Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Sophie.
"You're just going to have to listen and see what happens" Willow grinned. When she lingered for a few moments rather than continuing the story straight away, she found both her girls glaring at her.
"Seriously Will" said Tara, "Stop torturing our child and just get on with the story already!"
"Yeah!" Sophie agreed. "Get on with the story Mommy Willow!"
"Okay, okay" Willow smiled. "While all the other servants prepared to fight off the villagers, Buffy went to warn Dark Willow.."
"Mistress?" said Buffy quietly, hopping into the West Wing.
"Leave me in peace" said Dark Willow, staring sadly out the window. She had changed back into her old black robe.
"But Mistress, the castle is under attack!"
"Kill the witch! Kill the witch!" The mob chanted, pushing the battering ram against the castle gates. The servants were pushing against the door, trying desperately to keep it shut.
"This isn't working!" Xander groaned.
"Oh Xander, there must be something we can do!" cried Anya. Xander paused, thinking.
"Okay, I have a plan!"
"What should we do Mistress?" said Buffy, becoming more anxious by the second.
"It doesn't matter anymore" said Dark Willow, eyes fixed on the wilting rose. "Just let them come." With Tara gone, the witch had given up all hope of breaking the spell.
"Kill the witch! Kill the witch!" the mob continued to chant, as the castle gates finally broke down. Warren immediately splintered off from the rest of the mob to search for Dark Willow, while they all wandered around the entrance hall.
"NOW!" yelled Xander, as he and the other servants leapt out of the darkness, surprising the mob. Riley raised an axe, but Xander quickly pulled the carpet out from underneath him, sending him flying. Miss Kitty Fantastico ran about under everybody's feet trying to trip them up, and delivered a swift kick in the shin to Snyder.
"Dawn, stop!" Faith cried, in one last desperate attempt to stop the little teacup sister of a teapot she was kind of in love with from activating a very dangerous looking machine.
"Got it!" Dawn grinned as she jumped on the switch, causing Giles' invention to start moving. Inside the cellar, Tara, Giles, and Lorne were still trying to think of a way out.
"What is that racket?" Giles frowned, hearing noises from outside. "It seems somewhat familiar.." Lorne peeked out through a small hole in the cellar door, red eye widening as he spotted the machine speeding towards them, axe swinging wildly.
"Get down!" he yelled as he dived to the floor, pushing Tara and Giles down with him. The invention crashed through the cellar door, raising huge clouds of dust and sending pieces of broken wood flying everywhere.
"Dawn!" Faith shrieked as she ran over, trying to ignore the images of tiny piles of shattered porcelain that had begun to form in her mind. "Are you okay kid?" A tense few moments passed, but then the dust cleared to reveal the battered remains of the invention, and Dawn dangling from a loose spring by her handle. Faith let out a huge sigh of relief.
"You guys have gotta try this thing!" the little teacup giggled.
Back at the castle, the battle raged on. Xander, and some of his candlestick buddies, were currently using the spoons, forks, and other cutlery servants to fling food at the invaders.
"Why you bloddy little.." Spike began, making to chase after Xander.
"Hey Captain Peroxide, up here!" came a voice. Spike looked up, only to get a faceful of boiling water from Buffy, who had come to join the battle after realising that Dark Willow wasn't going to make any effort to defend herself. Nearby, Angel charged at Cordelia, but the wardrobe threw her doors open at the last minute, trapping him.
"I think it's time for you to have a makeover" she smirked.
"Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" Angel wailed. When she released him a few minutes later, Angel was wearing a bright pink dress, a blonde wig, bright red lipstick and an abundance of blue eyeshadow. Catching his appearance in a mirror, he shrieked and ran away. Meanwhile, Andrew had cornered Xander against the side of the staircase, threatening to melt him with his torch. Wesley, watching from the floor above, saw that the candlestick was in danger. He grabbed a dagger from one of the suits of armour, leapt onto the chandelier, and then, when the time was right, jumped down and stabbed Andrew in the butt, causing him to yelp and jump around wildly, hands clamped over the injury. Xander gave a sigh of relief, thankful to be out of danger, but the same could not be said for everyone.
"Xander!" Anya screamed, as Hank Summers picked her up and prepared to shove her in his loot bag. "Xander, help!"
"Anya!" Xander cried. "Don't worry Ahn, I'm coming!" He ran over, placed both his candles in front of his mouth, took aim, and blew, sending a flamethrower like blast at Hank's hands, and forcing him to release Anya, who fell safely into Xander's arms.
"My hero!" she cried, kissing his cheek. The mob, all of whom had suffered severe psychological damage from the night's events, fled. The servants gave a cheer of victory as they chased the mob out.
"And don't come back!" yelled Wesley, shaking a fist.
In the West Wing, a depressed Dark Willow still sat staring at the rose. It only had two petals left. Warren burst in, bow and arrow at the ready.
"I've finally found you witch!" he laughed. Dark Willow glanced at him sadly, then looked away, not saying a word. She didn't care what happened to her anymore. Warren let the arrow fly. "Die, you monster!" Dark Willow cried out in pain as it struck her shoulder, but still refused to retaliate. Warren grabbed the witch by the collar and hurled her out the window, shattering the glass, and sending her flying onto the edge of the deep ravine at the back of the castle. He leapt down after her, punching her as she tried to get up. He then snapped a spike from the side of the castle, intending to use it as a club.
"Get up!" Warren spat. "What's the matter witch? Too gentle to fight back?" Dark Willow turned away sadly, giving up. Warren raised the club, preparing to deliver a killing blow.
"No!" cried a voice. Dark Willow looked down. She saw Lorne, Giles, and Faith holding Dawn, but her eyes were drawn to one figure in particular, the blonde haired girl on horseback from whom the voice had come.
"Tara?" she said, voice filling with hope.
"Tara!" cried all the servants happily, watching the goings on from the other side of the castle.
"I knew she'd come back!" Xander grinned, hugging Anya.
"Warren, stop!" Tara yelled. "Leave her alone!" Warren just laughed evilly, and swung the club, but was shocked when a hand grabbed it, and Dark Willow got to her feet, glaring at him. Tara's return had filled the witch with new life. The battle was on.
"Yay!" Sophie cheered. "Go Dark Willow, go Dark Willow!"