Nocturnal Bravura Book Two: The Healing

Nocturnal Bravura: Book Two

The Healing


Nocturnal Bravura : def


Nocturnal -from Latin nocturnes ; of, relating to, or occurring in the night

Bravura- Italian, meaning 'skill or bravery'; a musical performance that displays a bold and an extraordinary display of technique.


Shiny Little Trinket

What was it about him that loved the dance with her?

He watched as she spun toward him. Her moves were always so precise so calculated. His Slayer instincts at times were the only thing that saved him from a thorough thrashing. She fought like she was truly dancing, her kicks and punches graceful but powerful.

William ducked a vicious kick, causing Buffy to hit a tree. She quickly she flipped off it and smiled.

“Is that the best you got Slayer?” Buffy asked.

William gripped his stake. “Haven’t even started Luv,” he grinned.
Buffy giggled.

“Dancing with you is so much fun, Slayer. Your blood tastes so sweet.” Buffy said.
William felt her words hit him like a punch in the gut. Of course she didn’t know.

She was a vampire.

They were always talking about blood. But when she said it, it made him remember.

“Shut up!” He yelled. He flipped, landing behind her and wrapping his forearm around her neck.

Buffy pulled it down ready to twist him and flip him over when she saw it....

The dance stopped.

William looked down and saw Buffy staring at his bracelet. He tried to jerk his arm away but she held it tightly, unable to tear her gaze from the bit of leather.

She touched the worn Celtic symbol with her fingertip, then spun out of his embrace with a gasp.

They stood there looking at each other for a long moment with wide eyes.

William watched as she began to shake.

Buffy’s eyes began to water. She whimpered for a moment, looking down at her own leather wrapped wrist. With an inhuman cry she tore it off.

William flinched as Buffy stared down at the thin white lines on the inside of her wrist.

She cocked her head in confusion and fear, then she slowly raised her wrist, showing William her scars.

“SPIKE!” He yelled, careful not to take his eyes off of Buffy.

When Spike didn’t emerge as he usually did, William began to panic. “SPIKE!”

Buffy sank to the ground, holding her wrist.

“Love me when I’m gone,” she whispered. “Go away. No pictures. Not now!!”

“Buffy....” William said quietly.

“So much blood...” Buffy whimpered, rubbing her ruined wrist.

“Hey now, Princess.” William sat next to her, trying to calm her.

“Stop the pictures.” She pleaded with him, her eyes filling with tears.

William began to panic. What if Red or Xander came by? What if one of Spike’s minions happened upon the scene.

“There was so much blood.” She whispered.

“Hey look.” William said in his kindest voice.

Buffy looked up as William pulled something out of his pocket and stared at it, fascinated.

“Do you know what this does?” William held it up with a smile.

She calmed and nibbled on her bottom lip, smiling like a shy child.

She’s still so beautiful, he thought.

“Here let me show you.” He said.

FLASHBACK
__________________________________________________________________
Lizzie hooked her arm through Williams and dragged him down the dirt road, laughing like a giddy school girl.

William rolled his eyes. “Tell me again why I agreed to this?”
Lizzie pouted.

“Don’t try looking all cute.” He said.

“You agreed because Spike had to go rehearse with the band and it’s the last day the Faire is here. Now humor your best friend.” Lizzie pleaded.

“All right then.” William laughed, allowing her to drag him down the first row of vendors.

William hated to admit it but his heart swelled at the look on her face when they first arrived at The Renaissance Faire. Her beautiful green eyes sparkled as they walked around looking at displays and stopping to watch every re-enactment. Her love of such things was no surprise to William. Her favorite movie was The Princess Bride. Her favorite book; Ruskin’s Rose, a Venetian renaissance story. She had been a Princess for Dawn’s Halloween party and they had to spend at least thirty minutes in Cinderella’s Castle when they went to Disneyland.

Lizzie was a romantic.

A part of William thought she belonged in this era. A Princess adorned in velvet, silk wearing ornate beaded corsets and long flowing skirts.

“It’s all so beautiful.” Lizzie sighed.

“You know people in the medieval times had the worse bathing habits.” William teased.

“Stop it.” She whined.

“I’m just saying Pet. It’s all nice and magic like until you run across the first horse pie or you need to use the loo. Not a very hygienic time in history.” William said shrugging his shoulders.

“I will not let you ruin my happy day.” Lizzie insisted, closing her eyes and covering her ears.

She ran over to a woman selling garland crowns and began to talk to her. William walked over to them slowly. He watched as the women placed a wreath of dried flowers with green ribbon on top of Lizzie’s head. The green ribbon flowed down her long blonde hair. She produced a small mirror and showed Lizzie how it looked on her.

The ribbon was almost the color of her eyes. Almost. Nothing came close to the color of Lizzie’s eyes.

She spun around, flashing a blinding smile at William. “What do you think?” She asked.

William smiled, trying to slow his heart rate. “You look beautiful.”

She looked so happy, what could William do? He pulled out his wallet and handed the women some money.

“Will, no! You don’t have to do that.” Lizzie said tried to stop him.

“Oh, don’t get all bashful on me now. You drag me out to this dirt field, make me walk around here like some sort of Nancy Boy, and decide now to be all nice and agreeable? Forget it, you Bossy chit! You’re going to walk around with that little thing in your hair all day and when it itches you can remember this was your idea.” William teased, winking at her.

Lizzie laughed and walked over to the next table allowing William to pay for her crown.

The women looked at William and smiled. “It’s always nice to see a man spoil his girl.” She commented.

His girl.

Even if Lizzie didn’t know it, to William there was no doubt about it; that’s what she was.

William smiled at the women, not bothering to correct her. “I’d do anything for her.”

After watching a jousting match, sharing a rather large turkey leg, and spending hours letting Lizzie play dress up, it was time for them to leave.

In route to the car, Lizzie found one more table. It was a small table run by a man and his wife. Across the table laid tiny little metal objects. Hearts, roses, simple squares. Protruding out of the side of each was a small delicate crane. Lizzie picked up a heart-shaped one and held the tiny object in the palm of her hand.

“Here, let me show you how it works.” The woman said.

She took another one off the table and wound it carefully. The box played a sweet, melodic tune. Lizzie’s eyes lit up.

“My husband makes them.” The woman told her. “They make really unique birthday presents.”

Lizzie began to wind the one in her hand. Listening to it carefully, she identified the tune.

“Braham’s Lullaby!” Lizzie exclaimed.

“Good ear.” The women said.

“Well my boyfriend is a musician.”

The women looked at William. “Really what do you play?” She asked.

William started to correct her, but before he could, Lizzie put down the tiny box and said thank you.

William frowned. “You’re not going to get one?”

Lizzie shrugged her shoulders, avoiding his eyes.

William instantly knew why. Finances were tough for the Summer’s family right now. With Joyce ill it was hard on all three of them. Lizzie had even mentioned trying to get a job at The Doublemeat Palace after school but her mother adamantly refused to allow her to. Spike and William agreed. The last thing they needed to worry about was Lizzie having to be out late at night after closing that grease pit.

The only reason why she was able to come today was that the tickets were a gift to Joyce from someone.

“Right then. Let’s get going.” William said.

They turned away and continued their walk to the car.

“I need to use the loo.” William announced. “I’ll meet you at the car.”

“O.k.” She agreed.

William walked into the crowd, making sure she was out of site before walking quickly over to the table.

The women was standing there bagging one of her husband’s creations when he walked up.

“Excuse me I was just here with the girl; the one with long blonde hair? Which one was she looking at it?” He asked.

The women smiled and handed him the bag she had in her hand.

“I saw you making sure she was out of sight. Here you go.” She said with a kind smile.

William blushed a bit as he handed the women his money.

“You take care of that Beautiful Princess now you hear?” She said winking at him.

William smiled shyly.

“Until the end of the world.” He whispered.
William hurried back to the car and saw Lizzie perched on the hood, waiting for him.

“Ready to roll?”

“Sure, but you forgot something back there.” He said.

“What?” Lizzie asked, confused.

William pulled the music box out of his pocket with a flourish.

“You’re shiny little trinket.” He said smiling like a kid.

Lizzie looked into his eyes. William watched as an array of emotions danced across her face. Shock, embarrassment, humility, but most of all, joy. Pure unadulterated joy.

She wrapped her arms around William and hugged him tight. “Thank you.” She whispered.

Lizzie rested her head on William’s shoulder as he drove. The garland still adorned her head. He couldn’t help but feel happy.

She sat in the front seat winding the tiny heart shaped box, listening to the lullaby play. It was just a tiny little box that cost a little over twenty dollars, but the look on her face…

William would have cashed in his entire college fund to keep that look on her face.....

END OF FLASHBACK
________________________________________________________________

William had found it among Lizzie’s things and carried it sometimes, never knowing why. He watched as Buffy wound up the box giggling at the song it played.

“Whenever you need noise now all you have to do is take that out.” William said.

Buffy nodded vigorously.

He stood up and reached down for her hand, tying her leather band back to her wrist. “Go on now and show your Daddy.” he said, gritting his teeth and trying his best to smile.

Buffy looked at William suspiciously.

“We’ll finish our dance later.” He reassured her.

She took two steps backwards, staring at him for a long moment. Finally she turned around and ran off into the night.

He watched, making sure she was out of site before returning to his patrol, making certain that Sunnydale was safe from things that went bump in the night.

*

Spike sat at in a chair looking at the man being held up by two of his minions. He was beaten and bruised. Terrified.

Just then Buffy ran through the door. “DADDY! DADDY!” She cried happily.

The beaten man watched as his captor’s menacing and deadly face turned into on of love and adoration as the bouncing, beautiful creature catapulted herself into his lap.

“What is it my Perfect Princess?” Spike asked, holding Buffy and kissing her neck.

Buffy looked at the man.

“Daddy who’s that?” She pointed at the beaten man.

“That, Luv, is Dalton Avery. He’s going to help Daddy understand that book he brought back from his last journey. The one that’s going to make his Princess all better again.” Spike said.

Buffy’s eyes danced. “Then Daddy won’t have to go away anymore?”

“That’s right. If for some reason he can’t make my Princess feel better, then he will certainly make my Princess feel full.” Spike rubbed Buffy’s tummy. He glared over at the man, making sure he understood his ultimatum.

Dalton Avery closed his eyes as he fought back tears. He watched his captor and the beautiful girl for a moment then hung his head, praying this was all just a bad dream.