Reflections in Raindrops (1/?)
Authors: Shadowriter (shadowriter@kc.rr.com) and TrueXena (truexena@columbus.rr.com)
Rating: R
Couples: W/T
Spoilers: Through this season
Notes: This is us trying to get beyond the W/T rift, kind of.... a continuation of where the Letter challenges end.
Archiving: Sure, but please talk to us first.
Feedback: Please. Pretty please? Public or private, either one.
Copyright: The characters in the story are the property of Joss Whedon (much bowing in his general direction) and Mutant Enemy. We are borrowing them for a short time, but will return them in perfect condition. The plot, however, is ours.
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Reflections in Raindrops
The restaurant they had chosen was one neither had ever been to. It was agreed upon partly because there would be no old memories to haunt them.
They had maybe spoken four words since leaving the dorm, and Willow wasn't sure what to say, so she didn't prompt any talking. She was so nervous she kept rubbing her hands on her pants to wipe off the sweat. She really wanted to look into Tara's eyes. But that wasn't gonna happen anytime soon.
Tara couldn't seem to bring her eyes up off the floor. She wanted to look at Willow, but she didn't know if she could. Those green eyes held so much hope, and Tara was just not sure yet if things could ever be the same.
But, if she had to admit it, she was hoping, too.
They were seated near the rear of the restaurant, in a high-backed booth. It afforded them a modicum of privacy, and it made Tara both comfortable and a little more nervous.
"Um, I hear this place has great seafood."
Willow fiddled with her silverware until she heard Tara finally speak, then stilled. "Yeah? That's good, really good," she said, not knowing what else to say about the comment. Willow just wanted to proclaim her love for the woman and get it over with, but knew it was too soon. She didn't want Tara to feel rushed.
"Yeah. I'm gonna have the chicken, I think, though." Tara smiled at her friend. She wished she didn't feel as tongue tied as she did. And she hoped she wouldn't break out in her stutter or an imitation of Willow's babble.
Willow just nodded, then picked up her menu and started to read the dinner selections, more often than not looking over the menu to sneak a glance at the woman sitting across the table from her. "I'm not sure what I'll have; give me a minute."
Tara smiled, noticing that Willow's eyes often strayed from her menu. She couldn't resist doing the same, and occasionally, when their eyes met, she felt that familiar flutter in her stomach that was totally Willow.
"I'll just go with the Seafood platter, since you say it's so good."
Willow set the menu down and looked around the room one more time. "So, how are classes?" She wanted to get more of a conversation going, so she had an excuse to look into Tara's eyes.
"Classes are good. I really like my new philosophy instructor." Tara sipped her water. "Are you back in sociology this semester?"
"Yeah." Willow took her cue from Tara and drank some water as well. "Tara, I really want to talk to you, but I'm so nervous. I don't know where to start..." Willow trailed off when Tara lifted her gaze, and all she saw were the beautiful blue eyes she fell in love with so long ago. Her breath caught.
Tara nodded, looking into those green eyes she knew so well. "I know. I feel the same." She lowered her gaze, her fingers tangling in the napkin in her lap. "I'm not sure what to do about this though. It seems like there's so much to tell you, to ask you, but...." She shook her head.
They gave their orders to the waiter and were quiet until he returned with their drinks. Tara sipped her ice tea, watching as Willow ran her fingers down the side of her soda glass.
"Look, you need to know that I haven't done any magic for a month now." Willow didn't dare look up to see one of the many pained expressions she knew Tara could convey. "I just thought you needed to know that, and hear it from me. It wasn't easy, but I stopped, and I promise you that I won't do it anymore.The magic, I mean." Willow realized she was close to babbling and sighed as she played with the sweat on her soda glass. "I'm sure Dawn has been keeping you informed."
"Yeah, she has." Tara's lips twisted in a soft smile. "She's been pleading your case, actually."
"What?" Willow looked up from the table and saw the smile on Tara's face. Breathe, she whispered to herself. "She what?"
"Yeah, she's been telling me how great you've been, and that I should give you a chance."
"She has? Really? Wow, really? Wow." Willow started to smile a little. The butterflies in her tummy began leaving slowly.
Tara took a deep breath. "She said that everything's changed since...."
Willow's smile waned a bit at that. A few of the butterflies returned.
"She never told me all that happened that night though." Tara's voice went very soft. "So, tell me, Willow.... what happened? W-what was it
that finally made you stop?"
"It -- it was a lot of things that did it. You leaving me for one. That hit me like a brick." Willow looked down at the tablecloth. "But that wasn't the only thing. Some stuff happened with Amy, too. You know I deratted her, right?" Willow asked almost proud, but a little sad as well. "Yeah, so, she got deratted, and I sorta went on a binge with her. Then when Dawn got hurt..." She trailed off, remembering that night.
Willow took a sip of her soda. "So, basically Buffy said either get rid of the magic, or find a new home. I almost left." Willow looked up from her glass to see Tara listening carefully.
The blonde nodded, then focused her gaze at her glass of tea. "So w-why didn't you?"
Willow shrugged. "I don't know, something made me stop and think. And suddenly I understood. I don't know how, or why, but it felt like a fog had lifted, and everything was so much clearer. I knew why you left, and what I had done to you, and I...I just..." Willow took a breath and looked into Tara's eyes. "I didn't want the magic, I wanted you. I wanted everything back that Magic had taken from me." Willow looked back down at the table and fiddled with her silverware again.
Tara continued watching Willow, and sipping her tea. She knew that the red-headed witch had gone through a rough time the last few weeks -- saying no to the power she'd been handling couldn't have been easy. Dawn had been glossing over the few incidents where Willow had taken steps backward. But Anya and Xander had kept Tara well informed.
"So, you gave it up? Just like that?" She really wanted Willow to be honest about this.
Willow looked up, "Well, no, not just like that. I had problems in the beginning. But I've overcome and adapted," she finished with a proud tone.
Tara raised an eyebrow. "Are you still hanging out with Amy?"
"No, she was bit peeved at me, for quitting. I think she felt cheated." Willow took a sip of her soda. "Not that I blame her much; I mean she did spend three years of her life as a rat. But that wasn't my fault." Willow looked up to see Tara's eyebrow raise a little more. "Well, it wasn't, she did it to herself. Anyway, she isn't all that happy with me at the moment, 'cause I won't help her do magic anymore. I've tried to explain it to her, but she just doesn't seem to get it. So I just -- try and stay away from her."
Tara smiled at the waiter as he placed their dinners on the table, then waited till he'd left before looking back at Willow. "Dawn told me Amy wasn't happy. And Anya said she had come by the shop, and there'd been some kind of argument. What happened?"
"Oh, that? Yeah, well, she stopped by the Magic Box looking for some book called The Grimoire of Salarion, only Anya didn't have it. So Amy asked me if I'd help her search for it on the internet. I refused as nicely as I could. But she just started to accuse Anya of holding back information and supplies from her because of me and my 'condition'." Willow laughed as she remembered how Amy had spat the word out like it was distasteful in her mouth.
"I didn't stick around for much after that," she added as she picked up her fork and started to eat. She was feeling much more comfortable with how things were going.
Tara frowned. "The Grimoire of Salarion was lost a hundred years ago, I thought. It was a very powerful book though. I wonder what Amy wanted with it."
Around a mouthful of food Willow said, "I don't know, and I don't care. As long as she doesn't ask me for any help, it's all good." Tara chuckled, and dug into her own dinner.
Things were quiet for a few moments as both of them concentrated on the food in front of them. Finally, Willow looked up and asked, "So, what made you finally decide to see me again?"
Tara froze for just a second, and postponed having to answer by taking another bite of her chicken. She glanced at Willow, seeing the serious look in the green eyes. She swallowed, then took a sip of ice tea.
Willow waited for the answer, but so far nothing. "Is that something we're not supposed to talk about?"
"Well." She let a grin slip onto her face for a moment. "It was all those letters you sent. Especially that one about the storm we had last week." Tara shook her head. "I remember sitting by the window that day, watching the rain, thinking about walking in it with you. Wondering where you were, and if you were warm and dry --" she had to take a breath, "and then I got this letter about the same thing, and I -- I just figured we should talk, since we seem to still be on the same wavelength."
Willow's ears turned red as Tara spoke of the letters, and that one in particular. "Well...umm...yeah." She waited until her ears cooled some, then continued. "Well, whatever made you decide to see me is a good thing. I missed you. And I hope I didn't bore you with all those letters. I just didn't want you to think I didn't care..." She trailed off when another voice asking about dessert interuped her babble. "Huh? Oh, um -- yes?" She looked at Tara for confirmation that the date would continue a little while longer.
Tara smiled. "Well, I suppose we could maybe share some cheesecake?"
"Oh, yes. Cheesecake, there is always goodness in cheesecake." Willow said as she looked up at the waiter. "We will have a slice of cheesecake, please." She couldn't resist smiling as she looked back at Tara and that cute little grin of hers.Feeling a blush come on, Tara looked down, letting her long blonde hair cover most of her face.
"Aw, don't do that. Please?" Willow asked as she watched Tara hide behind her hair. "I don't get to see enough of you; I want every second to count." She reached across the table to the hand resting in front of the blonde. Lightly, she touched Tara's fingers to get her attention. Feeling the touch on her hand, Tara's blush intensified, even as she raised her head. The love she saw in Willow's green eyes, combined with the still electric touch of her former lover was enough to sting her eyes. She turned her head, but not quickly enough as one teardrop rolled down her cheek.
Willow saw the tear and felt the pain in her heart as if someone had stabbed her. She slowly pulled her hand away. "I'm sorry, Tara. I-I d-didn't mean to hurt you. I'm so sorry." Her voice dropped to a whisper as she tried to fight back the tears that threatened to fall. Reaching forward, Tara caught the hand that Willow had drawn away. She held it firmly but gently, opening the fingers and tracing the lines of the palm. "It's okay," she glanced up, tears rolling down her face, "I just missed the feel of my Willowhand."
Willow's fight to keep the tears at bay was lost, and she sobbed. "Oh, gods. How could I...why..." She lost her train of thought as the warmth of her ex-lover's touch raced up her arm. "I love you." There was concern and affection in Tara's blue eyes and it made Willow cry even more, reaching with her free hand to cover the one holding hers.
Both women were crying softly when the waiter arrived with their dessert.
Tara smiled at Willow and looked at the cheesecake in front of them. She wiped her cheek with her free hand and then gestured to the dessert. "Um... could we possibly get that to go?" She glanced up at the waiter, then returned her gaze to her lover. "We could go back to my room and... talk."
Willow smiled "Sure. I'd like that."
The waiter glanced at both of them and nodded. He slid the check on the table and went to box up their slice of cheesecake. When he returned moments later, they were still holding hands and looking into each other's eyes. He smiled, leaving the box on the edge of the table.
Tara reached for the check, but Willow peeled one hand from its comfortable nest and slipped the bill away from her. With a wink, she reached for her wallet. Tara smiled as the redhead struggled to open her wallet and pull money out with only the one hand.
"You could use your other hand, you know."
Willow shook her head. "Uh-uh. Not letting go of you again." She managed to get the money on the table and slide her wallet back in her pocket. Looking up, she grinned at Tara. "Shall we blow this joint?"
Both women were still smiling as they left the restaurant. They hadn't said a word since standing up, but the silence between them had grown comfortable. It was nothing like the angry quiet spaces that filled the air before their breakup.
Their hands were still clasped together, as well.
The air was chilled, but Willow couldn't feel it. The warmth in her heart was strong enough to combat any cold winds right now. Tara trusted her. Not completely, but enough to let her touch her, and to walk her home, and to talk some more. That, for now, was enough. She knew they had more road to travel before everything would be okay again. But Willow was happy for this chance to prove herself worthy of Tara's love. At that moment she swore to herself that she would never disappoint Tara again.
They had just turned the corner a block from the restaurant, when they were stopped by a familiar dark-haired figure. Tara looked up to see Amy, her eyes glittering at them in anger.
"Finally. I thought you two would never get out of there." She glanced down at where their hands were still joined. "Oh, how pathetic."
Willow bristled. "What do you want, Amy? I told you I'm not helping you."
"Oh, I know. You've sworn off magic." Amy raised her hand dismissively. "No biggie. Thought I'd give you one last chance to say yes."
"I just told you, no." Willow felt Tara's fingers tighten around hers in support. She squeezed back gratefully.
"Fine." Amy smiled. "Just wanted to make sure." She reached out toward Willow, offering her something. "Then here. I guess I won't be needing this any more."
On instinct, Willow took the object, surprised to see a golden pyramid in her hand. She looked up at Amy, puzzled.
Tara realized what the object was, and took a step closer to her lover. "Willow, don't --"
She never got any farther as the teleport device activated, and suddenly the three of them just weren't there anymore.
Part Two
Wherever she was, it was dark. Tara knew she'd just opened her eyes, but she couldn't see anything. Not the slightest light flickered through the darkness.
She shivered for a moment, on the verge of panicking, but calmed down when she felt her hand being squeezed. With a sigh of relief she squeezed back, grateful that where ever she was, Willow was with her.
There was a whisper of sound in the air, and then a light blinded her momentarily. Tara blinked, raising a hand to her face. When she could see again, her eyes focused warily on Amy, who stood in front of them, grinning. A spinning ball of white light hung over them all.
"Well, that went well." Amy glared at Tara. "Except you weren't supposed to be along for the ride." She shrugged. "Guess it was 'cause you were holding her hand. Sorry."
Tara shook her head to clear it. "Amy, what have you done?"
Amy just smiled, watching as Willow stared down at the gold pyramid in her hand.
"What is this, and where are we?" Willow asked, looking up at Amy.
"We're in Castle Desiavor. It's in a dimension apart from our own. And that," she pointed at the object in Willow's hand, "that is --"
"A gatemaker, for teleportation." Tara took it from her friend. "You can use it to travel any distance, or even between dimensions, if you have the power and the correct spell." She glared at Amy. "Where did you get this?"
"Actually, I found it among my mother's things. She had such great power. It's too bad she went crazy, really. We could have done great things together."
"Yeah, well, it's just too bad she wanted a second childhood huh?" Willow took the teleporter back.
Amy laughed. "Yeah, well, no chance of that with the Slayer around, right?"
"What do you want, Amy?" Willow almost yelled, getting more annoyed by the minute. "I mean, you didn't bring us here to talk about high school days, did you?"
"You know what I want! I want the Grimoire!" She glared at Willow. "I found it. I know where it's at, I know how to get to it, and I want it."
"So, go get it. I'm not stopping you," Willow said, still puzzled.
"Yes, unfortunately, you are."
Tara stepped between the two of them, hoping she didn't suddenly find herself caught in the crossfire if one of them threw a spell at the other. She still had one hand clutching Willow's, and with the other she stroked the redhead's arm.
"Calm down, Will. We'll figure this out."
Willow smiled at Tara's touch. "Look, Amy. I'm all for you realizing your dream, whatever it is, but I still don't have a clue what you're talking about." Willow glanced around the dimly lit room, searching for a way out. "And you're really starting to give me the willies."
So was the place they were in. Amy's light orb was large enough that they could see most of the edges of the room -- not that there was much to see.
It appeared to be a basement of some kind, with a hard dirt floor, and stone or cement walls. There were remnants of a few tables and chairs around the place, but nothing that spoke of recent habitation.
Nothing human, anyway.
"Look, it's really simple. The book is hidden here in the castle. It's guarded by a few minor demons and traps, but it's here for the taking." Amy folded her arms and looked at the two witches in front of her. "There's just one problem. It's trapped, and spell bound. And it can only be released and opened by two witches." She eyed Tara. "You're completely unnecessary."
Tara winced at Amy's statement. It was a familiar feeling, being told that she didn't matter. She'd learned long ago to let statements like that roll off of her. But this time, it seemed different. Possibly because she knew it was true. Amy didn't need her; she needed Willow, the Willow that cast spells with her for the heck of it.
But that Willow was supposed to be gone. Tara could only hope she'd stay gone.
"Whoa -- hey, there." Willow stepped in front of Tara defensively. "Just back up a minute here. No need to get all snarky. Tara is very necessary, trust me." She gave Tara a slight grin and squeezed her hand. "As for the demons, you should have brought Buffy."
"You don't get it, do you? This isn't about who's got the biggest stake, it's about power. You can only get the Grimoire through magic. Which is what we're going to do."
"I'm sorry, Amy, but I can't help you with the spells." Willow turned to look Tara in the eye. "I made a promise-- "she glanced back at Amy-- "to myself, and I'm not going to break it. Not for you, not for anyone."
Tara smiled at her former lover, proud of her for saying no.
Amy simply smirked at them. "Great. Fine. Okay." She looked around the room. "Well, then, guess you better get used to your new home. You won't be leaving it."
"Do we get cable?" Willow asked while looking around the room.
"Oh, ha. Very funny."
"Well, you'll have to forgive us, but we're not staying. You can teleport us back to the restaurant." She glanced at Tara. "Or better yet, send us directly to the dorm, please."
Amy shook her head, grinning all the while. "Sorry, no can do." She pointed at the teleport device still in Willow's hand. "That's preprogrammed. It will only activate when the spell is completed."
Tara sighed. "And how do we complete the spell?"
"We find the book, of course."
"You mean... we all stay here until the book is found?" Willow asked.
"Yes."
Tara looked at Willow. "I think we're in trouble."
Willow's face paled. "I think you're right."
************
"Tara, this is gonna turn out bad, I can feel it." Willow whispered. "I really don't want to do this."
"I don't think we really have a choice, Will."
The trio had left the room they'd teleported into, and were currently walking down a dark, dank corridor. Amy, the witch light still burning in the air above her, was consulting a diagram she'd pulled from her small purse. Tara and Willow were lagging back, whispering quietly to each other.
"If we want to get out of here, we need to find the book. That's the only way to activate the teleport gateway."
"Yeah, but you heard her. The only way to get the book is to do a spell. That's magic. You know, the stuff I don't do anymore?" Willow's voice was strained.
Tara glanced at Amy in front of them. Seeing that she was still preoccupied, the blonde slid an arm about her former lover's waist and leaned closer to her.
"I'll handle the magic. You can be my anchor this time. Okay?"
Willow leaned into the hug, letting her eyes shut briefly. Basking in the warmth of her friend. "Yeah, I can do that." Willow turned to face Tara. "If it's something you don't want to do, just tell me. I'll figure another way out of it." She looked around the dark hallway. "I'm sure I can find another way, maybe."
Amy stopped suddenly and turned towards them. "And this is test number one." She tapped on the door she next to her. "We need to unlock this. It's the stairway to the first floor."
"Test? You didn't mention any tests." Willow said, looking from Amy to Tara and back again. "Maybe we should study first. I do way better on tests after a good study session."
"First floor?" Tara gestured around her. "If that takes us to the first floor, then w-where are we now?"
"The dungeon. It's the only place in the castle not guarded against teleport devices." She folded the paper and put it in her pocket. "And I did mention tests. A few traps and demons and such. Nothing serious, just nothing that can be done single handedly."
"Oh, I didn't think those were tests, just -- obstacles?"
"Obstacles, tests -- what's the difference." She pointed at the door handle. "I think a simple unlocking spell will do it, don't you?" Amy glared at Willow. "Well, get over here. We have to say it at the same time."
Willow's face showed worry. "But I can see how they would be tests. Seeing as how if we fail at them, then poof, no more exam. Right?"
Tara let one hand rest on the small of Willow's back. She waited until the red head looked at her, then smiled, and stepped forward.
Willow gave a slight grin, but her eyes were still showing fear.
"W-willow won't be doing magic with you, Amy. She's sworn off it, remember?" Another step. "W-which means, I guess it's a good thing I was holding her hand. Since I'll do the spells in her place."
Amy's eyes widened, then narrowed. She turned an accusing gaze at Willow. "You never told me your ex was a witch."
"Well, you never asked." Willow stated. "Besides, that's not the most important thing about Tara; she is way more than just a witch. She is kind, and loving, and caring, and sweet, and special, and -- and stopping with the babble now." She stared down at the floor.
Tara smiled at Willow and reached out to touch her chin. Willow looked up and smiled back. Then Tara turned to Amy.
"Ready?"
Amy shrugged. "Fine. Let's do it. Together, on the count of three, right?"
"Right."
"Uh, wait!" Willow interrupted them. "Do we know what is behind that door?" She looked at Amy. "I mean, do we need to be in full ready attack mode when it opens? Cause if so, what are we going to fight it -- them -- with?"
"Oh, please." Amy rolled her eyes. "If there is anything on the other side of that door, one of us will just throw a spell at it, and it'll go poof." She smirked. "But, if you're scared, you can just stay behind us, okay? We'll protect you from the big bad nasties."
"Ok, I'm sorry, I'm just a little jumpy is all. I'm sorry," Willow apologized softly.
Amy counted, and she and Tara said the spell at the same time. There was a soft click, and Amy reached for the handle, turning it easily.
"See? Nothing to it." She threw open the door, and stepped forward.
And screamed.
Part Three
Willow stepped forward and grabbed Tara by the arm, pulling her back and out of the path of the doorway.
Tara closed her eyes tightly and whispered a spell. There was the noise of a small explosion inside the room. Reaching out, Tara grabbed Amy by the back of her shirt and pulled her away.
"Willow, close the door!"
Willow rushed forward and slammed the door shut. "What the frilly heck was that?" she asked Amy.
Amy just backed away, her eyes wide and staring at the now closed door. Her mouth kept moving, as if she was speaking, but nothing came out.
There was a bang against the door, and all three of them jumped. The witch light over Amy went out, and they were plunged into darkness.
Tara took a breath and felt for the doorknob. She quickly said a locking spell, then concentrated and brought to life a tiny orb of light, just enough for them to see by.
"Tara, are you all right, baby?" Willow asked in a whisper.
"Fine. W-we need to get out of here, like n-now. Amy?" They both turned to their companion, who was now on her knees, struggling to regain her composure.
There was another loud bang, and this time it sounded like the thunk of an axe. Tara had a bad feeling that was exactly what it was.
Willow went to Amy's side, pulling her to her feet. "Amy, come on. Where do we go? We have to go!"
Amy seemed frozen, still unable to process what she'd seen. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the map, opening it with shaky fingers.
Tara reached over and took it from her. "W-we don't have time. Come on!"
She yanked on Amy's arm and reached for Willow at the same time.
The three of them fled down the hall, Tara's small light leading them.
There was a crash behind them, and they heard a great roar. Amy squealed and increased her speed.
Tara grabbed Amy's arm again and pulled, taking the group down a side corridor. They could hear pursuit behind them, and Tara threw a spell of concealment at the entrance to the corridor. Then she stopped, pushing herself and Willow against a wall. Amy followed her lead. With a word from Tara, the ball of light extinguished itself.
They waited, their breaths coming in short gasps as they tried to control the panic. Tara kept trying to blink back the image she'd seen in the doorway. She found Willow's hand in the dark and clung to it.
Willow found it even more difficult to breathe with Tara pressing against her so close, but she wrapped an arm around her and hung on.
Noises from the outer hall made them shrink back even further, trying to blend in with the wall. Tara knew the concealment spell would hide them, but couldn't make herself believe it. She glanced at Willow, then down to the door.
Willow could feel her own panic grow as she saw several shapes passing by the doorway. The things were huge, and seemed to be wearing armor. They carried axe-like weapons of some kind and had long bodies with short legs, but that was the only detail she could see in the light of their torches.
After a moment, they passed on, and Tara was able to catch her breath. She gently pushed Amy ahead of her, further down the corridor, pulling Willow along behind her. She brought the light orb back, keeping it as small as possible, and looked for a place the three of them could duck into.
She finally found what looked to be a large storage closet of some kind, with several piles of large crates stacked around the room. Tara tugged on Amy's shirt and pointed.
Amy nodded and ducked inside. Tara followed her, feeling Willow's presence close at her back. All three of them dropped to the floor behind a crate.
Willow leaned in close to Tara's ear and whispered, "I don't think we passed that test." She pulled away slightly to look up at her friend. "What do we do now?"
Tara shook her head. "I'm not sure." She looked at Amy. "But I don't think we're going to try that doorway again."
Amy looked away, her eyes still showing her shock.
"Those things in the hall, were they -- they what you two saw?" Willow didn't move away, but began to look around the small room for anything she could use as a weapon.
Tara nodded. "Yes. Only there were a lot more of them. And I mean, a lot more." She kept her voice in a whisper, glancing every once in a while to Amy to see if she was coming out of her shock. "Somehow I don't think Amy was expecting that."
Tara called the orb over closer to her and pulled the map from her pocket so she could examine it closely. She could see that it was a reproduction, and there were engravings in some language she couldn't understand. Amy had made a mark in one room, putting a 'T' on it.
"Yeah, well, I won't say I didn't warn her." Willow spotted a crate with no lid and scooted towards it to see what was inside. It was empty.
"That must be where we teleported in to." Tara traced a line Amy had penciled on the page, following it down to where it turned into a room.
"And that must be where she thought the stairs were."
"Don't tell me. We picked door number one with the donkey, when we should have gone for door number three with the new car." Willow checked another crate to find it held little more than dust.
Tara peered again at the language on the page, trying to make sense of it. It seemed slightly familiar, but she couldn't place it, so finally she gave up.
"Willow? Can you come see if you can decipher this? You're better with languages than I am."
Willow rejoined Tara and took the map. "Let me see."
She studied the words for a few minutes. "Yeah, I think I can. It looks like Celtic, maybe Brythonic . . ." She trailed off. "Wait, I know that word, that's Gaulish, but... oh! I see. It is Gaulish, only it's backwards." Looking up she saw Tara's eyebrow rise. "No, see." She showed Tara the map again print side down with the light behind it.
"See, it's written backwards."
Tara shook her head. "Great, so you can only read it with a light behind it, or in a mirror. Very clever." She looked at it again. "But I can't read it anyway. Can you?"
Willow took the map and held it to the light again. "Well according to this, if we entered here..." She pointed at the marked 'T'. "We should have gone left from that point, but instead we went right." Her finger moved over the lines of script as she read, then followed it along the diagram. "We should find stairs here."
Tara nodded. "Yeah, I agree." She pointed at some words written next to the door they'd opened. "What does this say?"
Willow looked at the words, then at Tara. "Do not enter." They both peered over at Amy.
"Great. Just great." Tara rubbed her temples as a headache began to creep up on her.
"Aw, Baby, you okay?" Willow asked. She reached over and moved Tara's fingers out of the way, gently taking over the massage.
Amy had raised her head, but was still just staring at them both. "But... but, the book...." She pulled a small leather bound volume out of her purse. "I found it in the book. It was in this book and I followed the directions to the letter."
Tara glanced at the map, still resting where she'd placed it, with the orb behind it glowing through the page. "Right. To the letter. The backwards letter."
"What book?" Willow reached out and took it from Amy's hand.
As she flipped through the book, Willow noted that most of it was in Gaulish. A few pages here and there were written in another language she didn't know, though she suspected it was a Demon language of some sort. One page described the room in which the Grimoire was hidden, and a notation of which spell to use to free it from its resting place. She also found names of some of the castle's inhabitants, and where they liked to dwell.
Suddenly, Tara noticed something on the map that she didn't remember seeing. As Willow took the book from Amy and started flipping through it, Tara stayed focused on the crinkled diagram.
Willow mentally stored most of the information, then turned to Amy as a thought occurred to her.
"Amy, how did you read this? How did you know it had anything to do with the Grimoire of Salarion?"
"I cast a spell that let me read any language." She shrugged. "It didn't last long at all, but it was enough and I knew the map was the key."
"Right. You just didn't know how to use the key."
"Willow?" She didn't need to look up to know that it was Tara calling her.
"Yeah, sweetie?"
Tara reached over and picked up the map, keeping the light close behind it. "I think you should see this."
"What?" Willow crawled closer to Tara to see what she was pointing at on the map.
There were things that hadn't been there in the beginning. Large shapes that looked vaguely like the things they'd run into, and a few other creature types. Also, more words had popped up, and small arrows that glowed.
Tara pointed to the arrows. "I think we're supposed to follow them. They lead the way we would have gone if we hadn't turned the wrong way out of that room."
Willow closed the book to study the map and watched as the images faded. "Where did they go? What happened?" she asked.
Tara shook the map. It didn't change. "I don't know." She sighed. "Great, another mystery in this place. Did you happen to get anything out of the book?"
"Not much, just a few spells to use for parts of the castle. Where to find the book, and some stuff on things we might find lurking about." She admitted to herself that she was a bit unnerved by the appearing and disappearing images. "I'll keep looking. Maybe I'll find something about that map in here." She opened the book and leaned back against the crate, right next to Tara.
"Um, Will? They're back."
"What?" She reached for the map, discarding the book again. Once more the shapes and images started to fade. "Oh, give me a break! This is just sick wizardry practical joke time!"
Tara smiled. "Maybe not." She held the map up in the air. "Open the book."
Willow did as asked and watched as the shapes and images returned. "Oh." She smiled at Tara, feeling a little foolish for her outburst.
"So, the map and the book correlate. Who cares?" Amy asked. "We're sitting in a dungeon being chased by those... those.... things -- and you're having fun with parlor tricks."
"Hey!" Willow snapped. "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be stuck in this dungeon at all. And we wouldn't be getting chased by those things if you had read the map right in the first place. So either help us, or shut up." She flipped open the book angrily, searching for the page that had mentioned the demons in the castle.
Tara glared at Amy, but had to admit she had a point. "Will? You study. Amy and I will look around to see what we might use as weapons, okay?"
Willow broke from her reading to look Tara in the eye. "Be careful. Don't go far. I think this book can tell us how to deal with those things. If I can only decipher it. I'll get it."
The blonde witch smiled at her. "I know you will." She leaned forward and kissed Willow's forehead, letting her lips linger for a moment.
Blushing, Willow took her hand and kissed it, letting Tara's fingers slide through her own as her friend stood.
Amy rolled her eyes, but got up when Tara motioned to her. She followed the blonde witch over to the stack of crates, watching as Tara reached up to pull the first one down.
"Are you gonna stand there or help?"
Sighing, Amy reached up and grabbed the opposite end of the crate.
Together, they lifted it from the pile and lowered it to the ground; the hinges creaked as they opened the top.
"Tara? Just how long is that spell going to last? Can they hear us? Cause that's making a lot of noise at the moment, and I don't know how to kill them just yet." Willow whispered louder than normal, watching the two women digging inside the crate.
Tara looked up. "I don't think they can hear us. And it should last until someone breaks the plane of the doorway, either on purpose or accident."
"So basically, we need to hurry, right?" There was a note of worry in Willow's voice.
"Well -- let's just say we shouldn't spend the night."
Willow chuckled. "Ha, ha. I have no intentions of doing that." She focused again on the book.
Amy was staring into a mass of tangled cuffs and chains. "Oh, this will really help."
Tara glanced up at her. "Keep searching. Otherwise we just might be spending the night. And tomorrow night. And the night after that." She dug through the chains and found a mace. "See? There are things that will help."
"I've got it." Willow exclaimed. "It's right here. They're called Goshti -- Goshtim -- oh hell, I don't know what they're called. But it tells here how to kill them." She looked up to see Amy holding a bunch of rusted chains and grimaced. "Bleagh."
Tara dropped the iron ball on the ground next to the redhead. "Very good, sweetie," Willow said with a smile.
Tara grinned at her lover, then motioned with her head. "Come on, Amy, next crate."
They pulled the next large box off the pile and put it next to the one they'd opened. Amy stood and looked at her hands in disgust.
"This one's filthy. What is this, oil?"
Willow didn't look up. "That could be useful for light." She pointed at the glowing orb that now hung over her head. "Tara isn't going to be able to keep this going forever, you know."
Tara rubbed one hand on her jeans while reaching for the top of the box with the other. She was surprised when her hand sank into the material.
It felt like she'd put it into a mass of liquid wax.
When she tried to pull it out, she felt something clamp onto her.
"Hey!"
Willow looked up to see what was happening. Her eyes widened as she watched Tara struggling, her face twisted in pain.
Tara felt something puncture the skin near her wrist. She bit her lip, then gasped as the sensation grew steadily worse. "Willow, help me!"
"Tara!"
Part Four
Willow scrambled to her feet and reached out for Tara. She grabbed the trapped arm and pulled, trying to free her friend. The only result was another cry from the struggling captive.
The light in the room began to fade as Tara's magic orb slowly winked out. For a few seconds they were plunged into total darkness. Then, with a word, Amy's witch light returned, filling the area with a yellow brilliance.
Once the light returned, Willow tried to figure out what was holding Tara, but all she could see was the top of the crate. Tara's arm seemed to disappear a little above the elbow. Willow reached down and watched her own hand slide through the box top as if it wasn't there.
"Tara, it's an illusion -- you have to dispell the magic." She looked up at Amy. "Don't just stand there, help us!"
Tara gritted her teeth against the pain and focused on the top of the crate. "Aperio!"
The illusion dissipated, to reveal a slimy, greyish creature in the box, its two thick limbs wrapped tightly around Tara's forearm. It was about two feet long, with two short legs curled at its side. Two mouths, side by side, were attached to Tara's arm. Blood was leaking down her wrist to drip from her fingertips. One neon green eye swiveled to stare angrily at them.
Whatever it was seemed to renew its grip, and Tara groaned, slumping to her knees. She landed next to the mace, which Willow grabbed.
"Tara, hang on! Amy -- find something to kill it!" She swung the spiked ball up and over the side of the crate, bringing it down on the creature's head.
Amy shook off her shock and grabbed a set of chains from the other box, swinging it as hard as she could. There was a high pitched whine, and after several more blows, the thing in the box let go.
Tara pulled away, cradling her bleeding arm. Willow dropped the mace and knelt beside the blonde witch.
Amy kept beating the creature, slamming her chain into it over and over until it stopped moving. Breathing hard, she looked up to find Willow trying to stop the blood that was pouring from Tara's wounds.
"Tara?" Willow slipped her vest off and wrapped it tightly around the injured forearm. "Easy, baby, I'm here. I've got you."
Leaning into Willow, Tara groaned. Her hand was numb, but her arm ached and it felt like the thing was still biting her. She felt nauseous and her mouth was dry. Closing her eyes from the pain, all she could do was trust that Willow would take care of her.
It wasn't long before blood was soaking through the vest, and Willow knew there was a real possibility a vein had been opened. The bite was just above the wrist, on the inside of the arm.
"Tara? We need a healing spell. Something..."
Tara shook her head slightly, trying to think. She knew she had no chance of healing herself, but she wasn't sure she wanted to lay the burden on Willow. Giving up the magic had been hard, and even a healing spell might restart the dangerous cycle out of which the redhead had broken.
Amy knelt beside them. "I can do it. You'll need to tell me what to do, but I can do it."
Willow nodded. Part of her wanted to do this, but another part was afraid to even test the magical waters again.
"Need --" Tara coughed, and swallowed. Her throat was dry and it hurt to talk. "Need sage. And a clean crystal."
"Sage, I have." Amy pulled over her purse, which she'd managed to hold onto during their frenzied flight down the hall. "But, a crystal -- I have one, but I've used it before. Is it still okay?"
Tara shook her head. "Not if it was dark magic. It wouldn't work."
Amy's shoulders slumped.
Willow dug into her pocket. "This one should work," she said quietly as she showed them the doll's eye crystal.
"You -- you never used it for dark --"
"I never used it." Willow lowered her head. "Not without you, anyway."
Tara tried to smile, but it was broken by a pain shooting up her arm. She gasped and arched her back a little. Her face went white.
Willow tightened her grip. "Amy, hurry."
Amy nodded and scooted closer to Tara. "I know a general heal injury spell, but -- is there a different one that I should use?"
"No, that's fine." Tara tried not to look as Willow and Amy peeled the cloth off her arm. "Oh, ouch."
Tara's arm was bloody from the midpoint of her forearm down to her fingertips. In the area above her wrist there were two semi-circular sets of bite marks. Most of them were sluggishly oozing, but there were two that were bleeding freely and heavily.
"Okay." Amy slid her own arm along the inside of Tara's, holding the blonde witch's right elbow. With her left hand she took a pinch of sage and sprinkled it around and on top of the wound. Taking the crystal, she held it over the bloody tooth marks.
"You do know this is going to hurt? And it'll knock out your powers for at least a little while."
Tara nodded. "No choice. We can stay here for another half hour without a problem, I think. And as far as the pain --" She shrugged with her good shoulder. "It's not like it doesn't hurt now."
Amy nodded; Willow held Tara's hand as Amy closed her eyes and started to chant.
"Great Mother, bringer of all life, I beseech you.
Brigit, Goddess of moon and healing, hear me.
Life and death are yours to give,
they are also yours to hold.
By Crystal's might, and magic white,
heal this wound by way of light.
Heal your daughter, of mortal birth,
this I ask by sky and earth."
The crystal began to glow, emitting a blue-white light that reached out to envelop Amy's hand and Tara's arm. A tingling began in Tara's elbow and fingertips at the same time, and she squeezed Willow's hand hard as the tingles became a wave of pain that washed through her forearm. She closed her eyes, tears leaking down her cheeks, and pressed back against Willow as hard as she could. When the pain finally ended, she slumped against her former lover, tired and spent.
Willow held on through Tara's painful grip on her hand. Whispering into her ear, she wiped away the tears that fell, and kissed her temple till she finally went limp in her arms. "I love you, Tara." Willow used her sleeve to dry the beads of sweat that had formed on Tara's brow, holding the blonde close as she rested in Willow's lap.
Amy wiped away the blood and what little remained of the sage she'd used. The puncture marks were still evident on Tara's wrist and arm, but had fully closed and were in the early stages of healing. Amy smiled up at the blonde, her own fingers still tingling from the spell.
Tara glanced at the now sealed wound and nodded. Her eyes were very heavy, and she tried to keep them open, but couldn't. "Willow? Gotta sleep." She turned her head slightly and sighed. By her next breath, she was out.
Willow watched Tara sleep for a moment as she fussed with a strand of the blonde hair matted by sweat. Her face was still white, but now calm in slumber. Her jaw had relaxed, releasing the tension that had told Willow just how much pain her love had been in. Tara's appearance was one of peace as she breathed deeply through her slightly open mouth.
But there was still fear in Willow's voice as she asked, "She'll be okay?"
"Yeah, she'll be fine. I -- I think between the pain, and the energy the spell took -- she's just tired. She'll be okay, Willow." Amy tried to sound sure of herself, knowing it was what Willow needed. She was certain of one thing -- Tara's arm would heal fine. But Amy was suddenly really unsure of everything else.
She moved away slightly, leaning against the stacked crates she and Tara had been going through. Her hands rested on her knees as she sat with her legs pulled up in front of her. Amy grimaced slightly at the grime now coating her hands and arms. The dirt had mixed with the oil from the crate and Tara's blood, to form a layer of paste that covered the backs of both hands. Along with that red-tinged grime was an occasional speck of green, the result of the creature's blood splattering over her as she killed it.
She couldn't help but wonder what the hell it was.
A low growl came up from her stomach, and she realized she was hungry. This was quickly followed by the understanding that they were trapped in a dungeon with no food or water. And she was responsible for it.
"Willow?"
"Hum?"
"I'm sorry. I really thought this would be a quick job for you and me. I'd bring you here, we'd wipe the floor with a few demons, and be home by dawn." Amy gestured at the room around them. "I never expected -- this."
Willow didn't know exactly what to say. She was upset about Tara being hurt. About Tara being dragged into this just for being with her on a date. Upset that Amy still thought she could get her to do magic after all this time, by force if need be. Willow stared at the woman in her arms for several moments before replying.
"Amy, this book that you want? It's not worth all this; you have to know that. I know you think I'm a powerful witch, and in truth I had power. But I didn't have control of it. The magic was in control of me. Instead of using the magic, it was using me." Willow looked back down at Tara's sleeping face. "She knew that. She tried to warn me, but I didn't listen." Tears began to form in her eyes. "She was the one that was strong when I was weak. She's the one that understood that you have to have respect, and understand the consequences. You could learn a lot from her. I know I have."
She paused for a moment, then turned to Amy again. "You have the same problem that I did. You've lost control, and that will only get you into trouble." She waved a hand around the room they sat in. "Take a look around you. How fast did your simple plan get out of control?" Willow just shook her head. "You're just as addicted to magic as I was. And it's only going to get worse if you don't try and stop now."
Amy looked down at the floor, and then up at Willow, whose eyes were focused on the blonde asleep in her arms.
She knew Willow was right, at least in part. It was her fault that they were all trapped there, and the plan had gone wrong awfully fast. And the magic lately -- well, she had to admit to feeling a little out of control.
But, give it up, like Willow had? She shook her head mentally.
I have to get to the book, she thought. Then I can make this whole thing up to them. I can get them safely out of here, and I can get control of my life again. I can.
There were shouts off in the distance. Guttural voices could be heard echoing down the hallways. Amy doused her witch light, and Willow huddled down with Tara, covering the injured woman as much as she could.
They stayed that way in the dark for several minutes. More sounds drifted through the air, but there were no footsteps that they could hear. It seemed that Tara's spell was still working.
Amy relit the magic light, and watched for several moments as Willow gently stroked Tara's cheek, whispering in her ear every few minutes. She knew she had to make things right. "First things first," she muttered to herself.
"Willow? Hey." Amy kept her voice down in order to not wake Tara. "Listen, I'm going to go scout around, okay? Follow this tunnel down a little further. You stay put and watch over her?"
Willow didn't even look up."I'm not going anywhere without her. I won't lose her again."
Her voice was soft, but it came across to Amy clearly and strongly. The absolute love she felt for Tara was evident, and had been all along. For a moment, Amy was jealous. Then she just felt guilty.
"Oh. Hey, what about the light?"
"I'll need to take it with me." Amy looked apologetic. "It's kind of attached to me."
"Um ... I'm not so sure I want to sit here in the dark. Any chance of finding a non-magical light source?"
"Don't know." Amy looked around the room. She noticed an odd shaped metal holder on the wall, and stared at it till she realized what it was. "Hey, wait, I think --" Creeping over to the box she and Tara had gone through earlier, she dug through the chains until she came up with a long piece of wood, one end covered in black pitch.
"Exuro." Light flared from the end of the torch, and Amy grinned over at Willow. "Saw it earlier in the box but didn't know what it was till I saw that." She pointed at the metal object on the wall, then moved over to it and slid the torch into it. The room was doused in an almost cheery glow.
Willow nodded. "Nice."
"Okay. I'm going. I won't be long. Maybe I can find.. I don't know. Something."
Willow looked up. "Fine, but be careful and don't break the concealment barrier." She returned to stroking Tara's face.
As Amy got to the door, Willow called to her and she turned.
"No magic." Willow's voice was firm.
Amy hesitated but nodded, then walked quietly through the door and disappeared around the corner.
Part Five
Stepping out the door of their hiding place, Amy quietly set off down the hall. She kept her witch light much smaller than the one she'd used earlier, smaller even than Tara's orb, but she didn't need too much light anyway. Just enough to show her the next few paces in front of her.
Not that there was much to look at. The walls were dirty and grey, with a few cobwebs in some of the upper corners. Amy couldn't help but think that spiders must be the one constant through every universe ever
created.
She came to a T-junction of corridors, where she had to turn left or right. She peeked carefully around the corners before choosing the right hand tunnel. It didn't seem much different than the one on the left, but Amy thought she could see some light down near the end.
As she got closer, she began to get nervous. There was definitely a light, and every once in a while she thought she could catch the sound of a voice.
She was about to turn back when she smelled it. It was roast something, and she guessed it had to be this world's equivalent of roast beef. She inhaled slowly through her nose, enjoying the scent of meat cooking. Her stomach rumbled a little more, and her mouth watered.
Going forward didn't seem like a good plan; after all, there had been voices. On the other hand, she had no desire to walk back to Tara and Willow empty handed. She'd caused them enough harm, and it was time to repair a little of it.
I know I said I wouldn't, Willow, but I have to. She sent a mental apology to her friend, then closed her eyes and cast a spell. When it was done, she looked down at her hand to see that it wasn't there.
Invisibility is the key, she thought. With that, she could roam around the castle and not be seen. Pleased with herself, she set off towards the light with a confident step.
====================
Willow yawned lightly and shook her head. Tara was still asleep in her lap, and the redhead was passing the time by reading.
It was difficult, but a good challenge for her mind. Gaulish was an extinct language that was part of the Celtic group. It came from a group of Celts that had remained on the European continent and were eventually eliminated or assimilated by the Romans. Not only that, but it was very obscure, and there was little documentation.
Giles had spent some weeks tutoring Willow on extinct languages, Gaulish included. It was a time Willow had enjoyed, before Glory, before Buffy's death and resurrection -- before she'd lost control.
Before Tara left her.
Tears stung her eyes for a moment and she set the book aside.
Tara mumbled something and stretched. She turned over slightly and opened her eyes.
"Hey, baby."
"Will." Tara sighed. "Wow. That's nice."
"What is?"
"Waking up in your arms."
They smiled at each other, and Willow gently touched Tara's cheek. "How are you feeling?"
One blonde eyebrow rose, and Tara stretched a little more. "Not bad. A little tired, yet, but after all that's happened, I think I'm okay."
"Yeah? How's your arm feel?"
The fingers at the end of said arm wiggled, and Tara gently moved flexed her elbow. She grimaced a little, but didn't stop moving it.
"Pretty good, actually. I mean, it aches, but that's to be expected." She wiggled her fingers again. "Hand's still tingly."
Willow reached down and tangled her fingers with Tara's. She felt her hand being squeezed and looked up to find Tara's blue eyes smiling at her. She couldn't help but return the expression.
Tara glanced around. Seeing the box, she shivered. "Willow, what was that thing? Do you know?"
"Oh, yeah. I found it in the book. I sorta did some reading while you were sleeping." She grabbed the book she had put aside.
"Studying again, huh?" Tara smiled up at Willow.
"Uh huh. You know me, study girl." Willow smiled back. "So, if I'm reading this right, it was a Kradtic. Your basic low level, third dimension demon, with a nasty outlook on life. Who sits in wait for anything that comes along to snack on."
Tara frowned. "You can really read that? I didn't think you could understand it that well."
"Well, most of it's in Gaulish. There are only a few pages in a different language that I don't understand. Demon, I think, but I'm not sure."
"I know Giles was teaching you Gaulish, but I didn't think he taught you the whole language."
"Not even close." Willow smiled at her. "But -- it's like a puzzle, and puzzles I can figure out." She pointed at a word on the page. "I'm not too sure what that word is, but I know what the surrounding words are, and I'm pretty good at context associations."
Tara nodded. "Right. Puzzle gal, with the photographic memory."
Willow grinned. "Well, it helps that Giles taught me the really important words."
"Like?"
"Like demon, slay, kill, magic."
They shared a chuckle and then fell silent at a sudden noise from the hall. There was a loud boom, like the sound of a heavy door slamming shut, and more shouts and yells. Then everything was quiet again.
Tara suddenly sat up. "Where's Amy?"
"She went to go have a look around."
"Alone?"
"Well, yeah. You were sleeping, and -- well, I wasn't about to leave you by yourself." She avoided Tara's gaze. "Besides, I rather enjoy watching you sleep, if you must know."
The blonde witch smiled. "Oh, yeah? You do that a lot, huh?
"Well, not as often as I'd like to, but when given the chance I'm not going to pass it up."
They sat quietly for several moments, just enjoying the peace and quiet. Then more voices and the sound of footsteps echoed from the hall. They looked at each other in alarm. Willow started to stand.
"What are you doing?"
"The torch!"
Tara shook her head and pulled Willow back to the ground. "Exuro abeo." The torch fluttered and died, leaving them in darkness.
The sounds of marching boots seemed to come closer by the moment. Willow wrapped her arms around Tara and pulled her down behind the crate. The stayed there, hardly daring to breathe, as the footsteps went past the
door, never stopping.
Slowly, they sat up. Neither of them moved away, though, and neither said anything about relighting the torch. Willow kept her arms around Tara as they sat in the darkness.
"Where did you say Amy went?"
"To look around."
They both sighed, hoping she hadn't been the cause of the marching soldiers.
=================
Amy, at that moment, was sitting under a table. On the other side of the room were several of the whatevers that had surprised her when she opened the door to the stairs, speaking to each other in low guttural voices. Unable to understand the language, but certain she would be unwelcome in the conversation, she stayed hidden, hoping to find a way to take some food and water back to her friends.
The problem, as she saw it, was twofold. One, she needed to get to the area around the fire without being stepped on or bumped into by any of the creatures at dinner. Two, she needed to know just what the spell of invisibility included.
Feeling her pockets, she felt the lump of her wallet in her back pocket. She slid it out and looked at her hand. There was nothing there; no hand, and no wallet. Reaching out, she set it on the floor next to her and glanced up to see if anyone was watching. They weren't, so she looked down and slowly took her hand off the wallet.
It appeared the moment she stopped touching it. Nodding, she put it back in her pocket and crawled out from under the table.
There was a table loaded with empty water skins, along with several full ones. Next to the table was a barrel of water. Slowly, Amy approached the stack of water skins, reaching out carefully. Once again, she made sure none of the creatures were looking her way. Then she put her hand on the top of a full skin and it disappeared.
She tied that one to her belt and was reaching for another when one of the creatures stood and started to lumber towards her. Moving away, she stepped carefully around a chair and plastered herself against a wall.
It was the first good look she'd gotten at the Goshti, as she remembered Willow had called them. She admitted to herself that she could have lived without the close-up shot.
The one in front of her was big, over six feet, and very muscular. His (she was pretty sure it was male) face was a cross between a boar's and a man's, with yellowed tusks protruding from his mouth. His eyes were black with white pupils, and his forehead sloped back from his eyes. Dirty looking strands of black hair stuck to the sides of his head covering half of his long ears. His forearms were as thick as her thighs and his thighs were wider than her whole body.
The uniform, which she could see was pretty much the standard among his companions, was made of strips of metal over a solid leather coat. He had a type of battle axe strapped to his back, and a short sword attached to his belt.
Amy covered her nose; whatever the thing was, he reeked.
The soldier creature grabbed all of the filled water skins and tossed them to his comrades. They stood from the table and all started heading out the door. One of them seemed to argue with his fellow, and Amy wondered if maybe she had swiped his water skin.
After several minutes of yelling the Goshti grabbed an empty skin and tossed it to his angry companion. This seemed to mollify the creature and the group of them headed out the door, leaving Amy completely alone in the room.
Breathing a sigh of relief, she filled two more skins from the water barrel. After that she went to look at what was left behind on the table. There wasn't much there, but towards the back of the room, near the hearth, was the spit where the roasted meat was still waiting. Her mouth watered as she approached.
She found not just meat but bread and cheese as well. The only problem was she had no way to carry it.
Looking around, she found a small wooden box. After first making sure there was no magically hidden creature, she used a spell to change the box into a bag. Then she loaded the food into the sack and prepared to leave.
Only to duck back under her original table when several more of the creatures entered the room.
Amy waited, listening to their low gravelly voices, and wondered what they were saying. Then a smile crossed her face as she realized that she could easily find out. Whispering carefully, she did a language recognition spell, and leaned against the wall with a smile on her face.
==============
The darkness was broken by a tiny flare of light as Tara brought back her orb. It was barely the size of a marble, and its glow was dim, but it gave enough light for them to see each other.
"Do you think that's safe?"
Tara nodded. "We haven't heard anything for a while. No yells, or footsteps. Besides, it's nice and small." She shrugged. "I just couldn't stand the dark anymore."
"And it's not going to wear you out?" She looked at Tara in concern.
"No, it's relatively low energy output. I don't think I could do anything big right now, but I can handle a little light."
Willow sighed and glanced around the room. "I wonder what's taking Amy so long. We definitely need to be getting out of here, before someone -- or some thing -- finds us."
She picked up the doll's eye crystal from where it had rested on her bloody vest. With another sigh, she reached to put it back in her pocket.
Tara stopped Willow's hand, pulling it closer to her. She opened the fingers to reveal the hidden crystal. "Guess it was lucky for me that you had it with you."
Willow shook her head. "Wasn't luck. I always have it with me." Even in the dim light of the orb, Tara could tell the redhead was blushing. "Just call me sentimental gal."
Tara looked at her, startled, then smiled. "That's very sweet, Willow." She settled back, leaning her head on a soft shoulder. "I didn't know if you'd kept it. Why did you? Why didn't you ever use it?"
"Because it's -- well, because you gave it to me." Willow finished in a whisper. "I don't know why I never used it. It just didn't feel right, is all." She closed her hand around the crystal, squeezing tightly. "Because I didn't want to lose something else that was you."
Tears stung the corners of Tara's eyes, and she let a few roll down the sides of her face.
"I missed you so much." She curled a hand around Willow's. "And I didn't know how to reach you, or help you."
Willow's heart skipped a beat. "I - I missed you too." She wrapped her arm around Tara, bringing her mouth closer to the blonde's ear. "I was wrong to do what I did to you. I was out of control. I couldn't see it, but I do now. You did what you had to. I don't know what would have happened if you had stayed." She kissed the blonde's cheek lightly. "Thank you for being strong enough to leave." In a gentle motion, she brought their entwined hands to her lips.
I totally love this fic. I just found it for the first time and I just finished reading it. The only thing that would be better?? 
"A Sequel" (hint, hint)
)...also love the characters portrayal, the enjoyable dialogs, and all the awesome and fluid dungeoniring (i dont know if that word exist...in spanish is "dungeonera/o") action. The asociation W/T shared with the rain is pure poetry to me...i love rainy days too...and cheesecake 