• Author name – IronWill
• Rating - R (NC-17 possible in future posts. Will post warnings accordingly)
• Disclaimer - Sexual content, strong language, violence and difficult subject matter.
• Feedback - Yes please! Constructive feedback is very much appreciated.
• Summary - A/U: Willow is a healer, traveling with two bounty hunters and a boy she considers her son. She's spent the better part of a decade running from her past but now, in a familiar kingdom, she'll face her demons and reclaim her lost love.
• Notes - This is my first fic, completely unrevised. I have no beta so any mistakes are my own. Tara doesn't appear for a couple of chapters, so bare with me. But she will show up! Or else it wouldn't be a Willow/Tara fic, now would it? If anyone is interested in becoming my beta please let me know! I can use all the help I can get.
Chapter 1: Chosen Family
She loved the sounds of the river. No matter where in the world she came to be, the sound of rushing water crashing against stone and sand always brought her back home. To the small village at the edge of the Northern Mountain. Valleys so green and lush you could walk through them forever. The sky so clear and blue it could take your breath away. She longed to return, to see her mothers smiling eyes, to hear her sisters laughter floating upon the breeze as they played in the wildflowers. A faint smile graced her lips as she closed her deep green eyes, and for a moment, just a moment, she was there. Watching as two little girls with blue eyes and bright red curls that matched her own, raced up the hill to greet her.
Her smile faltered as her daydream faded. Tears burned behind her eyes, but she did not let them fall. She opened her eyes wide and sighed softly as she gazed out across the vast river. She knew she would never see home again. Her mother and sisters were long dead and nothing remained for her in the small village at the edge of the mountain.
A flash of brown hair and pounding footsteps brought her out of her revere and she glanced over her shoulder to watch as a gangly boy with mousey brown hair ran as fast as his legs could carry him. Not far behind was the dark haired woman who chased after him. “Theodoric! I swear when I catch you I’m throwing you in the river!”
Theo shrieked as the woman got closer, but he managed to dart out of the way and scampered up the nearest tree. “Can’t catch me now!” His wide toothy grin greeted his would be captor as he tried to catch his breath.
The redhead laughed loudly and stood, joining the brunette who stared up at the boy from the base of the tree. “What’s the boy done now, Faith?”
Faith rolled her eyes, “Tried to pick my pocket. Little rat got nearly 4 shillings before I caught him.” She shook her head and put her hands on her hips. “I thought you talked to him about that, Will?”
She shrugged, “I tried. He’s persistent, I’ll give him that.” She looked back up the tree at the grinning boy. “You’ll have to come down at some point.”
Theo shook his head, “She’ll kill me if I do.”
Willow chuckled and shook her head, “You can’t stay there all night. You’ll just have to risk it.”
“But she’ll throw me in the river! I can’t swim!” His wide blue eyes stared down at her as he clung to a branch. “I’m too young to die!”
“You shouldn’t have picked my pocket then!” Faith couldn’t suppress the amused smile as she watched the boy squirm. “Come down here and take it like a man!”
The boy again shook his head, “Wether I take it like a man or a chicken, I’ll drown just the same!”
Willow couldn’t help but laugh. The boy had a point. “Come down here, Theo. She won’t throw you in.”
He looked skeptical for a moment, “Promise?”
The redhead smiled and held out her arms. “I promise. Now come on. Jericho will be back soon.” She knew the mention of their silent companion would entice him out of the tree.
The boy grinned and practically launched himself out of the tree and into her outstretched arms. He giggled as she pulled him into a tight embrace and tickled his sides. “You are a little imp, you know that?”
Faith rolled her eyes and ruffle his hair, “Wonder where he gets it.” She smiled as he squirmed out of the redheads arms and dug into his pocket. The boy pulled out three shillings and into her hand. “Thank you. Next time I will throw you in.” She took a playful swipe at his head, which he quickly ducked before taking off, once again running through the woods.
“That boy’s going to be trouble soon.” Willow commented with a smile as she watched him hop off after a frog.
The brunette scoffed, “Soon? He’s trouble now!”
The redhead chuckled and nodded her agreement. “It’ll only get worse the older he gets. He’s what? 8, 9 maybe?”
Faith shrugged, “Something like that.” She sighed loudly, “Ah, well. Nothing we can do now but cross our fingers and hold on for the ride.”
Willow shook with laughter and they watched for a moment longer as he mimicked the sounds of the poor frog he was stalking and began nudging it, trying to make it hop. They had found the boy 6 years ago, abandoned in the woods. The village they were passing through had suffered greatly from bouts of illness and famine. They presumed the boy had been left there by a family who was unwilling, or unable, to care for him. After many days of looking for his family, they had given up and decided to bring him with them. Willow refused to leave the boy to die and Faith had agreed. What had surprised them most was their companion, Jericho. He took an immediate liking to the boy and he cared for him like any father would. Likewise, the boy quickly grew attached to the stoic man as only he could calm the boys frequent crying. Willow became like a mother to him. She looked after him, taught him to read and write. While Faith took on a more relaxed role in parenting the child. They all functioned as a family, each fiercely protective of the others and loyal to a fault.
Willow took a deep breath and exhaled through her nose. “Come on. Jeri will be back soon. Let’s get camp set, then it’s lessons for the boy.”
Faith sighed dramatically, but relented and the two set about their tasks.
Jericho returned a few hours before dark carrying a rabbit and two quails. He smiled as Theo raced to meet him, jumping into his arms and climbing up the broad man, settling on top of his shoulders. “Did you see any trolls?”
Jericho shook his head and smiled up at the boy. Though he was unable to speak, he and Theo had never had a problem communicating, usually through a serious of looks and gestures.
“How about giants? Any giants in the woods?” Theo was nothing if not persistent. One thing he had undoubtedly picked up from Willow was her inquisitive nature.
Jericho’s shoulders quaked with silent laughter as he reached up and lifted the boy off his shoulders and placed him firmly on the ground, his grey eyes twinkling. He smirked at his young charge and shook his head slowly. He kneeled down and made a fluttering motion with his hands, somewhat resembling the wings of a butterfly or bird. He smiled slowly as he pointed to the trees.
Theo’s eyes light up and he began bouncing excitedly. “Really?! Real fairies?!” Willow had told him stories of the enchanting creatures of the forests. The idea that he may actually get to see one thrilled him.
The dark haired man nodded with a grin and motioned for the boy to be very quiet. He pointed to the trees again then to his eye, indicating for the boy to look for himself.
Theo grew very serious as he took off once again for the trees, disappearing into the near darkness.
“You shouldn’t encourage him. We’ll lose track of him one of these days, then what?” Faith leaned against a near by tree with a smirk, having watched the entire encounter silently.
Jericho shrugged with a smile and stood, bringing the fruits of his hunting trip with him and laying them at the brunettes feet.
She laughed and picked up the animals, “Next time, I’m going hunting. You can stay and watch the boy.”
The man shook his head fondly and followed the brunette as she walked towards camp.
Willow looked up from her place on the ground and smiled. In her lap lay and open book, quill and ink well on the ground by her feet. She leaned back against a tall oak tree and watched as her two companions walked towards her. She noted the game hanging from leather cords in Faith’s hand. “Looks like we’re eating well tonight.” She cast and appreciative smile at Jericho, “Thank you.”
He smiled and nodded as he sat down beside her and pointed to the book in her lap.
The redhead grinned, “He loves it. He likes the idea of being able to write his own story. It really is a beautiful journal.” She shook her head with a chuckle, “Of course when he heard you coming he took off.”
Jericho’s grin matched hers as he leaned back resting on his elbows, seemingly content to just watch as Faith set about cleaning the nights catch.
The three sat in companionable silence as Faith continued preparing the meal for the night. Willow put Theo’s journal away, knowing full well lessons were over for the night. Jericho relaxed and looked up at the sky between the trees, watching as the evening light grew dim.
As night fell, Jericho stood and walked to the edge of the woods and brought his fingers to his lips. A sharp whistle pierced the still night air and he waited. He smiled as he heard small footsteps crashing through the leaves and underbrush. Theo was in his arms the moment he broke through the tree line and the man carried the boy to the camp site, settling him beside his surrogate mother.
The redhead smiled up at Jericho then gently ran her fingers through the boys tussled hair, removing a stray twig with a chuckle.
They ate, each talking about their day, with Jericho silently watching and nodding along as they included him in their discussions. The life they led was unconventional, to say the least. A gypsies lifestyle, only without the gypsies. They traveled from place to place, Jericho and Faith tracking down criminals and collecting the bounties in each town they passed through. And Willow was a sort of healer. She offered whatever aid she could to those most in need whenever possible. The people she helped offered what they could. Usually a warm meal and a place to sleep for the night was all that could be offered and it was graciously accepted. On the rare occasions that coin was offered, Willow would save it up to buy whatever was needed for Theo.
The kingdom they were currently in was unknown to Faith and Jericho, but Willow seemed to know it well. Faith smirked and nudged Jericho conspiratorially. “So, Will, where’s the nearest cobbler? My boot needs to be repaired.”
The redhead rolled her eyes, “You can just ask. I know you’re dying to.”
Faith leaned forward, leaning her elbows on her knees, “How did you know to come this way? We never would have found this road had you not been with us.” Despite how close they were, Faith and Jericho knew very little about Willow’s past. She had always been reluctant to share any details about her previous life, preferring to keep the past where it belonged.
Willow chuckled, the brunette looked like a child egger to receive a gift. “I’ve passed through here once before.”
Jericho nudged Faith’s foot with his own and nodded in the redhead’s direction. He clearly wanted more details.
“Passed through, huh? So no heartbroken lovers waiting for your return?” Faith teased, smiling as Jericho chuckled silently.
Willow’s smile slowly faded and she turned her gaze towards the fire crackling between them. She shook her head, her stare distant and cold. “No. I was just a stranger passing though.” After a moment a soft smile returned as she looked over at Theo, “Though when I was here, there was a grand festival. The entire city was filled with people and decorations. I had never seen anything so exciting in all my life.”
The boy’s eyes light up and he scooted closer, “Really? Were there gypsies and dancers?” He had never been to a festival. They were always moving from one village to the next. He desperately wanted to see more of what the world had to offer, but they always moved on too fast for him to explore.
The redhead nodded, “Oh yes, many dancers and fortunetellers. Music filled the streets and there was more food than you could ever eat.” She smiled down at him and wrapped her arm around his shoulders. “One day, I’ll take you. Would you like that?”
Theo nodded enthusiastically. “Can we go tomorrow? Just for a little while?”
The hopeful question nearly broke her heart, but she knew they had to move on. “I wish we could, but we have to keep moving. We can’t stop here long, there’s no money to be made here.” She sighed softly and pulled him into a hug. “I promise, as soon as we find a decent place to settle for the winter, we’ll find a solstice celebration to go to, alright?”
His bright smile faded with her words and his shoulders slumped. “But, that won’t be for months. What if we don’t find a place before winter solstice? Why can’t we stay here? I like it here.”
Faith reached out and nudged his knee affectionately, “We’re too close to the city. They have an army dedicated to hunting down the bad guys, they don’t need a couple of bounty hunters like us.” She smiled, “Will’s right. We’ll be settled before Solstice, we’ll take you then.”
Theo desperately wanted to explore the city. He tried once more to convince them, “But the Summer Solstice was yesterday. Won’t they be having a celebration in the city now?”
Willow and Jericho shared a look and the man shook his head sadly. They had to keep moving. They couldn’t afford to lose an entire day’s worth of travel. Willow sighed sadly and brushed her fingers through the boys hair, “I’m sorry, Theo, we can’t go tomorrow. I promise, we’ll go to the next one, okay?”
The boy bowed his head in disappointment but nodded. He wanted so much to see all the wonderful things Willow had told him about. There just had to be a way. Ideas and possibilities raced through his head as he idly toyed with a stick, drawing random patterns in the dirt at his feet.
Their conversation ended for the night, all of them deciding that there was nothing left to be gained from carrying on their discussion. They all settled down by the fire. Theo stood and waited for Willow to get situated before settling in close to her, using her stomach as a pillow, with his feet pressed firmly against Jericho’s back. Faith flanked them on the opposite side, smiling as she looked across at the familiar sight. They all fell asleep, comforted in the knowledge that they were together.
_________________ I will not die an unlived life. I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire.
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