Hi everyone!
I wanted to complete this part before posting the chapters but I found that I'm just not disciplined enough if I'm not posting regularly. So, here's Chapter 1 of the new part of the Alexina series. The previous two parts can be found here: karenk.i8.com/stories/alexina.htm and karenk.i8.com/stories/alexinab.htm
Disclaimers: All Buffy characters belong to Joss, Mutant Enemy, etc. Some characters are named after characters in the Baldur’s Gate series of PC games. I’m just borrowing them for a while.
Spoilers: Seasons 4 and 5, in particular from Hush till The Gift. This story is set after Buffy is resurrected. How that is really going to happen I don't know and I'm not going to guess. She's just back and in this fic.
Distribution: All you have to do is ask.
Feedback: Yes please.
Pairings: W/T (but of course), X/A
Author's Note: This is the third in the Alexina series. It'd be a good idea to read the first two first…
Chapter 1
“Thanks for the pointers, Alex.” A slightly panting Slayer said to the tall woman walking next to her, carrying both of their training swords. There was no sign that the immortal had just gone one hour against the Slayer, much to said Slayer’s disgust.
Alex grinned, “No worries, Buffy. You’re a great student, you pick things up real quick.”
“Part of being a Slayer, I guess.” the young woman shrugged modestly.
Alex nodded in agreement as the two of them entered the main room of the bustling with business Magic Box. The immortal cast a quick look around to satisfy herself that all corners of the shop were covered with a demon of hers. She was not about to take another chance with Sarevok still out there somewhere.
If she had fully regained all her strength and powers, Sarevok should also have. It was like a thing in the back of her mind that Sarevok was still in this realm and she had yet to banish him. Again. The repetition was annoying. Sarevok comes, creates havoc, Alexina banishes him, he comes back, say two to three hundred years later and creates havoc again until Alexina banishes him.
While Alex mused over her history with Sarevok, Buffy had joined Willow and Tara by the main table. Giles had tasked the two witches to sorting out some of his new books (from sources that Alex had provided him with) since they couldn’t train while the Magic Box was still open for business. Giles and Anya were busy serving customers while Xander was at work at the construction company. Alex strolled towards her daughter and her friends.
“Dawn’s coming back from summer camp tonight, isn’t she?” Willow asked her best friend.
“Yup… and the house will be filled with noise again. So much for peace and quiet.” Buffy grumbled good-naturedly. She had missed her little sister a lot.
“Had she had any trouble at the camp?” Tara wondered aloud.
The Slayer frowned a little, not quite understanding, “Trouble?”
“Well, with like the Knights of the Byzantium. I thought the Knights were after the Key and Dawnie is still the Key even though Glory’s gone…” the blonde witch was hesitant but curious.
Buffy’s eyes opened wide. She had not considered that.
“Not to worry, Buffy.” Alex jumped in before Buffy could go into panic mode. “I’ve had Drizzt ‘persuade’ the Knights that dropping their pursuit of the Key would be ‘key’ to their own survival. So to speak.” The dark immortal grinned at her own pun.
Willow and Tara both grinned as well, it was times like this that Alex didn’t seem like some two over thousand year-old immortal but someone more, well, normal. Not very ‘mom-ish’ but still normal. Alex actually looked very much as old as the rest of them, she was just 21 when she was turned after all, so she hadn’t aged much, if at all.
Like now, Alex placed her hands on the table and leaned across towards the three of them, “We need to talk.” Her tone was serious but her eyes twinkled.
“About?” Buffy’s eyebrows rose.
“Whose birthday is next?” Alex’s tone was still serious.
The three young women looked at each other, “Mine, I think.” Willow answered.
“When is that?” the immortal asked.
“In 23 days exactly.” Tara answered for her lover. Buffy chuckled while Willow blushed.
Alex’s smirked, “How would you like to spend your birthday weekend in my castle in Scotland?”
“Scotland?” Willow asked.
“Castle?” Buffy added. Tara’s jaw just dropped.
“Yeah, my castle in the northern Scotland highlands.” Alex crossed her long arms and stood up straight, showing off her impressive height, “Everyone’s invited.”
“I’m not sure if everyone can afford to pay for their airfare…” the redhead wanted to celebrate but knew that Xander for one would not be able to afford to pay for his flight.
Alex rolled her eyes, “Willow, I’m, what’s the word you youngsters use these days? Ah, yes, I’m loaded. Didn’t I tell you that already? Besides, we’ll be taking my personal jet.” She turned and walked towards Giles to tell him of the news.
“Personal jet?” Buffy felt like a tape recorder, repeating what had been said but she could not help herself.
Chapter 2
“Wow.” the Slayer’s eyes were as wide open as they can get.
Alex smirked and glanced around her, all the other Scoobies had almost exactly the same expression on their faces, even Anya and Giles. Dawn wandered towards a brightly coloured and elaborate tapestry hanging down one of the massive columns but before she could touch the threads, her sister shouted out a warning while looking at another direction, “Dawn! Don’t touch anything!” The younger Summers stuck her tongue out at the back of her older sister.
Alex chuckled, “Giles, I can understand the reactions of the younger ones but surely you’ve seen a castle before?” the immortal asked with her tongue firmly in her cheek.
The Watcher stopped gaping in a hurry to face Alex, “Yes, well… I have but even the Head Council building isn’t as impressive as this, I must say.”
“I’ve seen some castles in my day but this is HUGE!” Anya, the ex-vengeance demon exclaimed with her arms spread wide open.
“How did you get this castle? Can someone buy a castle?” Xander asked no one in particular.
“No, I didn’t purchase this castle.” Alex paused for a moment as she notice everyone’s attention, “I conquered it.”
“You conquered…” Tara’s question was cut short by the opening of the huge double doors.
“Lord Alexina.” The human-looking female bowed low. The only clue the Scoobies got that she wasn’t a human was the fact that she was blue in colour. Just behind her stood two other demons.
“Everyone, this is Ning and behind her are Mazzy and Semia. They basically run the castle here, so if you have any problems with your rooms, just let them know.” Alex made the introductions.
Ning walked towards the group, “Indeed, Mazzy, Semia and I are at your service.” She clapped her hands twice and numerous assorted demons, including several of the huge Malons, appeared, “Bring our guests’ luggage to their rooms.” Almost instantly the demons were gone with the Scoobies’ luggage. “I must make sure they put the right luggage in the right rooms, Mazzy and Semia will give you a grand tour of the castle…” she raised a hand to stop Alex’s words, “because Lord Alexina has tons of paperwork that require her immediate attention, she will only be able to rejoin you all at dinnertime. I’m sure we can cope with her absence for a few hours.”
“Ning…” Alex’s tone showed her exasperation.
The said demon just looked at Alex wordlessly. The immortal rolled her eyes and sighed, “All right, all right… are they waiting for me at my personal study?”
“Yes, Raina and Vecna are waiting for you at your study with all the paperwork from the past eight months.” Ning looked a little smug at Alex’s lack of protests. She was well aware of the looks and glances of amusement that Alex’s visitors shared with one another.
After the grand tour of the castle and its grounds, the Scoobies were led into a dining room for dinner. All of them were talking excitedly about what they were planning on doing for the next two days.
Buffy wanted to try out the obstacle course that Semia had told her that Alex had designed. While Giles almost drooled at some of the titles that Alex had in her huge library and wanted to get his hands (carefully) on so many of them. Xander on the other hand drooled at the sight of Alex’s thirty-car and ten-motorcycle garage and wanted to ask permission to test drive some of them on a built-in driving circuit that was on the castle grounds. If there was anything that Anya missed doing was (to everyone’s surprise) riding horses and Alex had a stable with over forty of the best horses in the world. Dawn, meanwhile, had her eye set on doing everything there is to do in 48 hours.
Willow’s own excitement over her birthday and being in a foreign country was overshadowed by Tara’s increasing silence. Her lover had not ‘ooh-ed’ and ‘ahh-ed’ at anything that they had seen since Dawn had innocently asked if everything here was one day going to belong to Tara since Tara was the daughter of Alex. The blonde’s eyes had opened wide in alarm and since then she had been quiet, even more quiet than usual and Willow was concerned.
A long rectangular-shaped table greeted the Scoobies to the dining room, five panes of glass windows on three of the walls let in whatever light the setting sun gave. At the side, several of the Malon demons were holding two huge chandeliers down while other demons were lighting them.
Alex was already sitting at the head of the table, alternately reading and signing the papers that the two human-looking demons on her either side were handing her. She greeted the Scoobies without looking up, “Hey guys. I’m almost done here, settle down and dinner will be served in a bit.” The immortal glanced up at her guests for a moment, offering them a somewhat harassed smile, before getting back to her papers.
The Scoobies settled themselves into the available high-backed chairs. Tara choosing to sit on Alex’s right with Willow right next to her and Dawn next to the redhead. Giles took the last chair on their side of the table. Buffy took the seat to Alex’s left with Xander and Anya the ones’ next to the Slayer. They watched, rapt in attention, as the last of the chandeliers’ many candles were lit.
Ning entered the room as the chandeliers were ready to be pulled up. With small grunts the two Malons managed that task with little difficulty. With awkward bows they and the other demons left the room quietly. On Ning’s signal, Mazzy and Semia also bowed and left.
“Raina, Vecna, I think that’s enough for the day.” Ning instructed.
Alex smiled widely as she signed the last paper with a flourish and handed it back to the green-eyed Raina, standing on her right, “Yes! Thank you, Ning. Now, you two slave drivers, leave me alone.” The immortal shooed at her two assistants as they packed up all the papers and left, but not before Raina said, “See you after breakfast tomorrow, Lord Alexina. We still have papers from the last two months to complete.”
“No!” Alex moaned, mock pathetically to the snickering of her dinner companions. She dropped her head on the table with a table, “Ning, I gave you administrative control, why can’t you sign all those documents?”
“I do sign most of the documents on your behalf, Lord Alexina. If I didn’t…” Ning trailed off as Alex shuddered and sighed. “Dinner is ready to be served on your command, Lord Alexina.”
The dark-haired woman seated herself properly before nodding formally at Ning. The blue-skinned demon simply clapped twice and the side doors swung open and the servants started carrying in plates upon plates of food.
Chapter 3
“That was so good, Alex.” the bottomless pit that was Xander said as he cleaned up his second helping of dessert.
“I’ll be sure to let my chefs know that you enjoyed their work, Xander.” Alex smiled. She herself had eaten a fair bit, which isn’t usually the case. Her being immortal and all, she didn’t really need to eat at all. She had noticed Tara’s silence throughout the meal, even when Willow tried to draw her into the conversations. The immortal debated for a moment whether to speak up now or wait till her was alone with her daughter.
Willow though, had no such qualms, “Tara, baby, are you feeling okay?”
Her lover was startled out of her private musings and hesitated for a long moment before finally answering, “I-I am. W-Why?” the blonde did not meet Willow’s eyes.
“Cause you’ve been quiet gal all night. Not that you’re usually not quiet but you’re quieter than usual and I can’t help but be worried.” Willow consciously stopped her babbling before she embarrassed herself too much in front of Alex.
“She’s right,” Alex spoke up, “Sweet bird, are you okay?” the immortal reached for Tara’s hand in concern.
“I…” Tara started but one look at the concerned eyes of first her lover and then her ‘mother’ and she caved, slightly, “What is to be expected of me?” she asked Alex.
The immortal frowned, not quite understanding, “Wha…”, then comprehension lit her eyes, “You mean your responsibilities to me and this castle?”
Tara nodded without looking or saying a word.
Alex sighed, “Nothing you don’t want, sweet bird. Is that what you’ve been worried about?”
The blonde looked up timidly.
Alex smiled gently, “I’m immortal, I’m not going to die, Tara. All this,” the immortal spread her arms out, “is not going to suddenly become yours to handle.” She reached out to grasp her daughter’s hand and leaned forwards, “Tara, maybe one day, if I am ever incapacitated again for a very short period of time, you may take over from me instead of Drizzt but that wouldn’t last forever. I promise. Okay?”
Tara nodded, “I… I forget that you won’t die sometimes…” she admitted shyly.
“I know,” Alex nodded solemnly, “sometimes, I forget too.” The immortal turned her head to face the rest of the very quiet Scoobies with a grin, “I’m sure everyone has got a lot that they want to do tomorrow, so don’t stay up too late… Buffy, I usually use the obstacle course as part of my morning training regime, would you like to join me tomorrow?”
“I’m there!” the Slayer was more than enthusiastic.
“Anya, you may take any horse out to ride that you wish, but please allow either Mazzy or Semia to go along with you… you’re not familiar with the terrain here, having a guide would be best for everyone.”
Anya’s reaction was even more animated than Buffy’s, jumping up and down her seat and clapping, “I will, thanks Alex.”
“Xander, same with you. Take any or all of my cars and bikes out but have someone with you and be careful. You are not immortal.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.” Xander nodded his head up and down so hard, Alex was afraid that he may get whiplash.
“Giles, my library is yours to peruse. Ning would be the one most likely to answer any queries that you may have.”
The Watcher’s reaction was appropriately more subdued, “Thanks, Alex.”
“Dawn, go wild. Don’t worry, nothing that is irreplaceable is on display here…” Alex grinned as she saw Dawn stuck her tongue playfully out at her sister, who frowned back at her.
This was the type of scene she always wanted when she first conquered this castle, her having dinner with friends and, yes, family, as she gazed fondly at Tara who was in secret conference with Willow. About what their plans were going to be for tomorrow, no doubt. Alex’s smile grew wider as she settled comfortably back on her chair.
Chapter 4
Willow’s birthday had past without a hitch. She was showered with loads and loads of presents from the Scooby Gang plus a complete set of Charms and Spells magic books from Alex. Alex did not stop her present giving with Willow, she also presented Buffy with a, what Giles had thought was a mythical, sword called the Daystar.
The immortal also gave Xander the choice of any of her 30 cars and motorbikes and Anya a cheque of an undisclosed amount (neither the immortal nor the ex-demon would say how much the cheque was but Anya was left smiling from ear to ear for more than a week). Giles was given copies of most of the rarest books in Alex’s collection, plus the promise that Ning would be available at all times for information on any other book and subject that he is lacking in. And for Dawn, her present was held in lieu for Dawn herself could not decide on what she wanted the most.
Even the reclusive Elminster made a surprise appearance at Willow’s actual party wowing his captive audience and showing off some of his tricks, which he then willingly spent the rest of the night and most of the morning teaching Willow and Tara. For the two witches, it was sheer heaven to learn magic from arguably the most powerful wizard there is.
And while Tara was not given any obvious present, the time that Alex took in spending with her and Willow was more than anything the immortal could ever buy for her. The three of them found time to go horse-riding and even for a quiet picnic, just the three of them. It is those memories that Tara found herself smiling at on the flight back to Sunnydale. It had been a most wonderful weekend and Alex had promised would be repeated for the whole summer if that was what the Scoobies wanted.
As if she needed to ask, the blonde witch thought to herself as she glanced to the busy redhead at her side. Willow had not been able to put her new magic books down since Alex had presented them to her. The charms and spells on those books were powerful, no doubt, but they were also more defensive rather than offensive. And Tara trusted that her mum would not give her lover a gift of dark magic books.
What Tara and the rest were not aware of was the private conversation that Alex had with her mentor, Elminster, in the early hours of the morning after the party. It was held at Alex’s private study and it was that conversation that had the immortal’s thoughts heavy throughout the flight back to Sunnydale.
“How are the signs now?”
“My Lord, they have shifted… you’ve averted another potential disaster.”
“Are they pissed off?”
“But of course, my Lord. They have put this in place for many years.”
“She will not be turned to the dark arts. I will not have it.”
“She’s still very powerful, my Lord. Her mind is an even more powerful weapon. Her curiosity… her eagerness to do what she thinks is right.”
“Tara will help her curb it…”
“Yes, but the Lady Tara has got a destiny of her own to fulfil as you know, my Lord.”
“Is this where you warn me to be ready for an attack from The Powers To Be?”
“The Powers wouldn’t move against you directly, my Lord… but the Oracles on the other hand…”
“Self-important, self-righteous…”
“My Lord, they cannot be underestimated. You have now gone directly against them twice in the space of months, first with the Slayer then with the young witch. The Yuan-ti’s are not the only things they can throw at you… they may even align themselves with Sarevok.”
“And against The Powers To Be?”
“You’ve held them by their throats to demand the release of the Slayer’s soul… you’ve thwarted their plans for the young witch… you’ve refused to let their agents kill the souled vampire and the rogue Slayer… I just think they might decide to do something… drastic, my Lord.”
“They lied to me and sent me on one wild goose chase after another… depriving me of my rightful time with my love and our daughter. They made me their immortal enemy… if Willow should turn, it would break my sweet bird’s heart and that just would not do.”
“If they decide to kill you, my Lord, wouldn’t that break the Lady Tara’s heart as well?”
“They won’t kill me, Elminster. They can’t. Sometimes I wish someone can… but no one can.”
“We will not let anything or anyone harm you, my Lord.”
“I know, Elminster. I’m counting on it.”
Chapter 5
The sound of enthusiastic clapping made the Slayer almost bow to her audience of one. Buffy had just put her new, nifty sword to good use by decapitating her fourth vampire of the night. Her sword skills had vastly improved under the supervision and training of Alex.
The Slayer was just glad that Alex was no longer brooding every time they went patrolling together (which was getting more often lately). When pressed, the immortal would just shake her head and not say a word. It drove Buffy nuts, since it was clear to her that when Alex was with the other Scoobies, and in particular Tara, the immortal would act as if there was nothing wrong. Buffy knew that there was something bothering Alex but had no idea how to make the immortal confine in her.
“That was pretty good, Buffy.” Alex got off the tombstone she had perched on when the fight started.
The Slayer shook her head to clear it before turning back to face Alex with a smile on her face, “Felt good. It’s so cool that this sword is made of wood…” Buffy flipped the Daystar once round and before sheathing it.
“Magically enhanced wood, but it does have a longer reach than a stake that’s for sure.” the immortal pointed out, as she joined Buffy in walking further into the cemetery.
Buffy nodded in agreement. The two of them walked on in silence, both now comfortable with each others presence in the months since their return from Alex’s castle in Scotland. In fact, everyone was now preparing for a return to the castle for the entire summer. Buffy’s mind drifted slightly as she thought back to how much change Alex had brought to the lives of the Scoobies, not just Tara and Willow’s.
The Slayer could now just concentrate on her slaying duties and not in trying to hold down a regular job because Alex had just taken over paying the bills for the Summers’ without a word. In fact, Alex had been encouraging her to go back to college after the summer and that option, strangely enough - for Buffy had never been one for the books, appealed to her. And the knowledge that Dawn’s future was also similarly secured was of even greater importance to the protective sister.
Alex had also offered her castle as the site Xander and Anya’s wedding. The immortal had supposed correctly that Anya would never turn down such an offer. Mazzy, one of the demon’s in-charge of running Alex’s castle, had taken to frequent trips between Sunnydale and the castle to organise the details with the bride-to-be. Perhaps it is Mazzy’s demon nature that made her and Anya become very firm friends almost immediately.
The almost silent sound of a twig breaking broke Buffy’s train of thought before she could get to the effect Alex has had on her Watcher. A glance up towards her much taller companion showed that the immortal had also heard it.
After a moment, Alex roughly pushed Buffy down and with one hand seemingly grasped the air in front of her. To Buffy’s astonishment, an arrow appeared caught in Alex’s hand, right in front of her chest.
Buffy bounced up to her feet in an instance, intent on catching the one responsible when Alex stopped her, “No, Buffy. Let them go. We have to get back to the Magic Box.” The Slayer frowned, not used to letting the baddies go but one look at Alex’s serious expression and the arrow still in the immortal’s hand and her protests faded away.
“Shall I get Drizzt and Imoen back from the castle, my Lord?” Tixon asked once it was revealed that the arrow had a note attached to it. The message was from Sarevok and the Lord of Destruction was calling the Defender of Mankind out for one final battle. A battle to end all of their battles.
Alex who had stood quietly in the middle of the mayhem that is currently the Magic Box, answered, “Yes, bring them here.” Her right-hand demon bowed deeply and disappeared, almost unnoticed by the Scoobies in the shop.
“We’ll need weapons… G-Man, what have you got?” Xander was eager for some action to show off the rudimentary skills that he had picked up from the various demons hanging around.
“Tara and I will look up spells, maybe Viconia and Imoen, when she gets here, can help us too.” Willow was just as eager. The two original Scoobies had felt a little left out when it became clear that the Slayer no longer needed their help in her nightly patrols, not with Buffy’s improved skills but also Alex’s presence and the presence of the friendly demons.
The blonde witch just continued looking intently at her mom, trying to gauge what the immortal was thinking about. She walked to Alex’s side, placing a gentle hand on her mom’s arm she asked, “What is it?”
“Death.” Alex said simply. Giles stopped cleaning his glasses while Buffy’s eyebrow rose. Willow, Xander and Anya fell silent.
“What do you mean?” Tara couldn’t understand why her voice sounded so calm, in direct contrast to the rest of her.
“Sarevok has never, ever, called me out before. He just attacked.” The immortal sighed, “And then goes away to lick his small wounds, comes back with a larger force and attacks again. I lose patience and banish him to another dimension where he heals his wounds and plans his return. It has been the same story for more than a millennium.”
“It merely means he thinks he can take you down this time. He will be proven wrong, my Lord.” Drizzt had appeared, courtesy of a Lenti demon, and had heard what Alex had said.
Alex shook her head gravely, “It means, he wants a bloodbath. Or else why give me notice to gather my forces?” She closed her eyes, “Why doesn’t he just stay away and hound someone else in another dimension?” the immortal slammed her fist down the main table, startling everyone.
“No chance I won’t be able to keep you guys away, huh?” Alex looked at the Scoobies gathered, already knowing the answer.
“Nope.” Buffy was firm.
“No way.” Xander was equally firm. Anya just nodded in agreement.
“You’ll find that we’re quite used to this…” Giles added.
“Yeah, with end of the world, apocalypse type thingy and all that…” Willow piped in.
Tara took a breath but before she could say anything, Alex interrupted, “Tara, I know that I promised that nothing will happen to me and all that, but I just want you to know that an immortal can kill another immortal and Sarevok is immortal...”
“But…”
Alex gently placed her finger on Tara’s lips to silence her, “Let me finish, sweet bird. I will take him down with me if that’s what I need to do. But I promise, I will do that only as a last resort. I just want you to know that I have cherished every single moment that I have spent with you and if I were to go now, my only regret would be that I did not give you away at your commitment ceremony.”
“Mom…” tears streamed down Tara’s eyes as Alex removed her finger and turned away, her shoulders stiffened.
“We have less than 48 hours, people. Let’s make the most of it.” Alex said in the most authoritative voice she had ever used. And the place bustled again with activity.
i was also happy to learn that some immortals have financial plans.
