FIC: Two Worlds (Chapter 7)

["cilia" <cilia@xxxxxxxxx>]

hey all,
I'm so sorry about the I, Willow poem and I hope this makes it up to you
who were damaged by it. I'm really just advancing the personal relationships
in this one, but there is a first appearance by new character I plan to use
in the future. I'm also toying with the idea of rewriting story with more
determent plotline, after the finals that is <g>
Cilia

Two Worlds
Cilia

Chapter 7: Another Day, another Night

The brown dirt road that stretched on into the horizon and the small scout
group was flanked on both sides by the tall tress of the great forest.
"You holding up okay?" Al'x asked as he road next to Joyce in
the front.
"Fine, but something tells me I won't be a happy camper in the
morning," she answered. The hood of her cloak was pulled back thus revealing
her features, which were smoother and more youthful then they had been not
so long ago
"You'll get used to in a day or two," he answered, his plain
brown and green clothing covered the hard dragon skin armor he wore
underneath and on a day like this he didn't look much older then he had been
when he'd arrived in the realm seven years ago.
"I really wish I didn't have to wear so much black though," she
stated.
"Well it's tradition. I wear green which identifies me as a
warrior, Willow dark blue 'cause she has mage powers and you black well let'
s just say it's clear message not to mess with you," he said with a grin.
"But what to the white stripes stand for?" she asked she said.
The rim of her cloak and the sutures on her clothing where lined with white
lines.
"They signal that you're on the side of the light," he
explained.
"So if I run into somebody dressed in black with no stripes I
should run?" she asked calmly.
"No, you fight him or her and trust me you won't have a choice,"
he stated.
"That's a nice thought for the road," she stated in a flat tone
of voice.
"Don't worry too much though, there aren't that much of people
like you around," he said in a lighter tone.
"That's good to hear, now I heard something about you and
dragons."
Their voices faded away as they road along the brown dirt road in the
afternoon sun.

Cordelia was running like wild around hers and Stjar'a's considerably large
room abd the servants scurried away from her path as she past.
"Cordy slow down, please your scaring the servants," Stjar'a
said as she straightened her dress.
"I can't, too nervous," Cordy blurted.
"My father just wants to meet you, no biggie,"
Cordelia froze, turned around slowly and smiled.
"Say that again," she asked.
"What no biggie?" Stjar'a asked a little confused.
"Soon you'll be cursing like Spike," Cordelia said and kissed
her cheek.
"Not bloody likely," Stjar'a stated in firm British accented
voice.
"Stop it," Cordelia growled.
"Make me," the elf teased.
There was a knock on the door.
"I would love to, but you're father is here and I'd hate for him
to get the wrong idea," Cordelia said and strode confidently towards the
door.
"Remember to bow," Stjar'a whispered after her. It had pleased
the young elf to no ends that Cordelia had agreed to go play along with the
elfin customs.
"Lord Sironis welcome to our home," Cordelia stated and bowed
before the guest. The old elf nodded calmly before stepping over the
threshold. Stjar'a gave Cordelia a small smile as she hugged her father.
The first battle was won.

In another part of the castle, in the Royal Hall to be precise, Amy and
Vitor sat at the long table. Trying and failing to hold up conversation
across the twenty meter long table.
"This is ridiculous," Amy stated and stood up.
"Couldn't agree more," Vitor answered as they met at the center
of the table.
"You could here me?" Amy asked.
"One of the things that elves have above humans is superior
hearing," he stated, "that and I was really listening hard," he added.
Amy blushed slightly and looked down at her plate.
"Looking too?" she asked innocently.
"Even harder," he stated.
They ate their meal in comfortable silence after that. Old eyes watch from
the shadows.

Somewhere in the great forests that made up King Vitor's kingdom of elves
Joyce lay and stared up into the folio. She couldn't sleep, or more to the
point she didn't need to sleep. She wasn't that hungry either.
There group had been joined by a group of traveling moon elves, Stjar'a's
people, as soon as the sun had set and now she could hear their singing
echoing in the trees.
"Why don't you join them?" a soft voice asked from a near by
tree.
"Not my place," she answered.
"Have you tried?" the voice asked.
"Don't have to. I know I scare them," she answered and closed
her eyes.
"What about the human that leads them. He doesn't seem to be
afraid of you?" the voice inquired.
"We had a misunderstanding," she answered.
"What kind of a misunderstanding?" the voice asked.
"I won't answer that unless you show yourself," Joyce stated.
"Very well then," the voice said.
Joyce sat up and watched as youthful looking female elf emerged from the
tree. She was dressed in a green flowing robes and her long dark hair flowed
like a river down her back.
"You're a High elf?" Joyce stated. Read up on the beings of the
realm had been something that Al'x had instructed them all to do they night
they arrives, to help avoid misunderstandings and panic attacks most likely.
"That I am," the elf stated.
"I thought High elves didn't mingle with other beings?" Joyce
asked.
"We don't usually, but that's no the issue here," the elf stated
and sat down.
"It's nothing really," Joyce stated off hand.
"You too are older than you look," the elf stated.
"Well he's not that much younger," Joyce stated.
"Then what stand in your way?" the elf asked.
"For starters," Joyce said, opened her hand and a small ball of
fire appeared.
"You're an avatar," the elf stated calmly.
"That's only half of it, he's also my daughters best friend,"
Joyce said.
"And does she disagree with the relationship?"
"I wouldn't call it that, but no she doesn't,"
"Then go to him," the elf said and when Joyce turned to face her
again she was gone.
"What's your name?" she called.
The last words of the high elf were carried on the wind.
"Thereis and I'll be around."

Buffy sat on the castle wall and she felt older, not in bad way mind you,
just older, more wiser. Amy had burst through their door late in the
afternoon and announcing that Vitor had asked her out and the kissed her.
Willow of course had smiled at this, she always did enjoy watching romance
between her friends and Buffy enjoyed watching her wife smile, but something
in the back of her mind send of warning bells. Maybe it was the whole mess
with Wes back home, or the fact that Vitor was the king and an elf. She had
noticed the glares that were being thrown at Stjar'a and Cordy and feared
what action might be taken against Amy.
"You worry too much," Willow said in a gentle voice.
"I didn't here you come," Buffy stated with a smile.
"That was the plan,"
"Levitation?" Buffy asked.
"You must have been really out off it. No I made the air stop
moving and therefore no sound," Willow answered.
"You can do that?" Buffy asked.
"Here yes, but I doubt I could pull something like that off back
home," Willow answered.
"True there is something about this world," Buffy stated as she
picked up a small stone and a crushed it
"It's more magical that much is obvious. I think it's because so
many people believe in the magic," Willow said in a thoughtful voice.
"We're getting old aren't we?" Buffy asked with a smile and
dusted of her hands.
"Maybe a little," Willow answered.
"You think Cordy and Stjar'a are doing okay?"
"They're fine it's Amy and the King I'm worried about," Willow
said with a grin.
Buffy gave Willow the look and then smiled. The night sky was clear, it had
been so for the past nights, never cloud in the sky.
"I wish it would rain," Buffy muttered.
"I can do that," Willow exclaimed and her eyes lit up.
"Wills don't," Buffy stated.
"Just a small one," Willow pleaded.
Buffy looked at Willow's lit up face. It was at times like this that it
became so clear to her why she loved her wife. Her face was now that of the
girl she'd met what seemed like a lifetime ago, the girl that became her
friend and then stuck with her through the worst of times and the best of
time.
"Just promise to keep it small and don't strike anyone down
okay," Buffy said with a smile.
"Hold on," Willow said as her smile grew.
"Spirits of wind. Spirits of water I call upon you." Willow's
chanting rolled into a soft hum. The wind started to pick up, the gentle
breeze came a little stiffer, then the first drops of rain and then bigger
drops still. Buffy held out her hands laughing, the palace guards looked up
from their posts as the gentle rain landed on their helmets.
"Wills you're something else," Buffy said in between laughs.
"I know," Willow said as she lowed her hands.
"You do know how to make this stop right?" Buffy asked with a
raised eyebrow.
"Of course," Willow said with a flick of wrist and the rain was
gone.
"Impressive," Buffy nodded.
"Now lets get you inside and out off those wet clothes," Willow
suggested with an impish smiled. Buffy raised an eyebrow before grabbing
Willow and running back inside

Stjar'a watch with awe as Cordy laid the charm on her father. She would
shamelessly admit that she had been more then a little nervous at the
prospect of her father meeting Cordy, but now things were turning out quite
well as Cordy went into another battle story.
"So Buffy picks this guy up and smashes his head though the
ceiling, then pulls him down and out the window. In the meantime Spike is
leaning over the counter trying to convince the bartender into standing up
and serve him a Guinness," Cordelia finished.
"So did he get his ale?" Sironis asked calmly the girl was quite
the bard and from what his daughter had told a fierce fighter. When the need
arose.
"No, had to get it himself cause the bartender fainted when
Spike pulled out a stake and nailed a vampire to the counter," Cordelia
stated.
"You're a remarkable young woman, has anyone told you that?"
Sironis stated bluntly.
"Father!" Stjar'a exclaimed and Cordelia blushed.
"I'm merely stating the obvious my dear. I haven't heard such
vivid storytelling in ages," Sironis said and raised his glass.
"I just tell them like I saw them," Cordelia said as she tried
to hide her blush.
"Well the candles are burning low," Sironis said and placed his
glass on the table.
"Come back sometime and I'll tell you about the time Joyce made
Wesley wet his pants," Cordelia said, clamped her mouth and then giggled.
"I should be getting her to bed," Stjar'a said as she walked her
father to the door.
"She's a fine woman Stjar'a," Sironis stated as she fastened his
cape.
"So what will you tell mother?" Stjar'a asked.
"I will tell her that your ast'one is a fine bard and that if
trained right could easily receive knighthood," he said.
"You've been spying," Stjar'a reprimanded her father.
"Observing, but never the less I see no fault in her," he said.
"Thanks that mean allot to us," Stjar'a said and kissed her
father's cheek.
"Goodnight my girl," he said.
"Goodnight daddy."
"Did we win?" Cordelia asked when Stjar'a returned to the table.
"California: 1 The Great Forest: O" Stjar'a answered with a
smile

Next we get some action....