Althanea and Michelle to meet and embrace. Both shed tears as if they were afraid that they would never cry again. Through the tears, they could not help but smile.
"I still can't quite believe it. But right now I don't want to think about it, I am just so glad you're alive." Althanea could barely contain her joy.
Michelle pulled away gently from her mother. "I'm here, but not alone. Two others came out with me. One of them is a child, the other in her early twenties. Mister Giles, I think you may recognise the older one."
Tara's eyes lit up. Surely it couldn't be the same one!
"Well, I look forward to meeting this young lady then. We do have a great many questions, Michelle, and it seems that you may be the link we need."
It was Giles, and as the realisation dawned panic set into her heart. Tara's mind focused on one thought and one alone – If he was here, was Willow?
"Heather! Tara! It's time to go!"
Giles eyes widened at the name. As the two emerged, recognition smiled across his features. In that moment, all the horrors he had witnessed in the previous few days seemed to vanish as he stared at her. He had taught himself long ago to hide his emotions, not to be a victim of them. But in this hour, in this place, he allowed his sorrow, his happiness, his relief, to overwhelm him as he embraced his adopted daughter.
Tara too was caught up in the emotion of the moment. It was a happy reunion and one she was thankful for. Now she composed herself, and felt Giles do likewise as he felt the scrutinizing eyes around him. "I guess you m-missed me then?"
"We all did. Some of us still do." Answered Giles, trying to be as composed as his emotions would allow.
"Is everyone, you know, okay? Dawn? Buffy? Xander? W-Willow?"
"Well, everyone bar Xander is back at the Coven. I think we need to talk though. There are things you need to know before you see them all."
"Is everything all right though?"
"Yes, in the main. Buffy dealt with your death quite well, under the circumstances. Dawn took your death very badly. So soon after the death of her mother and Buffy, to lose you as well was tough on her. But she has gotten through it and just a few days ago became a fully qualified Watcher."
Tara smiled from ear to ear. "I always knew she would be someone special. How does Buffy feel, having a younger sister who can boss her around?"
"Dawn will have her own Slayer to deal with."
"What do you mean?"
"A lot has happened. Some of it can wait but some is necessary to know before you see."
"Willow. What happened?"
"Althanea, Michelle. I am going to need a few minutes before we go."
"Time is short, Mister Giles. We must get my daughter and Tara and this young girl back before the breach is discovered."
"I know. Please. Ten minutes."
"Very well."
Althanea watched Giles and Tara head off to the side of the street, some fifteen feet away from where she stood. She saw Giles talking with a stern look upon his face, and saw glimpses of horror, shock, tears and pride fill Tara's features in a kaleidoscope of emotions. She had a fairly good idea of what was being discussed and that Tara was now learning of what happened after her death, and more importantly, Willow's part in the events.
But what she saw now in Tara's eyes was the faintest hint of jealousy, and then apprehension, and then calm acceptance. Althanea was impressed. She had seen this woman mentally and emotionally digest the downfall of her lover, and the possible news that she had been with another since her death, and now seemed to be resolved, as if the actions needed had been calculated down to the last detail. If she truly was the Entwined, then they had a truly wise ally.
Giles and Tara returned to the group, Tara hugging a nervous Heather as she spoke. "Let's go! There are a lot of questions for me to ask and get answers to, I think. First thing is Willow. Then we have a talk about what happened in Avalon."
Coven's Temple, Devon
"Yes, I understand Giles. I will. We'll be waiting. I hope this lead of yours is something though cos I don't think this place could survive another visit by Morgana."
Buffy placed the phone down. Giles had been very specific about his instructions to her: To ensure that everyone was in Althanea's office and that no one was to leave it until he arrived. He had told her that the other half of the Entwined was with him, he believed, and that Willow must not know in advance. Giles was unsure if Willow would be able to handle the situation, and may run.
So now Buffy shepherded Willow, Dawn, Gabriel and herself into Miss Harkness Office, awaiting Giles arrival, nervous of what reaction people would have. She wished she knew why Giles had been so secretive, so demanding. Not since her first days under his tutelage in Sunnydale had he been this demanding of her. But she recognised the necessity of his instructions in his voice, and obeyed them to the letter.
It had been a long time since she had been on active Slayer duty, rather than just training them and helping out in a crisis. Although she had finally found a peaceful balance between her life as a Slayer and her wish to be a regular woman since the Potentials all inherited their full Slayer power, she had missed the excitement of being fully involved. Buffy hadn't realised just how much she had missed it until now, but she wouldn't change things for the world. She was happy now with the choice.
Willow sat in the corner of the room, her mind whirling with the events of the past few days. She felt weak, and knew that without sleep soon she would be of no use to the group. But the call had come as she had considered retiring so now she sat, half-asleep and unsure as to how long she would be able to stay awake.
Gabriel sat in the corner, near to Althanea's desk, pensively. He was aware that Michelle had returned but his thoughts were a mixture of sadness and joy, or as much joy as he could muster. He was sad that she would come here rather than be reunited with Joseph in some dimension somewhere, but content that she was alive, and that her spirit had at least travelled to a peaceful place. This made him feel guilt now, guilt and sorrow for Joseph. That was not a conversation he was looking forward to having with her. He tapped a pen on his lap, tension building within him.
Dawn decided to sit behind Althanea's desk. Although now in her early twenties, she still had that small spark of child in her that wanted to rebel. She had often wondered if that was because she was only technically about seven, and that for all the good work the monks had done with building her memories and emotions, along with her friends and family, at some primal level they didn't quite compensate for the passing of natural time. So that somewhere deep within her lurked a young girl of about seven or eight years old.
They could hear footsteps in the hall. Three sets of footfalls, they each guessed, without a syllable of speech passing between the walkers. It was a silent procession towards the door, but a procession with purpose. The strides were long and exact, the stride of people with a task at hand, a task that would not be shunned. The room's occupants shifted their body weight and poise, all now looking bright and alert and attentive. All save Willow, who was still attempting to fight off sleep, but she did her best to straighten up.
Giles entered the room, followed by Althanea and a third woman who, whilst unknown to Buffy and Dawn, was instantly recognised by Willow and Gabriel.
Michelle hugged her old friend. "Hi Gabe. It's good to see you again."
"Not as good as it is to see you. You always said there was a chance for you, albeit a slim one. I just didn't want to believe, I didn't want to hope." Gabe's voice almost cracked under the strain of emotion, but he took a deep breath and composed himself.
Michelle eyed Willow and smiled a warm greeting, before turning back to Gabriel. "Is everything ready in Masterson?"
"Yes. Dash and I made a few phone calls, pulled in a favour or two and got employment for them that I think will suit their talents. Were your right about the Entwined?"
"I was, but there are complications. The union may not be as immediate or as assured as we thought."
"What do you mean, complications? Is she alright?" Gabe's voice was a mixture of genuine concern and barely contained frustration.
"Yes, but she is insisting on time alone to talk to the other half. She has demanded it, or no deal."
Giles interceded. "She is fairly adamant. And I think after all the run around you people have given us over this affair, her request is not only the least you can do, it is rather essential."
"It is. Everything we believed in, everything that Joseph and I fought and died for, is on the line. I know we need action and soon, Mother, but they need time first." Michelle was determined to ensure that the Watcher did not try and control the conversation here. This was not Council business as far as Michelle was concerned. They were here as necessary allies, not as commanders.
Giles motioned to Willow, leading her out of the room. He spoke to her, his voice fatherly in tone. "You were right. It is you that the prophecy spoke about. I have met the other one now, this fey, the source of the eclipse that you are meant to "entwine" with. And having met her, the prophecy's wording makes complete sense now. She is waiting in your room to meet you. I wanted you to meet her alone because I am sure you will have a lot to talk about. Actually, as you heard, she has insisted on it."
"At least it is a she. What is she like?" Willow couldn't hide the apprehension, the terror in her voice.
"I have a feeling you will like her. But you have a lot to talk about. It will be hard for you, Willow, but I think that afterwards, you may start to find yourself again, no matter how the conversation turns by the end."
"I don't know, Giles. This is all happening all too fast. I mean, what if I don't like this Fey woman. What if she doesn't do it for me. How are we supposed to be "entwined" if my heart isn't in it?"
"Believe me, she shares your concerns, that is why she wanted to talk to you alone, before any decision is made about your future. Willow, she asked me about what had happened to you recently. She had a vision of some kind about you. She demanded I tell her everything that happened since you were "bathed in dark power", to quote the prophecy. I left nothing out, she wouldn't allow me too. I think more than anything, she has questions about some of your actions."
Willow felt faint, steadying herself against the wall of the corridor that they had walked down. She could see the door of the room that had been laid out for her, and she felt the apprehension and fear rise within her. She breathed slowly, trying to stop the world from spinning around her. Exhaling a final deep breath, Willow made the last few steps to the door.
She turned to Giles with a weak attempt at a brave smile. "Here goes. Wish me luck."
Willow opened the door and saw the woman sitting on the edge of her bed. She wore the same robe as Michelle but it was merely a glimpsing detail. Willow's heart pounded like never before, terror spiking her soul as she stared at the vision of a long forgotten dream.
She knew every curve, every line, every inch of the woman in front of her. The eyes and hair and sympathetic gaze that greeted her were treasures so precious that she had never dared to dream of seeing them again. But here they were, and they were real. Not a picture, not an illusion nor a glamour, but flesh and blood.
Willow gasped for air, her chest tightening under the strain. Her mind filled immediately with a million memories of joy and sorrow. Giles' words about telling her everything now echoed in Willow's ears and she saw visions of all the violence, all the pain she had caused out of her grief-stricken rampage. Her head could take no more, her senses overloaded as a concoction of emotions barraged her, each jockeying for pole position.
Giles caught Willow as she fainted. He knew that seeing Tara would be a shock, though he hadn't quite counted on this.
Tara rushed to her lover's side, aiding Giles in putting her on the bed.
"I'll leave you two to it then. Tara, whatever happens, I am glad to have you back."
"I'm glad to be back." Tara's reply was heartfelt but Giles saw that her attention was firmly fixed on Willow. She already had a bowl of cold water on the bedside cabinet and was mopping Willow's brow with it.
Giles left. He was worried for Willow. Worried for Tara. But he had done what was necessary. The rest, he knew, was up to them now.