FIC: Royalty: Chapter 3 (In the Prince's Court)

["cilia" <cilia@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello all...


Well I've been busy today and here are the results....

This is a very straight forward chapter.

1. Buffy and Giles meet the Prince.
2. Willow does something she'll regret.
3. Giles gets angry.

More to come.

Stefan Cilia

Royalty
By: Stefan Cilia


Chapter 3: In the Prince's Court

Buffy drifted through the streets along with Giles. They'd wandered from one
club to the other since the sun had gone down.
"How many places can there be where a witch goes to cut lose." Buffy
muttered to no one in particular.
"Apparently quite a few." Giles answered, then his ears perked.
"Did you hear that?" He asked.
"Yep." Buffy said withdrawing a stake as the broke into a run.
"Drop her." Buffy shouted as they ran into an alley.
The figure looked up, laid it's pray on the ground and then ran. They
quickly ran to the limp body on the ground.
"I'll go after." Buffy stopped as she felt a hand on her shoulder,
restraining her.
"I'm afraid I can't allow that." The figure said.
"And you are?" Giles asked looking up from his crouch on the ground.
"My name is Daniel Night. I am an undying one." The figure said.
"But that thing just killed her." Buffy protest and looked down at the limp
woman on the ground.
"She's not dead." Giles stated.
Buffy turned to face the man that had introduced himself as Daniel Night.
"You're not a vampire." She stated.
"That's true."
"But you just said you were undying."
"That I am." He answered. "Perhaps your scholar can explain."
"Giles what's this guy talking about?"
"The undying ones are a myth and according to it they're an offshoot of the
human race."
"Human vampires?"
"In essence yes, immortality with out the demon, but still with the need for
blood."
"And our rules forbid the killing of humans." Daniel said and stepped back
making a gesture of peace with his hands.
"Explains why I couldn't sense the vampire who just ran away or you for that
matter." Buffy stated looking the man up and down.
"Buffy we really should be going." Giles said.
"Buffy what's your true name?" Daniel asked.
"What to you mean?
"It's Elisabeth isn't it?"
"How did you?" Buffy asked, lifting the stake.
"You search for a wicca named Willow." Daniel went on not flinching at the
sight of the stake.
"Yes you know her."
"I know of every child of the night that passes through here yes."
"Can you take us to her?" Giles asked.
"I can show you that she's save, but nothing more."
"Why?"
"It short she doesn't want to be found." Daniel stated bluntly.
"That's ridiculous we're her friends." Buffy exclaimed.
"Well my offer stands."
"We except." Giles said.
"Giles." Buffy hissed.
"At least this way we know she's alright."
"Coming." Daniel said and walked out of the allay.
"It's up to you." Giles said in soft voice.
Buffy looked at Giles, then at Daniel's back.
"Hey wait up." She shouted as they ran after him.

* * * * * *
*

Willow was once again getting lost in the night, forgetting and living. It
strange how easy it is to forget and let yourself go. Forgetting the dreams
of the previous night, forgetting the bangs of guild for lying to her
friends, lying to Buffy. Forgetting everything but the night and being
alive.

Buffy looked over the club from the office. Where the man named Daniel Night
had brought them in promise of seeing Willow.
"I don't see her?" Buffy said and looked back.
"She'll be here, wait and watch." Daniel said as he poured tea into Giles
cup.
"Tell me more about the undying ones?" Giles asked as he sipped his tea.
"There isn't much more to tell actually. There are several clans, each city
or area has a prince who makes sure that everyone more or less gets along
and that no one breaks the rules."
"Who is the prince here and what are the rules?" Buffy asked from the
window.
"Some fellow named Night." Daniel said with a grin.
"O!".
"You're. you're the prince?" Giles said.
"Yes, when I heard the Slayer had come to the city, my first duty was of
course to seek her out."
"And why's that?" Giles asked.
"There are rules and I have to be sure the Slayer understand them. First
undying ones to never kill humans. Second humans must never find out about
us."
"So you want me to careful." Buffy asked.
"No I want you to do nothing. You will not kill my kind is that understood."
"And if I do?" Buffy asked turning from the window.
"If you do, I will be forced to take action."
"But what about the demon kind?" Giles asked hoping to calm both sides down.
"Those you can kill." Daniel said with a flourish of a hand.
"How generous of you.." The commented died on her lips as she saw Willow.
"What, what is it." Giles said and quickly stepped to her side.
"Willow." Buffy said as the redhead passed into view again.
"So you see why she doesn't wish to see you?" Daniel said as he stepped next
to the staring pair.
"She's not your librarian when she's here."
"But." Buffy said as she watched Willow spin around the dance floor between
partners of both genders.
"She's free here." Daniel went on.
"Why didn't she tells us."
"That I can't answer."
"I have to go to her." Buffy stated and made for the door.
In a blink of an eye Daniel stood in front of her blocking her way.
"I can't allow that. Image for one second what would happen if you would
storm out there and demand an explanation."
"I."
"You don't know do you. Rupert help me out here." Daniel said tearing Giles
away from the window.
"I'm afraid he's right Buffy. Willow will in most likelihood turn and run
and that it turn would only make things worse."
"But she's my friend and I mean this isn't how she acts." Buffy said as she
stepped back to the glass and watched her friend. "There has to be something
wrong and I want to know what it is."
"There is nothing wrong Elisabeth." Came Daniels voice. "She just grew up
and you missed it. When the time comes I'm sure she'll share all with you,
but until then." He trailed off.
"I'm not leaving the city if that's what you are hoping for." Buffy said.
"I wouldn't dream of it, which brings us to the second reason why I sought
you out."
"And that is?" Buffy asked.
"Please have a seat both of you." Daniel said and motioned to the chairs.
Both Buffy and Giles took the offered seats.
"Now the job of prince isn't an easy one, there is always someone trying to
kill you, ruin things for you and so on."
"Your point is?" Buffy asked,
"There will be an attempt on my life sometime within the next two months. I
want to hire you two and even those who came with you here to make sure that
doesn't happen." Daniel stated bluntly.
"Why?" Giles asked.
"I know the attack will be made by the demons and I can't allow them to
succeed."
"And why should we take this offer."
"Because if you don't and they succeed this city will become like the
Hellmouth."
Both Buffy and Giles went silent.
"You see the reason for the massive chaos surrounding the Hellmouth is
caused by two reason, first of course is the gateway and second is because
there is no prince to keep order. So in light of this will you help me."
"How much?" Buffy asked.
"Buffy." Giles whispered.
"Giles what if he's right. We can't risk that."
"What about the Hellmouth?" Giles asked.
"Giles it's summer and we're only a day away. Plus being paid for slaying
can't be that bad. I mean think of collage for one moment, education isn't
free you know."
"What else is involved?" Giles asked.
"You will have to move into my mansion of course, but other then keeping
your eyes open and following me around not much."
"For two months?" Buffy asked.
"Two months and you will be paid handsomely." Daniel stated.
"Free room and board?" Giles asked.
"Yes and expenses."
"Well since we are going to be in town for a while." Giles said.
"And waiting for Willow to come to us." Buffy added.
"Then to we have a deal?" Daniel asked with a salesman smile.
"What do you think Giles." Buffy asked.
Giles just shrugged.
"It's up to you." He said.
"We except." She said and offered Daniel her hand.
"Excellent, now the cars will arrive tomorrow at sundown to pick up you and
your companions."
"You knew we were going to say yes?" Buffy asked.
"I'm the prince." Daniel said like it would explain everything.
"Oho!" Buffy said and moved back to the window as Giles Daniel discussed
plans.
Willow what are you doing. She thought to herself, as she watched Willow
flirty shamelessly with another girl. This isn't the Willow, I know, or
maybe it is. Have I been blind. What's she done with her hair.
"Buffy ready to leave?" Giles question snapped Buffy out of her thoughts.
"Uh!"
"Ready to go?" Giles asked looking concerned.
"No you go ahead and explain everything. I think I'll just stay here and
watch for while."
"Well see you at the hotel." Giles said as he left.

* * * * * *
*

Giles stepped out into the night. She's confused, but I hope she'll come
around sooner or later.
He walked until he found his way blocked. He looked up at two demonic
vampires.
"I don't have time for this." He muttered.
"Well if it isn't the Slayers pet." One of the vampires commented, obviously
a Sunnydale survivor
Last thing it said as a streak swept trough its neck.
"Like I said I don't have time for this." He said as he swung for the second
vampire. He walked away from the piles of dust, his eyes seemingly on fire.


* * * * * *
*

Willow woke in a bed that was not her own and left it before dawn. She'd
screamed Buffy's name in the night, she was sure of it. Right now she felt
tired and unclean. Still it had been her choice. Then why on earth was it
making her feel like she'd just done something that would dishonor Buffy?
Buffy was her friend, she'd understand, right? She turned on the light and
nodded to Lily.
"What do you want now?" She asked.
"You did it didn't you?" Lily asked.
"Yes I had sex."
"But why?"
"That's a weird question."
"You know very well what I mean." Lily scowled.
"Because I wanted to feel what it would be like, because if I closed my eyes
I could imagine it was Buffy." She looked around and saw that Lily was gone.
Well you had give the woman credit she knew how to get you to confess things
to yourself. Even if the things you realized where not the things you wanted
to hear.