Title: Asha'man Harris
Author: Knife Hand
Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated
Spoilers: Fifth Series of Buffy, Wheel of Time in general
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy or Wheel of Time. I would buy them but I am broke.
Summary: Xander is missing after the battle with Glory and returns several years later a changed man (Wheel of Time events)
Xander marched down the Palace corridor, his outward expression stoic but inside he was fuming. As he approached the lesser audience hall he saw the four female guards that Queen Elayne had as her personal protection. He quickly channeled, wrapping the four guards in bonds of air before tying them off and using a hammer of air to force open the door. Without hesitation he wove two Shields and thrust them between Elayne and Aviendha and the Source before they could react.
"What do you think you are doing?" Elayne demanded, even as Xander felt her try and push through his shield.
Aviendha just stood there, even shielded seeming to recognise that Xander did not truly mean them any harm.
"The real question is what the hell do you think you are doing?" Xander replied with venom. "Or did you think I would not find out?"
"I am the Queen of Andor." Elayne declared.
"Which means nothing when you try and commandeer my troops without my knowledge." Xander countered, letting his fury finally bubble to the surface. "Especially for suicidal missions like trying to assassinate a god damned Aes Sedai who was travelling through the city."
At that point Birgitte burst into the room as well.
"Did you know about this?" Xander demanded to the archer.
"No. I just found out when Andrina told me." Birgitte replied before turning to Elayne. "Just when I thought I had taught you not to make a fool of yourself, you go and do something like this."
"I have every right to do whatever I want with my Army." Elayne said.
"True." Xander replied. "But my team is not part of your Army. We are a rapid response team. Our job is to be ready if there is any unexpected activity south of the Front. It is not to be your personal hit squad."
With that Xander stormed out and Birgitte watched him go and then turned harshly back to Elayne.
"You should be glad that Xander found out about your order and put a stop to it." Birgitte said. "Because it turns out that Aes Sedai you wanted taken out is bonded to one of the high level Asha'man. Xander does not know that part."
Birgitte left to make sure Xander did not get himself into trouble. Elayne turned to look at Aviendha.
"And you have no opinion?" Elayne asked.
"As I said before, a wise Chief does not order the spears of another Chief without consulting them first." Aviendha replied.
Birgitte stalked through the Palace, looking for Xander. She was not looking in the main halls or rooms, but instead was searching through the storage rooms and servant areas. Xander was never one to mingle with the Nobility or seek the trappings of power. She eventually found him in one of the abandoned storerooms, sitting up against the wall with a bottle of spirits in his hand. Birgitte sat down next to him and accepted the bottle when he offered it, taking a swig and passing it back.
"So… not allowed to kill her?" he asked, only half seriously.
"Yeah." She replied with a smirk. "Plus if you did I would have to go into a rage and try to kill you. You know that whole Warder Honour thing."
"Yeah, that would suck." Xander replied, taking another swig. "Plus the Lord Dragon would probably kick my ass, assuming they haven't had a fight again."
"No, had the last one about four days ago and made up yesterday." Birgitte said, taking the bottle for her turn.
"Damn." Xander grumbled. "That means they'll be all lovey dovey."
This got a chuckle from Birgitte. Two hours later when the servant found them, Xander was in a much better mood, and surprisingly neither of them were drunk, instead most of the time had been spent bonding as they groused about Elayne's obliviousness to the practicalities of life for the ordinary folk.
The servant passed Xander a note and then left, not wanting to be around either the Asha'man or Captain-General who had so spectacularly argued with the Queen mere hours earlier. Xander read the note and sighed.
"A force of Trollocs was spotted in the Caralain Grass to the North West of Braem Wood." Xander said as he stood up and brushed off his pants. "The Lord Dragon wants my team deployed within four hours."
"Wish I was going with you." Birgitte said, doing likewise but adding a little wiggle to her hips to tease Xander. "I personally would rather face Trollocs at the moment. Elayne's going to be whinging my ear off for the next few days."
Birgitte leaned in to give Xander a quick kiss on the cheek, an impulse that was partly from their familiarity and partly from the booze; however Xander turned his head at the last second and the kiss landed on his lips. Like when she had first met Xander, Birgitte had a flash of a memory, but it was more detailed this time. It was night, she was fighting something, hand to hand over her now preferred use of a bow. Xander in something like a Jo-car she remembered from the Age of Legends, but it was noticeably different. It seemed sturdier than any wheeled Jo-car she knew of, with most of the more durable Jo-car's being the floating variety, and she remember the sound radiating off it, unlike the almost silent Jo-car. She remembered jumping in the vehicle, stopping at a dingy room, kissing, sex and then an overwhelming feeling of regret and shame.
"Faith." Xander whispered.
This time it was not only Birgitte who had seen the vision, Xander had seen it as well and he recognised the incident with Faith, The Dark Slayer, who he had long ago forgiven, and had semi-regularly visited in prison prior to his… relocation. The one person who could match him joke for joke and jibe for jibe, until he met Birgitte.
"What?" Birgitte said, feeling a tug of familiarity.
"You were Faith." Xander said. "Where I come from, you were Faith."
"She was a Slayer, right?" Birgitte asked, vaguely remembering what Xander had told her.
"Yeah. She got into a bad situation, and to my shame, we kind of left her holding the bag. We dumped all the blame on her when she didn't deserve it. She turned it around though, tried to make amends. Was still trying when I… left." Xander explained. "There were ups and downs, but in the end, I like to think she was a friend."
"Well, if you are right, which I think you may be, then she defiantly ended up your friend. Because I am your friend, aren't I?" Birgitte replied.
"Got that right." Xander replied, with a grin.
"Now, don't you have some Trollocs to go kill?" Birgitte asked.
"Yes ma'am." Xander said with a mock salute.
Xander looked around at the Response Team formed up in the courtyard. They were a more integrated and well trained force than when he had first laid eyes on them. The Sisterhood of Steel and the Hammer of the Dragon were now as well disciplined as any force Xander had seen, a far cry from their disorganisation on their first days. The Sisters and the Hammers still did not have proper armour or shields, but the Sisterhood in particular made good use of the mobility it provided them.
The six Asha'man opened up as large a Gateway as they could to let the team through. The Two Rivers bowmen were the first ones through and they immediately fanned out into the trees on the other side, followed immediately by the Saldaean light cavalry who walked their mounts through. The Legion, the Sisterhood and the Hammers followed the Saldaeans through, with the Queen's Guard taking up the rear.
Just before Xander stepped through the gate behind the last of the Queen's Guard, he looked across at Birgitte with a faint smile. She shrugged as if regretting she could not come with him before she turned away and walked away with a sashay in her hips. Now that he knew, Xander could see so much of Faith in Birgitte, but then again there was so much that was different as well, things he though of as simply Birgitte.
The Gateway closed and the Palace was hidden from Xander's view.
TBC…