Birthright

Chapter 6

Spike slowly exhaled as he tossed aside the clothing Ariana had created for him. Gently he took down the satin blue tunic and slipped it on, shivering from how right it felt. Leathery black breaches next and the softest hide boots he’d ever felt. Hard leather buckled around his waist, he reached for a dark cloak and slipped it on, perfect for traveling. He looked around the armory. His family’s possessions for untold years and now his own.

Back to that cursed sword. He slowly reached for it, knowing that if this were a trick or an elaborate joke, he might very well burst into flames today. But he just didn’t think that would happen as he grasped the handle as if born to it.

*

Aramis shifted his armor as he rode with his subordinates. Those elves had made a laughing stock of his entire unit. There was a reckoning and he was ready for whatever was to come,” Sir.”

He looked to where his lieutenant pointed and blinked in surprise, not believing what he was seeing. Those two elves again, minus the children that had been clinging to them, coming this way. But their pace was steady, not hurried. So he was able to get a good look at them.

The woman, he remembered her. She was a legend in this providence. The oldest elf in memory and the most feared. She was the Captain of the Royal Guard a hundred years ago. Fierce. And from what he’d seen this morning, he was inclined to believe her reputation. But her companion was an unknown enigma.

He sized the male up. Strong but lean, his clothing changed. Actually, both of them had changed into armor. Then he blinked in surprise, seeing the symbol at the center of the chain mesh,” It can’t be.” One of his own raised their crossbow,” No!” Without thought he charged out in front, his troop being forced to scramble to follow. He pulled up shy of the two riders.

Ariana sighed,” Not you again!”

Aramis looked at the male in confusion,” You-...you’re wearing...but you can’t...” Without saying a word Spike pulled the sword at his side out of it’s sheath a bit, just enough for all to see the royal insignia. A black dragon branded with red fire onto the golden sword. It was a pattern that had never been duplicated.

Ariana smirked,” That would be lord William for now, peasant.” Spike shot her a look and she half shrugged,” Until you’re crowned, of course.”

He groaned softly to himself and clicked his horse forward, Ariana at his side. And slowly the guard caught up, led by Aramis who followed with silence and even a sense of pride. The procession continued on, passing by many of the country folk who stopped their daily toil to watch in fascination as the parade passed. And soon they were joined by some of the younger lads on horses who followed in humbled awe, many of them told hopeful fairy tales about a king from long ago.

It took half a day to reach the capital and by then a small army was following. The city of New Shire was enormous in comparison to the parishes they had traveled through. Very much like olden London. And as they traveled down the cobblestone to their destination they created a spectacle. Two elves out in front, a battalion following but not as a prison detail. Which could be told both by the fascinated country folk and by the way the soldiers followed.

They made their way to the capital, the soldiers quickly dismounting and running to form a barrier on either side of the doors. Spike pursed his lips in irritation, at the same time he could feel a little pride in this. He and Ariana climbed off their horses and walked down the gauntlet to the doors. Those on the streets pressed on either side, eager to see the face of the royal long foretold to one day return.

Aramis had been the first to bow. He had been told all the forbidden legends by his father. He knew of the last great king so he’d always known what to look for when the rightful king returned to reclaim the throne. It had been his family’s secret wish, past down through the generations. They were a family of soldiers, all of them, both sons and daughters, up to the present. He would not disgrace his family by attacking the rightful king. No, he would make his father proud.

And one by one the others followed suite, realizing they were not in the presence of an enemy but in the presence of royalty. Spike had a suffering look on his face as he glanced at Ariana, hating the bows already. But his mischievous companion just shrugged and half bowed at him before escorting him through the doors.

*

Ariana finished checking over Spike to get rid of any speck of dust, the vampire sending her a weary look at her fussing,” Will you knock it off, already?”

She smirked and stood back,” Alright. Now, this is parliament. You won’t be really able to tell who’s who in there-“

” And I don’t bloody care. Just show me where to sign and I’ll get these wimpy bastards to back down.”

She gave him a suffering look,” William, these are pompous asses but they’re powerful pompous asses. If you don’t play by they’re rules they’ll kill you just-“

” Like my father? My mother? I’m already dead, Sprite.” Ariana stiffened for half a second,” Think what you like, but William died when Drusilla..did whatever she did. I may not be a true vampire but it’s all I know. And I don’t care where I come from, so much as those bobbins back at the castle. I’m doing this for them, not you, and not those blasted humans. I’ll be a king, yeah, rule the country...but I have to do things my way. And as Captain of the bloody guard you have to back me up...or this just won’t work.” She frowned and he was the one to smirk,” So, you with me Sprite?”

Ariana studied him for a moment before drawing back and smiling,” Yes, your highness.”

He narrowed his eyes but didn’t reply as he strode confidently forward. The guards hastily opened the doors for him but he didn’t pause, through the double doors and slowly down the aisle toward the big table. All around were pews of dignitaries, older gentlemen clambering to their feet in shock. But he didn’t stop, knowing the ones at the end were the ones with the power.

***

Days, weeks, months, nothing but time to a slayer who doesn’t care. She does her duty and Sunnydale is safe. Yay, team. Her memories are nothing but a fog, now. She doesn’t really notice anything going on around her. She remembered a bit of clarity around May. When Willow had gone beserk and tried to kill everyone. After Tara had died. And she’d almost died. But Xander and Giles had saved the day and life had righted itself.

Now it was just endless time again. Even as she slowly pushes open the old crypt and steps inside. It’s gotten dusty in the months of no use. The TV she’d replaced was snatched at one point, but that’s all anyone’s dared to take. And no one ventures downstairs. She misses him, she can admit that now.

He brought her to life. Made her feel. Made her face herself. But now she was slowly drying up and dying from the inside. She didn’t even care if she died anymore. She had that death wish he’d warned her about, but he wouldn’t be around to see some demon have their one good day.

“ Buffy?”

Turning to regard her sister, tone of voice rather dull,” Dawn? What are you doing here?”

The teenager shrugged, distanced from her sister,” Looking for him...like you are...”

“ I’m not-“ A tinkle of laughter caught their attention, both girls whipping around to see what looked like an elf sitting rather serenely on a sarcophagus,” Dawn, get out.”

Ariana waved her hand and the door slammed shut,” No, no, stay, Nibblet. The party’s just started.”

Color fled Dawn’s face,” You know Spike?”

Nodding,” Yes, I know William quite well.” Looking down her nose at the slayer,” I know him better than most and certainly have more respect for him...than most.”

The teenager was ringing her hands. Spike had vanished more than eight months ago and from the way things had gone to hell he was sorely missed,” Is...is he okay?”

“ He’s better than okay.” Then her eyes flashed gold, startling them both,” But see for yourself.”