Title: Courage to Change (3)
Rating: PG13? Possible violence? There really isn't anything toward the sexual content. They are 13.
Summary: If you don't know by now, you should probably go back and read the beginning before you get lost in this chapter not knowing what's going on.... lol
Disclaimer: Buffy and characters not mine. Avatar ideas not mine.
Finally: It's been awhile. Longer than awhile. But Buffy's 20th birthday came and went and I felt bad that I stopped writing. I re-read everything I wrote and totally wanna finish this damn story. Let's hope I can do it!
Also, this is a broad story! Willow and Tara awesomeness will come eventually. And the story is mostly about them. But to give it a good background, and good story, there will be some bits and pieces about other characters. Including the bad guys. I am focusing on them for later development as not only cool characters, but as for backgrounds which will help Willow, and eventually Tara. Thank you for your super patience.
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Chapter Seven
Destiny Comes With Danger
Shining hazel eyes overlooked the landscape outside of Devon, Great Britain. It's landscape shining from the downpour of rain that had lasted only half an hour, now lit up by the golden sun that had finally broken through the grey haze of clouds. She loved her home, but something ached inside her. Knowing she was meant for something more. Maroah sighed, sweeping her long brown hair, with its slight natural curls at the bottom, over her shoulder. She swept her hand over a small area of grass, intent on accessing her power. Another failed attempt, she thought. The blades simply shuddered with the slightest of movements but remained unchanged. Another sad sigh. Though only fourteen, she still expected better results and control. She had been practicing since she was five.
As much as she tried, she could not get control, and her mother's people could be of no help. The world of the Sióga (Irish "fairies" because Ireland is the homeland of her mother's clan) was of the spring and summer, where nature bloomed in all its glory. Her own powers were very different. She had no idea why she was chosen for such powers as she had. Her father had no actual powers but he did seem to have a love for the natural element of water. He had a calm demeanor, but an adventurous spirit wishing to explore and move forward as the river does. He met her mother at a natural spring he was exploring.
Everyone thinks fairies are tiny, flying, mischievous creatures. Stupid myths and books. Well, okay, they could technically transform into the little creatures, but really they could be human size when they wished to walk among the world as if they were regular people. Doing this allowed them to stay hidden when they absolutely had to interact with man.
Of course, Sheray and Dareena loved the idea of the fairies. Their work with nature brought them much joy to know that beings existed just for the taking care of the earth around them. However, fairies took very great care in who they interacted with, even in human form. Not much for actual humans, destroying the earth and all. For most of the Sióga clan, her father had been no exception. Her mother's love for her father had definitely been a battle with her fellow fairies. Even Maroah herself was not accepted immediately.
How did a fairy and a man such as her father create a child of ice and snow? Her father was just an adventurous man and she herself had almost nothing in common with the Sióga clan at all quite frankly, though she seemed to naturally bond with the earth and had a way with plants and animals. Her powers of cold had been quite the shock. She was loved and accepted among her mother's people after much fuss and her grandmother on her dad's side had taken such a shine to her. However, she always felt like an outcast, and not even a good one. The only time she could really get her powers to work is when she was angry or extremely emotional and in such a state she could not figure out how to control them. As much as she tried, she just couldn't get it. The only real thing she felt really confident at was her art. Painting and drawing were her passions.
Just as she was making her way back to her beautiful brown horse Luna, named for the crescent white mark over her ribs, Maroah heard the faint calling of her name over across the field. She looked to see Aria riding at a hastened pace towards her. The look on Aria's gorgeous features made Maroah shudder with worry. Either something was going on, or her grandmother was angry about yet another disappearance. She was probably late for another practice to fail at. However, she quickly found this not to be the case.
"You are needed immediately, Maroah. We need you to find your mother's people and ask for their help in finding the Chosen. She is in grave danger," Aria's demeanor stayed somewhat calm, as it always did, even in times of distress. This made her difficult to read at times, however with the speed of her arrival and the mention of grave danger, Maroah knew there truly was trouble.
Maroah felt herself grow disheartened knowing that finding the clan meant she would have to once again dig out her mother's necklace. It reminded her of the pain in losing her parents, but she did not have the time to check the various fairy dwellings to see which one they were tending to, "I'll need to get mother's necklace. Let's hope they are here on one of their expeditions and not in the homeland."
With this said, Maroah quickly mounted Luna and took off following Aria across the fields. The young teenager had many questions about what was now happening, but it was not the time. She would find out soon enough, she figured.
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Rest. Real relaxation. The voyage had taken its toll on the young teenager. After they had successfully arrived at their spot in the woods, Willow rushed to take a bath in the shallow pond. Amazed at how clear the water was, but chilly as the beginning of fall was coming near. Though the days were still filled with some sunlight and warm temperatures, the nights had started to cool, and Willow knew that winter was always the hardest for her to survive. At this time, in the last years, she had made sure to make her way down south towards the Carolinas as the beginning of her first winter alone was not fun, and a quick lesson was learned. Here in England though, she feared there was no where she could really go that would provide such sheltering weather during the bitter season. Willow would have to tough it out.
Though being clean was enjoyed, especially since she still had a bar of soap left, she soon became chilled by the fast approaching night. Angel was currently on the other side of the trees taking his own bath, which Willow thanked the gods for since he was more ripe smelling than the ship. However, she tried well to hide that in the case of hurting his feelings. The young redhead took this time to start collecting some stray wood and kindling for a small fire. It had to be carefully controlled so no one would see any smoke, but it could be done.
As she finished putting her miniature fire pit together Angel came around the bend of trees. He, of course, wasn't cold and Willow was jealous at that moment for his lack of blood circulation. Turning back to the small pit, she said her little fire incantation and concentrated on the wood. Nothing happened.... The teen looked as though the wood had sprouted daisies. Shaking her head she attempted again. Again, nothing.
"I don't get it. I've done this to several vampires, and started several little fires to keep myself warm in the last few months. Why isn't it working?!" Willow huffed at the small pile of wood as though it was at fault.
Angel simply lifted an eyebrow in response. He had very little knowledge of magic, and the little he did ended with him having a torturous soul, so he didn't care for it much, "You might just need rest youngin'. It's been a long journey, and I know you didn't sleep very long last night or very well the other nights."
Willow looked defeated after two more tries. She was cold, and she needed this to work. She didn't have any matches and had lost her lighter awhile ago, not bothering to replace it since her little spell book was introduced into her life. One last time, Willow put all of her concentration at the small set of wood and kindling, took a deep breath and spoke, "Incindiere!" As was before, nothing. Anger showed in her eyes as frustration swelled inside. She stared heavily at the wood and kicked the ground at its base, then swept her hand at it in a jerking motion showing she was done with being patient. As the motion made its way around though, small flames lit up her hand and spit for just a brief second, heading right in Angel's direction and effectively setting one of his ragged shirts ablaze.
"What in the divil?! Watch where you're aimin' that magic of yours!" His Irish accent flaring slightly in surprise, as he quickly went to stomp out the shirt. Thinking better of it, Angel picked it up by the sleeve that hadn't quite caught fire yet and tossed it on the pile so as to warm the poor girl who had tried so hard. The fire danced as though in anger with the flames high, but became calm just as fast as they had started, lowering to a small and crackling campfire. Angel noticed this effect had much followed the redhead's own emotions of anger, surprise and finally calm as Red had gotten what she had wanted. He became intrigued by this behavior.
Willow herself was more than a little surprised. Had the spell just needed time from her being so tired? It had felt different than all the other times. As though the fire was created out of nothing, as if she had called it forth from the very heat in her hand, unlike with the spell normally feeling the magic surround her hand and ignite a spark in her palm.
Evening faded into a cool, clear night. The fire smoldered on, young Willow curled next to it cocooned in hole filled blankets. She didn't allow herself to complain though. Angel had caught a couple of red squirrels which she had mixed feelings eating. She loved animals. Seemed to have a connection to all things in nature, all the creatures and plants. Even the rats she had eaten few times had made her feel guilty, but her need to survive out in the world alone sometimes brought a much needed perspective to her dining plan. So young Red ate without argument to Angel after he roasted them. She did however take what they didn't use and buried it deep leaving a prayer for each of the squirrels that died to feed them. Much like she had done for any animal she had come to need for survival. Nature was a blessing to her. The only thing that felt like home since Mom and Dad had passed.
It was soon after she curled into the blankets that she fell into a deep sleep. A new and weird feeling of peace and fulfillment. As if one of the pieces of herself that had been missing, had suddenly connected to her soul again. Angel watched her drift off. He could feel a change in the young girl. Even with so little time spent with her, there was something different.
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Willow walked through the clearing of the forest. Her hair bright and beautiful in the sunshine's glow. She was striding along a sparkling stream, the sounds of the water followed her. She made her way past the tall, gorgeous trees that loomed in all their years of existence, proudly sporting the luscious greens of spring. She felt at peace, with earth's tiniest creatures, such as bugs and spiders, to its bigger animals, like squirrels, rabbits, and even a passing fox, eyeing her as she made her way deeper into the mass of leaves and bark.
This was where she was meant to be. One with the elements of nature. The rugged and solid earth beneath her feet, as her toes dug into the soft dirt. The air, clean and cool, with its slight breeze shuffling through her hair, gentle in its soft touch. The rays of sun beaming through the trees, touching her face with its warmth and light. Finally the ever smooth sound of the water as it made its way through the bed it had carved itself out of the earth. Water was life. She breathed deep, the smells around her intoxicating. She sat at the base of a beautiful, very old oak tree, and just rested her eyes.
It was not long before she realized the sound of the water had become different, somehow heavy. She glanced over, but water was no longer flowing down the creek bed. Blood. Thick and red, staining the landscape as it took over. It started to overflow, spilling over the edges and onto the flat surface of the earth. Soaking into the soil, drowning the tree roots and grasses along the bed. Willow tried to run, but the blood followed her, as if it had a mind of its own. It pursued her path, quickly, and with the dark grace it always has in its flow.
Trees were withering into dark shadows, leaves blackened as each tree was drowned at the base in the thick of the dark red flood. She ran through green bushes full of life, that soon became overrun. Finally, she came to a halt at the base of a small incline of rock which she tried to climb up before the feeling of the thick, hot blood came to her ankles.
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Willow woke with a start. She was gasping for air and her vision was blurred as her face was wet. She wiped at it in panic only to realize it was simply rain. A shiver ran down her body as the tattered blankets were becoming soaked from the natural shower that was currently taking place.
Angel had woken when he heard her gasping and quickly went to work gathering the little they had before he realized that she may not have just woken from the rain. He reached down gently to pick her up and took her under a thick overhead of trees as Willow caught her breath. He set her down on some of the blankets that hadn’t gotten quite as soaked and waited for her to calm herself. She looked frightened. He hadn’t seen her eyes so full of fear in the few days he had known her.
“You alright there youngin’? Quite a start for a simple thing such as rain. Especially for someone who should be used to waking up in such elements at times,” his voice giving way to soothe as much as he could muster.
Willow only looked at him with confusion and shock, before remembering the last few days of her journey. She tried to speak, but it just wouldn’t come out. Her lips moved without sound. After a minute she finally composed herself, “It was a bad dream. That’s all. Nothing more.”
Angel gave a nod, but the look on her face made him wonder about what she had said to him on the ship. About her having a destiny. He thought about it for a moment, “You said to me that someone had told you that you were powerful. That you have a destiny? May I ask who told you this? Or if they gave you any kind of clue to what it was?”
“No,” Willow stated somewhat bitterly. She found herself somewhat angry, but not at him. At the situation. She was already by herself, in danger constantly from people trying to find her, from demons trying to kill her, from loneliness; and now she had listened to someone tell her that it was all for a purpose. Some powerful being chose for her life to be so hard, and it made her angry. It made her resentful. She gave Angel an apologetic look, “She never told me anything more. It was an older lady, in Boston.”
Willow went into detail about everything, that happened in the short hour she was in the magic shop, showing him the star, and the little book. His face was neutral through most of the conversation, but Willow was quickly getting used to this look.
Angel was impassive for a few moments after the story. As his head wrapped around the events of what took place just a short time before his meeting young Red, “Destiny is not something to take lightly I imagine. Not that I myself would know much about such. In the short time of being human I was not much of a man. And in the time of being a vampire, I was just a sick and twisted child. But have a little faith. We will get you through whatever comes. My guess is that dream of yours was a warning though. We best be moving on and finding someone who can help you figure it out soon. Lest we be caught off guard with a surprise neither of us wants.”
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Maroah spoke to her mother’s necklace, in the language of her people. The fairies language sounded beautiful to all those who had ever heard it spoke. The room around the young half fairy was quiet. The necklace spoke back in faster tongue, as it seemed young Maroah wasn’t quite as fluent in the language as one of the clan. After what seemed like the longest five minute discussion of their lives, Maroah put down the necklace and looked over at the expectant faces of the rest of her coven. Lanessa, Althenea, Aria, Sheray, and Dareena.
“They have had some news of young Willow. At least, news that a power has come to England, but they are not the only ones. They will attempt to find her as soon as possible, and will contact me as they have. They asked if the was any way we could help make this process easier?” Maroah looked over in hopes that someone could give a clue.
Before anyone could start making suggestions, a knock came at the door. Lanessa gave Maroah a quick look to the necklace, giving the hint to hide it from sight, but was quickly calmed as Althenea spoke, “It is a friend. A trusted ally who comes with help.”
Aria opened the door, coming face to face with the watcher himself, Rupert Giles.
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Alright. Let’s just hope the story continues this time. It’s been killing me. Like, what’s going to happen next?! Oh wait, I already have ideas but the problem is the “in between the ideas” areas. See you next chapter!!