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A/N This takes placea few days after the wedding
Giles was very proud of how hard they were all working. Well most of them were working hard. Buffy had been injured the night before on patrol. Slayer healing had taken care of the worst of it but Spike had convinced her to take the night off. She was in a corner with the vampire ‘reviewing the research troops’. Buffy had her eyes closed and she was resting against Spike’s shoulder so it was debatable how much reviewing was getting done. Giles couldn’t complain though. Buffy deserved the rest and she wasn’t the only one. Giles touched his sleeping wife on the shoulder “Darling I think you should go on to bed.” then continued in a gentle voice, “You’re drooling on the text dear.”
Anya groaned, sat up scrubbed the sleep from her face, “I’m not going to bed without you. You’re not staying up until three in the morning again Rupert. I want figure this out as much as you but working yourself past exhaustion wont help.”
Willow pointed out the clock on the wall and laughing a little said, “Um, Anya I don’t want to but in here, but it’s only eight thirty.” She was surprised to see Anya blush and it softened her tone. “You’re sleeping for two, right? So… not so early after all.”
“Anya smiled gratefully at Willow. “Maybe some sugar will help do you want some hot chocolate too? Who else want something?”
Wes’s untouched drink was cold by the time he announced.“I think I’ve discovered why this place is such a safe haven; the Mayor meant it to be exactly that. He built this house at the turn of the last century for his wife. He describes her as a good woman. She refused to join him in quest for immortality but he was obsessed with keeping her safe. There is a vessel used in warding spells but I doubt its what we’re looking for. The vessel could be a person for all we know.” Wes was about to toss the book away in frustration when something caught his eye. “Giles, come look at this. It can’t be what I think can it? I always thought it was a fairytale.” Giles looked closely at the engraving Wes pointed out and read the text twice over. Finally he breathed a ‘Dear Lord’ under his breath with more reverence than usual and removed his glasses.
Spike said, “Don’t tell me the giant snake owned the Holy Grail?”
“No this predates the Grail. This appears to be the Vessel of the Chosen it was used to create the line of the Slayer. The vessel we need to find is literal after all. It shows the seven sisters who demanded that they be allowed to go into the wilderness in search of the power to destroy the monsters that were killing so many in their village. The gods of the caverns had promised that whoever was brave enough to pass their trials would receive a reward. Their parents allowed them to go but their father and four elders went with them to watch and instruct the girls. Even knowing that the watchers would be with her daughters the mother worried so she and the father worked magic. They made a scrying bowl so she could see their daughters. When the seven proved their bravery they were rewarded with great strength. Even the watchers were given more wisdom.”
“The women defeated many of the monsters but they weren’t immortal and as time went on they died. Some died in battle others from sickness or childbirth.” This made Giles pause and give Anya’s hand a squeeze. “There were still monsters because there will always be monsters but no one worthy wanted to be a slayer. So right before the last sister died the father took the girl’s power and put it into the vessel her mother had made and gave it to the Watchers. From that time on there was only one girl in all the world.” Giles felt guilt press down on him when he thought of how that girl had been chosen. Willow raising Buffy was just the thing that tipped the scales. The Slayer line has been rotten at the root for ages.
“Rupert honey, I know what we need to do! It’s the numbers. The numbers are exactly right. That’s why you needed to get Faith and Wesley Now all we need is to find that vessel.”
Before Giles could say a word Willow said excitedly, “Hey I know where you’re going with this. If you’re right we won’t just be shooing out the big bad we’ll be inviting in the opposite. That works because you know voids aren’t really good. But we’ve done this before and I really didn’t love the nightmares.”
Giles explained “When we invoked the first Slayer we were speaking of the One Alone. If we were to properly prepare and invoke the source of the source so to speak I think we’d find a far less resentful spirit. It will be a new beginning for the Slayer line.”
“You’re thinking of invoking the seven sisters?” Buffy asked, she could see Giles was about to defend the theory and she shook her head to stop him. “I like this… we wouldn’t be stuffing power into one unwilling girl. We’d be spreading it around back the way it was supposed to be. See we messed up but we weren’t the only ones. We were just the last straw.”
“This isn’t something that can be done lightly. All our lives will be changed by this in ways we can’t foresee. That is if we can find the vessel. At his wife’s request Wilkins donated it to the monastery that runs the vineyard. He made a note of it in the margins.” Giles winced at the vandalism and the new obstacle. “Who knows if its still there.”
“Oh it’s there alright.” Spike said grimly. “Or it was.”
“Spike’s right. That’s where we followed those bringers last night. I was hurt right near there. Spike and I can take his bike there tomorrow night.”
It looked like everyone was as anxious as he to stay up all night and design the spell, but it was actually getting late now. We have a lot to do but we can’t possibly do it all tonight. I’m going to sleep; it might be a good idea if we all got some rest, at least those of us who haven’t already had a nice nap.” A glare was aimed at Andrew who was just now waking up.
“Sorry Mr. Giles. How’d the Tale of the Seven Sisters turn out? You’re going to be real good at bedtime stories.”
Next up More Spuffy with "Merrily We Go To Hell " You get to see just how bad I am at fight scenes.
Giles was very proud of how hard they were all working. Well most of them were working hard. Buffy had been injured the night before on patrol. Slayer healing had taken care of the worst of it but Spike had convinced her to take the night off. She was in a corner with the vampire ‘reviewing the research troops’. Buffy had her eyes closed and she was resting against Spike’s shoulder so it was debatable how much reviewing was getting done. Giles couldn’t complain though. Buffy deserved the rest and she wasn’t the only one. Giles touched his sleeping wife on the shoulder “Darling I think you should go on to bed.” then continued in a gentle voice, “You’re drooling on the text dear.”
Anya groaned, sat up scrubbed the sleep from her face, “I’m not going to bed without you. You’re not staying up until three in the morning again Rupert. I want figure this out as much as you but working yourself past exhaustion wont help.”
Willow pointed out the clock on the wall and laughing a little said, “Um, Anya I don’t want to but in here, but it’s only eight thirty.” She was surprised to see Anya blush and it softened her tone. “You’re sleeping for two, right? So… not so early after all.”
“Anya smiled gratefully at Willow. “Maybe some sugar will help do you want some hot chocolate too? Who else want something?”
Wes’s untouched drink was cold by the time he announced.“I think I’ve discovered why this place is such a safe haven; the Mayor meant it to be exactly that. He built this house at the turn of the last century for his wife. He describes her as a good woman. She refused to join him in quest for immortality but he was obsessed with keeping her safe. There is a vessel used in warding spells but I doubt its what we’re looking for. The vessel could be a person for all we know.” Wes was about to toss the book away in frustration when something caught his eye. “Giles, come look at this. It can’t be what I think can it? I always thought it was a fairytale.” Giles looked closely at the engraving Wes pointed out and read the text twice over. Finally he breathed a ‘Dear Lord’ under his breath with more reverence than usual and removed his glasses.
Spike said, “Don’t tell me the giant snake owned the Holy Grail?”
“No this predates the Grail. This appears to be the Vessel of the Chosen it was used to create the line of the Slayer. The vessel we need to find is literal after all. It shows the seven sisters who demanded that they be allowed to go into the wilderness in search of the power to destroy the monsters that were killing so many in their village. The gods of the caverns had promised that whoever was brave enough to pass their trials would receive a reward. Their parents allowed them to go but their father and four elders went with them to watch and instruct the girls. Even knowing that the watchers would be with her daughters the mother worried so she and the father worked magic. They made a scrying bowl so she could see their daughters. When the seven proved their bravery they were rewarded with great strength. Even the watchers were given more wisdom.”
“The women defeated many of the monsters but they weren’t immortal and as time went on they died. Some died in battle others from sickness or childbirth.” This made Giles pause and give Anya’s hand a squeeze. “There were still monsters because there will always be monsters but no one worthy wanted to be a slayer. So right before the last sister died the father took the girl’s power and put it into the vessel her mother had made and gave it to the Watchers. From that time on there was only one girl in all the world.” Giles felt guilt press down on him when he thought of how that girl had been chosen. Willow raising Buffy was just the thing that tipped the scales. The Slayer line has been rotten at the root for ages.
“Rupert honey, I know what we need to do! It’s the numbers. The numbers are exactly right. That’s why you needed to get Faith and Wesley Now all we need is to find that vessel.”
Before Giles could say a word Willow said excitedly, “Hey I know where you’re going with this. If you’re right we won’t just be shooing out the big bad we’ll be inviting in the opposite. That works because you know voids aren’t really good. But we’ve done this before and I really didn’t love the nightmares.”
Giles explained “When we invoked the first Slayer we were speaking of the One Alone. If we were to properly prepare and invoke the source of the source so to speak I think we’d find a far less resentful spirit. It will be a new beginning for the Slayer line.”
“You’re thinking of invoking the seven sisters?” Buffy asked, she could see Giles was about to defend the theory and she shook her head to stop him. “I like this… we wouldn’t be stuffing power into one unwilling girl. We’d be spreading it around back the way it was supposed to be. See we messed up but we weren’t the only ones. We were just the last straw.”
“This isn’t something that can be done lightly. All our lives will be changed by this in ways we can’t foresee. That is if we can find the vessel. At his wife’s request Wilkins donated it to the monastery that runs the vineyard. He made a note of it in the margins.” Giles winced at the vandalism and the new obstacle. “Who knows if its still there.”
“Oh it’s there alright.” Spike said grimly. “Or it was.”
“Spike’s right. That’s where we followed those bringers last night. I was hurt right near there. Spike and I can take his bike there tomorrow night.”
It looked like everyone was as anxious as he to stay up all night and design the spell, but it was actually getting late now. We have a lot to do but we can’t possibly do it all tonight. I’m going to sleep; it might be a good idea if we all got some rest, at least those of us who haven’t already had a nice nap.” A glare was aimed at Andrew who was just now waking up.
“Sorry Mr. Giles. How’d the Tale of the Seven Sisters turn out? You’re going to be real good at bedtime stories.”
Next up More Spuffy with "Merrily We Go To Hell " You get to see just how bad I am at fight scenes.
