Note: I do not own or claim to own any content or character's borrowed from Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Angel or The Dresden Files. Both belong to their respective owners.
Set sometime after Season 7 with some elements from the Season 8 graphic novel (so spoilers if you are reading them). For the Dresden Files set sometime after Turn Coat.
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By the time someone had come out to tell the guards it was time to enter. Not her. Not the witch whose presence had been so rudely demanded. The red headed witch had worked herself up into a temper with a whole bundle of nerves.
Brushing passed the so called Wardens left in charge of watching her. They looked to be nothing more than teenagers. Seriously teenagers that was barbaric. Old Watchers Council style. She stormed in head held high and magical breeze flowing through her hair.
"I demand to know what is the meaning of this!" she all but roared in Latin.
"Apprentice Rosenberg! You you are addressing a member of the Senior Council child show respect!" The steel haired Asian woman admonished snapping her unclear eyes to the red head with a severe frown. Mean while the rest of the room filled with murmurs and whispers.
Sitting next to one of the older members in the room Harry Dresden sat up. There weren't many people who made The Merlin's twitch act up like that. That twitch was a source of pride for the Warden Dresden.
The younger woman's head snapped to the speaker in her shock switching back to English "Respect? Respect! They want my respect?" she half scoffed and half muttered gesturing with her hands as she spoke.
As she spoke the red head's voice got louder and more angry "Do you normally demand respect from people you've tried to assassinate in the past as you deliberately flaunt the carefully negotiated terms of agreement you have with them? And don't you for a second think that you can get away with killing me. The Watcher's council already know I am here!" a small satisfied smirk appeared on the red head's face "We're filing our complaints as you speak with me."
"Your righteous indignation noted Apprentice Rosenberg you were brought here for a reason and I am sure you would like to hear it as much as I would. Of course once the rest of us are finished translating what you said into Latin for those of us who don't speak English" Ebineezar McCoy spoke gently to the young witch his eyes firmly on the Merlin. The Council was stepping over their bounds and the fall out could be disastrous. Was it a move on the part of the Black Council? To stretch them into another war that they could not handle? Take out the young powerhouse that TheGateKeeper had taken on as an apprentice.
"Sir?" Dresden asked his old mentor next to him in confusion.
"Later." was the only reply McCoy gave.
Apprentice Willow Rosenberg took a very deep almost dramatic calming breath with her eyes closed. Then very slowly like she was talking to a small Latin child "So what was so important that you had to bring me here right now this very second and couldn't have used the time I was left waiting to contact an escort?"
The Merlin clasped his hands together "It has come to the attention of the Seniors Council that you have been evading your Wardens. Child do you not understand what a special situation you are in? You have broken several rules of magic, you are a warlock, you are a dark magic practitioner and you were lucky enough to get Mentor from the Senior Council no less yet you dodge the Warden's assigned to watch you. This cannot be tolerated."
A look of understanding crossed Willow's face "Ah. Yes. Your watch dogs couldn't keep up with me and so you thought you would bring me before the entire council and tell them just how bad and horrible I was. I killed a man. I did. I admit it. I killed a man with magic. He had hurt my friends, he had killed my love and destroyed my world and in my grief I killed a man."
"No respect. No regret. She is dangerous and unpredictable." The stern elderly woman announced to the Merlin. "And you didn't just kill a man did you?"
All signs of fight gone from her for now the red head had down cast eyes and a very soft voice she recounted her fall "No. I ripped the magic from everything around me, killed a man, hurt the people I love and then after a spell you people provided connected me to all the pain and suffering in the world I decided to make it stop." And then the red head looked up directly at Ancient Mai "But I stopped. The world is here."
The older woman did not look impressed or swayed by the speech "A technicality"
The small red head flinched. It was barely noticeable. "So yes hello I am Willow and I have practised dark magic," the tiny woman spoke addressing the room as if she was at a meeting of AA rather than arguing with members of the Senior Council "1095 days with out trying to end the world or flay a person. And if they haven't set me up to be the horrible evil dark sheep of the White Council you might also want to know that I have been a very good world saving white magic witch ever since."
That done she turned to the Merlin and Ancient Mai "Next time we are trying to stop an Apocalypse if you would make you happy I could risk all of our lives by slowing down and actually using the NeverNever. I am sure that the rest of the world will understand that it had to end because you felt the need to have someone watching me as I peed." A flush crept up her neck with the realization the out of embarrassment switching back to English "Oh god please someone tell me the Warden's don't actually watch the black sheep while the pee."
From within the crowd Molly, Dresden's young apprentice leaned over to him "They don't do they? I mean they couldn't could they?" The anxiety clear in her voice. Molly had also been labeled a warlock and was now herself under close watch for any signs of going dark again. With out Harry and his own teacher stepping in her own head would have been chopped off. So she had a vested interest in making sure some creepy old Warden wasn't watching her while she pees.
Half way through the first syllable of Dresden's answer the Merlin spoke up "Ah, Harry Dresden if you could hold your comments for just a moment while we get this back on track. I would like to introduce you to your new assignment. Apprentice Rosenberg you asked for a Warden to watch you that could likely keep up with you and can survive apocalyptic conditions those just happen to be his specialties."
The Merlin looked smug. Far to smug and far to pleased with himself. At least as far as both Harry and Willow were concerned. Of course they didn't get to think about it for too long because the door burst open and the meeting was thrown into chaos.
Oh goddess they did not. Who in their right mind would think it was a good idea to send an Old One into a meeting filled with big power housed magical know it all bigots?! Was exactly what Willow would have been thinking if it wasn't for the chaos and fighting going on around her.
Eris would have been proud of the chaos that filled the room. At first it was just a few, older, more experienced wizards with esoteric knowledge even for wizards who recognized the Illyria for what she was. As if a fire had started word passed through the room. First there was shock, then outrage, then fear and after fear violence. If any one had the time to appreciate the beauty of the Old One's years of training artfully dodging spells and attacks they would have been impressed. As it was though the room was filled with chaos. People were either running for the doors or running for the new coming. Both were flinging spells.
A strong clear voice that once had spoken over armies carried across the room and into the sounds of shouts and fighting. "As much as I would enjoy killing you all I have come to ensure the safe keeping of the Willow Rosenberg's husk. Continuing to fight will only result in your deaths." The blue woman spoke as if firmly convinced those words would be enough to resolve the conflict. "I was told to inform you that I represent Angel Investigations and the Watchers Council in the matter of the Rosenberg Treaty and that should the husk be harmed I am authorized to exterminate you all like vermin. I will take great enjoyment from killing you all."
Willow sighed. This would not make her look good. Once again she was going to have to save this room filled with ungrateful jerk-faces. Granted this time more directly but they probably wouldn't even acknowledge that. Energy flowed out of her hands forming a sort of barrier Willow and Illyria on one side most of the Council on the other.
The spells bounced off as if they were useless but the energy required to deflect them all was draining her. "Get your people under control!" the once timid witch roared in an attempt to be heard over the noise of the room. "You are attacking a representative of our treaty and a member of the accord. You are the ones who kidnapped me and she is the one sent to ensure my safe return so stop!"
Willow fought to not buckle under the weight of her barrier getting attacked all at once. "Illyria can you duck, dodge, weave, avoid and non lethally remove people from the fight if I lower the barrier?" her voice wobbled.
"I could reorder time and return them to their infancy if you would like?" Willow grit her teeth and even she wasn't sure if it was at the answer she got or the latest batch of spells striking her barrier.
Willow was worried at how much her voice shook more the strain showing in her face and a small trickle of blood began to pour out of her nose "If you could restrain yourself to non lethal knock outs it would be greatly appreciated"
The blue woman was silent for a moment before responding "For now that will be acceptable how ever should you become damaged in any way I will enjoy bathing in their blood"
And then the barrier collapsed in on itself as Willow sunk to the floor eyes closed. For a moment the wizards seemed to think they had the advantage and renewed their attack with gusto. They had the numbers. They had the strength.... "Stop!" cried a weak voice from the floor. They were standing in place and totally unable to move.
It was at that moment Harry Dresden realized just how difficult his life was going to be and began cursing The Merlin.
With the exception of Willow and Illyria the room was frozen and the small trickle of blood was now gushing freely running down Willows face.
"You are bleeding?" Illyria wiped the blood off of Willow's face and brought it close to her eyes "The killing would be more fun if in battle."
"No killing." not bothering to wipe her face and not daring to try and stand the exhausted witch sat up. Leaning heavily on her arms for support she then addressed the White Council "That goes double for you. Now we are leaving. The spell will wear off in about 5 minuets."
Pushing herself up with the back of a chair she stood to address the Merlin "My council will be in touch now let's go home."