Prelude:

The water thrashed against the shoreline. Although it was officially a river, its wide and wild nature proclaimed it otherwise. Most stayed away from the feral waves, but it was merely a subject to its only visitor. A being of some power rested beside it daily, leaning in the shade of her branches and cooling her roots in the still of the water beside her.

On one seemingly typical day, the Queen sat peacefully and closed her eyes to block the midday sun, when she sensed a change. Looking around for the source, she suddenly noticed a floating clay sphere, bobbing in every direction while the waters waved around it.

As the River Annan brought it closer, she began to hear the soft mewls inside. The water rose, as if creating a hand, and reached to display the unusual object to her. Curious, the Queen lifted it out of the water. Suddenly, a soft kick from the inside removed the top half. A crying child squirmed inside the makeshift cradle. The Queen, unused to such blatant displays of disrespectful behavior, began to yell at the wrinkly infant.

“You will stop that incessant sound at once!” she exclaimed to no avail. With her branches on her hips, she peered closer and said, “I am Queen Drusilla, ruler of the land, the river and sky, and I command you to silence yourself!” When the boy did not comply, the Queen angrily picked up the cradle with the intention of throwing it back into the violent waters. However, when she clutched the baby to her breast, it hushed instantly. She once again looked down at the little one and noticed it staring back. It’s brilliant and innocent blue eyes shone as they gazed at her, pleading her to save him. To protect him. Her hypnotic brown eyes captivated the tyke. The Queen smiled.

“Well aren’t you unexpected?” she lightly cooed. A leaf fell from one of her many arms and onto his tiny stomach. As she brushed it away, she cradled him closer. Feeling safe in her arms, the boy swiftly drifted off into slumber. “I think I’ll keep you,” she whispered, “My William.” She kissed his forehead and started to head back toward the forest.

The river, furious at her decision to save him, lapped onto the shore and around her ankles.

“Give him back!” it gurgled as the mud tried to suck it down. The waters struggled to climb up the Queen to steal the child back again, but with one look it all fell into a puddle. Slinking back into the river, it murmured apologetically. So enraged was she by the rivers’ defiance that her leaves began to smoke from the heat of her glare. Realizing her dilemma, she turned away and faced the baby once more.

“How can I keep you safe, my William? How can I protect you?” Just then, she heard a rustling in the nearby brush; out jumped a small fawn. It nestled against the bark of her legs and then rushed back into the trees. Taking it as a sign, the Queen nodded and waved her hand above the babe. “From this day forth, you shall take the form of a fawn by day and a man by night. You will be mine, as I have protected you from the river that wished to destroy you.” Stroking the baby’s face, a thin, golden line appeared on his cheek. It dissolved into his skin soon after.

With one last glare at the river she bounded back into the forest. The Queen once again smiled at her newborn son, Prince William. She would cherish him and he would never leave her. As long as he was hidden, he would stay with her always.

“My William,” she announced through the breeze.

. . . . . . . .

The Hazards of Love

18 Years Later

Elizabeth Summers, known by all as Buffy, rode out into the wilderness at dusk. Crying, she forced the horse to go faster and faster. Tear stroked sideways across her cheeks as the wind blew towards her. She was never allowed to go farther than the village limits, but the land had called out to her. A fight with her father that day had been the final straw.

Hank Summers, a well-respected member of the community, naturally wanted to marry his only daughter off. When he mentioned a deal to marry his stubborn Buffy to the village doctor, Riley Finn, she fought him. She stated that she had the right to marry whomever she loved. Hank thought she had had enough time to find a love of her own and it was time for him to intervene. He didn’t want a Spinster’s life for his one and only daughter.

At first, his wife Joyce tried to reason with both parties, but soon gave up when she realized that neither would ever agree to any terms of marriage. In a fit of rage, her young daughter of eighteen ran outside. Mounting her horse, Buffy rode out into the distance. Hank had angrily announced his return to the pub, but Joyce sensed something different about her daughter running out this time.

While Buffy had escaped marriage deals before, she was sure Hank was through with letting them slide. Joyce had a feeling that Buffy knew it too. So as she sank farther and farther below the hills, Joyce wondered if she would ever see her darling again. She returned to the house in silent tears.

The wind stung her face as it whipped across her. Part of her wanted to return and submit to her fathers’ wishes, but she knew she would never be happy with a man like Riley Finn. She had to experience life beyond the town that had imprisoned her so. She was done being “sweet Buffy Summers,” a credit to the community, but too stubborn to be a proper bride. She would never discard the values her mother had taught her, but she now had the freedom to choose.

As Buffy came to Offa’s wall, a wave of nervousness crept up her spine. Turning around, she realized she had lost sight of the village. She did not know if she would ever return home. While the thought was somewhat pleasing, it occurred to her how much she had to sacrifice to expand her horizons. And when in the wilderness, what then? What could she do? She had no friends beyond the village and knew nothing of her surroundings. In theory, Buffy always thought of herself as an adventurous person, but she had never put the theory into practice. Now faced with the possibility of adventure, she remained still on her horse, considering her options.

Fortunately, he decision was made for her. A small snake slithered in the grass nearby her light brown stallion. When it noticed the amphibian, it reared back into a gallop. Buffy tried to calm her horse down, but it fearfully continued to run. Eventually, she was able to stop her horse right as they reached the edge of a grand forest. Buffy hopped off Glory and held the reigns as she inched closer to the wall of trees. They were so tall she could barely see the setting sun behind them. She considered entering the forest, but Glory seemed too nervous to enter beside her. Buffy stroked the horse’s neck and tied her to the nearest tree.

Stepping carefully into the coolness of the forest, she wondered aloud if she had ever heard of a forest nearby. She thought that she might have heard talk of such a grand one being so close. Then again, not many villagers went past the limits, let alone Offa’s wall. A little further in and Buffy was ready to turn back; nothing seemed particularly fascinating, that is until she heard something. A mewl and a rustling through the trees. That familiar pang of nervousness found its way up her spine once more, making her hair stand on end.

More than ready to leave, she turned around and quickly padded through the underbrush. Autumn was already here, she noticed, as the colorful leaves blanketed the ground. The village trees had not even begun to turn. She paused for a moment to inspect further when the rustling came back, louder this time.

“Wh-who’s there?” she whispered, not really wanting a response. Suddenly a small fawn peeked out from behind a tree. A sigh of relief left her lips as she smiled at the creature. “Oh, are you the one making all this noise and scaring me half to death?” she cooed as she kneeled to the ground. The deer started to back away, hesitant of the intruder, but mewled when it stepped onto it’s bad leg.

“Are you hurt?” she asked softly. With extreme carefulness, the girl snuck closer to the fawn. Unable to leave it’s the position, the deer shook in fear. “Oh, no! You’ve hurt your leg! Let me help you,” she spoke softly. When she reached it, she stroked its head to calm it down. As she lifted her hand to hopefully cure its wound, the ground started to shake.

The shaking became so violent that Buffy fell backward into the pile of leaves. Suddenly, it stopped and complete silence surrounded her. She sat up and noticed that the fawn had left, the poor deer. It had probably been scared away by the earthquake.

Buffy stood and started brushing the dirt off her dress. As she went down to pick up a shred of it, she noticed movement behind the tree. Excited that the deer may have remained, she quickly followed the sound.

But instead of the fawn, something else stood in its place. A man.

Buffy gasped and blushed profusely at his apparent nudity. However, she was unable to look away for he was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen. He stood like the Greek statues she had seen in books, but he was ever so much more wonderful. His high cheek bones, his toned, muscular body, his sandy blond hair shining in the moonlight, and his sapphire eyes staring at her intensely in the moonlight.

William changed back to his human form, as he did every night, but this night was different. He stood before the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen. Her emerald green eyes shown with compassion and fiery spirit, her pale skin seemed to glow in the small slits of light remaining through the trees, her long blond locks curling gracefully down her back, her lusciously pink lips, her petit, but curvaceous, form. At one glance, his blood boiled for her, this goddess before him. He wanted her like he had never wanted anything in his existence. She smiled politely, and somewhat embarrassed, and his heart fluttered in his chest. He had never felt so alive.

Without thinking, the man walked toward the woman, gently gliding across the ground. He gracefully swept a tendril of hair behind her ear. Stunned, she stood perfectly still and gasped softly.

He was mesmerized by her lips and unknowingly took another step toward her.

She had never believed in love at first sight, but now she wasn’t so sure. She took another step toward him until they were flush against one another. Buffy desired this stranger more than anyone she had ever known. As she caressed his muscular arms, she felt his own desire pressing in her dress.

But he was not embarrassed by his desire. On the contrary, he could not help but shudder as she traced patterns on his skin. His eyes moved from her lips, to other parts of her, back to her eyes and lips again.

“Perfect,” he spoke huskily. She shuddered at the way his voice made the place between her legs moisten with need. Unable to stand it any longer, his kissed her voraciously. She met his hunger as their tongues battled for dominance. He ripped at her garments and pushed her back, capturing her between himself and the tree. Suckling at her neck and jaw line, he managed to remove most of her now tattered clothing. Her gasps and moans only heightened his want for her. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his back and groaned as he rubbed himself against her center.

. . . . . . . .

They made love for hours until Buffy fell asleep in his arms. Incapable of falling asleep at night, he spent the hours gazing at her. His ladylove slept perfectly still as he cradled her against him. She nestled closer to his chest and breathed deep. Her beauty seemed to have no bounds as everything she did only served to make him want her more.

Knowing the traitorous sunlight was only minutes away, he kissed her in hopes that she would wake. Her eyes blinked a few times before she smiled.

“What’s your name?” he asked softly as she yawned.

“Buffy Summers. And you?”

“William…” he began, only to realize he had no last name.

“Just William?” she asked playfully, but saw his downcast expression and frowned. “It’s ok, you can just be William,” she said as she lifted his head up to face her. “And I’ll just be Buffy.” He smiled at this and caressed her cheek. William stopped abruptly and stood up fearfully. “What’s wrong? What’s the matter?” she pleaded as she struggled to stand.

“You’ll come again, won’t you? You’ll come to see me?” he begged.

“Of course I’ll come back, but… but where are you going!” she yelled out as he ran away. As the sun lifted over the treetops, she gasped as she saw her William transform into the same deer she had tried to save. She did not know what to do, so she put her clothing back on as best as she could and rode back to town.

She didn’t notice the fawn watching her desperately as she disappeared into the distance.

“But mother-“

“There will be no buts about it! Do you know what you put me through? You just left! I didn’t know if you’d ever come back again!”

“You saw what he did! What he said! And what did you do? Nothing!”

“I admit I acted badly, but what am I supposed to think,” her eyes became glassy with unshed tears, “you just left!”

“And what was I supposed to do, hmm? Mary Riley Finn, the single most boring man ever to crawl the earth? I think not!”

“Elizabeth Summers!” her mother shouted in an effort to silence her daughter. “You will not speak to me this way, do you hear me? You will do as we tell you because it is in your best interests. Now I may not agree with Hank all of the time, but he is doing his best to keep this family afloat! Go to your room at once and think about the trouble you caused.” Buffy nodded solemnly and ran to her room, practically slipping on her shredded dress.

The fight had lasted far past Buffy could have imagined. Thankfully, her father was not home when she returned. She might have received a whipping for that. Buffy tore off the garment and lay on her bed. She was still sore from William’s passions. Looking down, she noticed the bits of dirt and blood caked on her thighs. She was filthy, her mother was angry with her, her father could force her to marry Riley Finn… terrible things were happening all around her, and yet all she could think about was him.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his angelic face. Every inch of her wanted to return to the forest at sundown, but she could never. Not with her family so upset. No, she would have to wait before she could see him again. She could only hope that he would wait for her return.

. . . . . . . .

William scampered across the dead leaves, crunching them softly. Although his thoughts were far more simplistic when he took the form of a fawn, his personality remained. He had his mother to thank for that.

His mother had taken him in, had given him life instead of throwing him into the violent river, had saved him from the beasts that might have destroyed him. She was a goddess and the only woman in his life. And then there was Buffy.

Beautiful Buffy, with her golden curls reaching her thin waist, her eyes shining in the scattered beams of moonlight. He could not stop picturing her. She was all he wanted.

She had not told him when they would meet again, however. What if she took weeks, months, years even? He did not think he could last another day without her beside him. He was drowning in Buffy.

Buffy Summers. Buffy Summers. Buffy Summers. William and Buffy.

The mantra repeated over and over again as he made his way through the forest. William had to tell his mother of her beauty!

It did not even occur to young William that she might not be pleased.

. . . . . . . .

Several months later

“Buffy! Buffy, you have to wake up!”

Buffy grumbled before pulling the sheets over her head. Fred, her cousin, tried to wake up the beauty for the coming day’s events.

“I will not tell you again, wake up!” she spoke loudly while shaking her. Buffy’s eyes blinked slowly, then widened.

“Oh no,” she cried as she jumped from her bed and to the water basin in her room. Fred did not watch, but she could hear her cousin retching. She attempted a nonchalant expression, but was never a wonderful actress. Buffy saw through it the minute she stood up again.

“Just a little… um… sick this morning,” she said with an unconvincing smile. Fred seemed to ponder this for a moment before responding.

“Have you been sick a lot lately?”

“I suppose… but it’s only natural, perhaps I caught a cold or-“

“Buffy,” she began. “This is the third time you’ve, you know… done that, since I’ve been here. Your waistline is growing…”

“What are you trying to say?” she whispered looking down at the floor.

“Buffy… I see you like a sister and I am sworn to secrecy if what I ask is true, but I must know. Are you,” her eyes shifted slightly before whispering, “with child?”

At first, Buffy stared at the wall blankly. After a few moments, however, she collapsed and began to cry at her cousin’s feet.

“Oh Fred, I don’t know what to do! No one in the village can know about this, but how can I hide it? Oh Fred,” she said between sobs, “what am I going to do?” Fred kneeled down and stroked Buffy’s hair compassionately.

“Who is the father, darling? Perhaps you could get married and-”

“No!” Buffy yelled. Realizing the volume of her reply could wake up other members of the household, she responded again, “No.”

“Why not? Buffy… were y-you taken advantage of?” she whispered.

“No! Nothing like that,” she replied as she wiped a few tears from her eyes. “His name is William. I-I met him in the forest.” Fred tried to keep a stoic face as she explained, but she cringed at the idea of some stranger and her cousin… “Fred? Are you listening?”

“Yes! Yes, sorry. I just… I’m trying to understand. You saw someone in a forest, William, and you are now pregnant with his child?” She nodded solemnly. “Did you know him beforehand?” Buffy paused for a moment before shaking her head, disappointed in her actions. “So, you met William that day? And you gave your virginity to him? Buffy! What on Earth are you thinking? You could be a murderer or, or, or who knows what else!” Fred ended her rambling when Buffy began to cry again. “Oh, Buffy I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be so harsh… I just… Oh darling, what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know… I just don’t know,” she cried.

. . . . . . . .

Several hours later, Buffy pulled herself together and made her way to the weekly embroidery meeting. All the unmarried women of the village came together once a week to gossip about whom was courting who and other such nonsense. Buffy used to enjoy these gatherings, but since William, she found no joy in anything the village had to offer. Even her friends could not measure up to the man of her dreams. The man who showed himself every time she closed her eyes, the man who-

“Buffy? Buffy are you there?” Cordelia Chase mocked as the girl in question raised her head.

“What?” she exclaimed, surprised by the sudden interference in her thoughts. She noticed the other women whispering and giggling at her. She blushed in embarrassment.

“Are you alright?” her best friend Willow said, concern plain on her face.

“Yes, I-I’m fine. I promise.” Buffy plastered a smile on her face. Willow did not seem convinced. “Day dreaming, I suppose.”

“Ok… if you’re sure?” she asked hesitantly. Buffy nodded and her friend let it go.

She could not stop thinking about William. Had he forgotten her and their time together? How would he react to the news of his child on the way? If he thought about her as much as she did him…

Buffy knew it was only a matter of time until she had to leave the village. Although it always seemed a prison, everything and everyone she knew existed there. To leave would mean to become a new person. Without the passion that originally drove her away from town, she was simply too afraid to leave it’s confines. If William came, everything would be better. They could get married and raise their son or daughter in a modest house…

Her thoughts were yet again interrupted by Miss Chase, “Where is your head? You poked your finger and now you’re bleeding all over your work! I realize you aren’t the brightest in the bunch, but focus, will you?” Her minions, Harmony Thatcher, Hallie Adams and Anya Jenkins, giggled at her antics. Normally, Buffy would have been furious, but she had no energy to care.

How long could she stay before they noticed? Buffy knew she had to leave and what better time than the present. She decided to pack a bag and ride just before sunset to see her William again. She would tell him of the baby and they would escape into the forest. Then maybe they could settle down somewhere and it would be perfect.

But what about him being a fawn? Could a shape-shifter be a proper father? And what if he responded badly to the situation?

She decided to go forth anyway and find him. She had to leave before the others found out…

William paced the edge of the forest. Perhaps it was finally the night she would return. Buffy: the woman who haunted his dreams, tempting him towards madness. She promised to return, but several months had passed.

Time had never meant much to William until the day she stormed in and out of his life. Now, every second without her seemed a lifetime. He kicked a bit of earth in frustration.

Where was she?

He would have looked for her himself, but he was tied down. When he was little, the Queen thought that the best way to protect him was to confine him to the forest. He could not go past the edge, no matter how hard he tried. He begged his mother to let him leave, but she turned away in disgust, filling his conscience with guilt.

When William told his mother about the beauty of his beloved, her eyes turned red in fury. ‘How dare you defy me?’ she yelled. Although she seemed to relax when he mentioned Buffy’s departure, she was clearly distraught. As a result, she watched him closely through the trees and the creatures of the forest. William was not stupid and knew what his mother was doing. He heard the sounds of the animals following him and the birds chattering away in the treetops.

He wanted to be a good son, he truly did, but he wanted Buffy more. Despite the fact that his mother had saved him from the violent river, he wanted to leave her side and be with Buffy.

Kicking the dirt once again, he smelled the sunrise on its way. Another night wasted.

Had she forgotten him? He missed her with every fiber of his existence, and yet he could not find the strength to break through the magical wall between the forest and the realm outside. He wondered what it was like out there, if Buffy was happier where she was.

The change began as the sun rose. The ground shook for a moment as he completed his transformation. His mother would be waiting for him. William scampered back into the depths of the trees. will wait again tomorrow night, he thought.

. . . . . . . .

Buffy had to be sure that everyone was asleep before she left. When soft snores echoed through the household, she knew it was time. Silent tears streamed down her cheeks as she finished packing her bag with food and a few pieces of clothing.

When she returned to the village the last time, her father forced her to remain in the house for several days. He said she had to marry Riley, despite her constant berating of his personality. The more she complained and fought, the more her father refused to change his mind. He kept her under lock and key or watchful eye for months; he told her when she could leave the house. But all she wanted was to see William; all day and night, it was all she thought about.

The only other reason she stayed as long as she did was because Buffy did not want to leave her mother. Although she could be harsh, Joyce adored her. And yet, no amount of love could move past sleeping with a stranger and getting pregnant. Buffy would be disowned in the best-case scenario. She was beginning to show and time was running out. Leaving was the only option, now.

“Goodbye,” she whispered to the slumbering household.

Buffy rode out into the distance, past Offa’s wall and into the taiga. It was much further away than she remembered, but she was confident she could find it soon enough. Luckily, it displayed itself proudly in a small clearing. Although Glory was once again afraid of the woodland, Buffy tried to comfort her as she led her in. But some rustling in the leaves caused the horse to run out of her grasp and back into the clearing. It was just as well for the trees were far too narrow for a girl and her steed. After saying goodbye, she watched the sun rise on the edge.

Taking a deep breath, she once again stepped into the woods. The trees seemed to chatter as the wind blew and the leaves whispered as they grazed the ground. Unnerving as it was, Buffy kept her fears at bay and continued into the depths.

The girl had not counted on the unbelievable size of the land and found herself utterly lost. Buffy prayed to whatever almighty power was out there to make a path for her; how else would she find a fawn in the woods?

Oh William she thought, come to me.

Exactly how much time had passed was difficult to tell without the harsh light of day to guide her. When her bones ached from walking and her stomach growled crossly, she decided to rest. She could find William just as well later on. She stretched her arms as she yawned and lay out in a clover bed. Before closing her eyes, however, she noticed a break in the trees. Smiling, she drifted off, unaware of the figure only a few feet away.

. . . . . . . .

He could smell her. Excitement flooded through him as he contemplated the idea that she was close. He could recognize her sweet scent anywhere. Sniffing the bark of the trees, the leaves below him, he concluded that she had been there only moments ago. Passing the particularly strong aroma of his love, he bounded in the direction where her path might have led her.

She couldn’t be far.

. . . . . . . .

The Queen watched the scene unfold through the many eyes of the forest.

While her ingenious spell had worked perfectly in not allowing the children see one another, she fumed as William continued his search. She observed as he frantically bolted through the brush, trying to pick up her scent once again. How dare he defy her so blatantly? She raised the boy, gave him life and protected him from the evils of the outside world. And what thanks did she get? Abandonment for a weak little thing...

“All ‘ail the queen,” a strong cockney accent broke her out of her trance.

“What?!” she yelled in shock. For someone so connected to the forest, she wasn’t used to surprises. Then, she noticed it was one of the pixies. “What have you to tell me?” she asked uninterested.

“You need to take the spell offa them,” the pixie responded contemptuously. The Queen glared at her for being disruptive.

“And why should I do that, pray tell?”

“Well, we been ‘earing some things from the above and they said the spell must come off, if ya want somethin done about the girl anyway.”

Drusilla contemplated the information as the small, multicolored pixie laid down on one of her branches. She yawned loudly after a few minutes and the Queen glared. Unlike most of the forest creatures, the pixies remained immune to the powers of the Queen. Perhaps it was their connection to the powers above that protected the little troublemakers from a good throttling. Otherwise, she would have disintegrated their little community long ago.

Nonetheless, the pixies did seem to know the actions in her best interests.

“If you’re lying, I’ll find a way to extinguish you, you insignificant little pest.” The pixie giggled and squeaked as she disappeared in a poof of white smoke. With a frustrated sigh, she waved the spell away from the two lovers.

. . . . . . . .

William lost the scent again. Angrily, he pushed his tired legs forward and bumped, headfirst, into a tree. He ignored the pain and continued his search; it wouldn’t be long until sunset.

Just then the breeze blew his way, bringing her sweet scent along with it. He followed the direction it came from, eager to find the source.

He was near her when the sun finally set below the hills; he could feel it. William walked down a small hill only to find his Buffy, fast asleep upon the forest floor. Beneath the night sky, she took his breath away. Without realizing his actions, he walked closer and knelt down beside her. His hand trembled as he stroked her silky hair. His want for her came over him in waves, rippling through his body. Without warning, a possessive growl erupted from his chest. Buffy’s eyes shot open in terror.

She let out a piercing scream.

She let out a piercing scream.

The man was so startled by her cry that he tripped on a root and fell backward. Buffy tried to run, but her dress caught on some on a thorn bush. The man brushed the bits of dirt off of his newly, and crudely, made pants, giving Buffy a chance to see the sharp angles of his face. Excitement flooded through her.

“William!” she cried as she attempted to stand up. The thorns, unfortunately, kept her at bay. William smirked handsomely and knelt down beside her once again. With delicate fingers, he quickly dislodged her from her predicament. The moment she was free, she jumped him and kissed him with all of the passion she hid the last few month.

“Buffy, oh, Buffy… luv,” he whispered between desperate kisses. He rolled himself on top of her and peppered more down her neck. She moaned as he glided his free hand to her breast. William flicked at the soft cloth of her dress containing the bud he wished to wrap his lips upon. Their loving reunion became frantic with need.

Tearing open her dress, William stared in awe at perfection: the slow curve of her hip and swell of her flawless breasts. A moment later, he latched his mouth on her hardened nipple, licking and softly biting at it. Her gasps of pleasure made worse the already painfully throbbing erection.

“Unh, William… please, oh I need…”

“Tell me what you need,” he said, his voice hoarse with lust. She moaned loudly as he continued to rip apart her undergarments.

“You, I want you,” she whispered. Before she knew what was happening, he buried his tongue deep into her core. The animalistic groans that erupted made him suck on her clit harder. She grasped at his hair, almost painfully, but he didn’t mind. As he pushed a finger into her, she cried out.

Although he could tell she was close, but he wanted her to climax with him. William lifted his head and crawled predatorily over her.

“Why did you-“ she yelled until she felt the protruding member gliding over her entrance. She groaned as he shuddered. The desire between them grew rapidly as they came closer to their peaks.

William covered her mouth with his in a passionate kiss as he pushed himself into her to the hilt. Both cried out in gratification, feeling whole for the first time in months. His thrusts began slowly as she became accustomed to his size. He wanted to make it good for her, but his own need pushed him further and faster. He slid in and out of her with a force beyond that of ordinary men, not that she knew the love of another man.

The brush below them spread and fluttered as the couple writhed together. Intertwined, they came closer and closer to the satisfaction they longed for. Buffy’s cries grew in volume as her inner walls quivered with excitement. He placed a hand between them and rubbed her almost to completion.

“I love you, Buffy.”

“I love you too William.”

Their declarations of love caused them to cum together, screaming in ecstasy as the world went black.

. . . . . . . .

“Buffy? Come on luv, wake up. You’re not fooling me… Buffy?” he said as he stroked her cheek, worried that he somehow broke her. Why was he not more careful? He knew he was stronger than most, why did he not pay attention? In the middle of berating himself, her eyes fluttered open; William sighed in relief.

“Hello,” she spoke softly, a small smile on her lips.

“Oh thank the gods you’re awake! I thought I had lost you again,” he said with a melancholic expression.

“Oh no, William. Hey,” she turned his head to face her. “You couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.” William kissed her once more before collapsing onto his back. Buffy snuggled closer, cold from the slight draft through the trees. Without a second thought, he wrapped her now tattered dress around her and laid back down. Holding her close, he warmed the shivering body beside him.

They did not know how much time had passed as they looked into the eyes of one another. William stroked her silky hair and kissed her again. Buffy was the first to break the silence.

“William?”

“Yes, my love?”

“Promise to never leave me.” William looked at her, concern plain on his face.

“Why would I ever do that?” he whispered.

“Just promise me,” she replied, gazing at the ground.

“I promise to never leave you. What’s all this about?”

“I don’t know… I suppose it’s that we fell in love so quickly. It seems so unreal. I don’t think I would be able to let it go, now,” she replied with tears brewing in her eyes.

“Well that’s why they call it falling, sweetheart. The gradual kind doesn’t work as well,” he said with a smile as he swiped the tears away with the pad of his thumb. She nodded and kissed him lightly. The silence lasted a while longer until Buffy noticed William’s expression of serious contemplation.

“What is it?” she asked hesitantly, hoping that he didn’t regret his statement of devotion.

“Buffy, luv, I was wondering… would you run away with me?” Buffy’s face went blank for a moment before breaking into a smile.

“Of course!” she cried out. He smiled a bit before his expression returned to its former seriousness. “But why the face?”

“Well… Buffy, there is something I need you to know before you decide anything. Buffy, I, um, I turnintoafawnduringtheday.”

“What?”

“I said, I turn into a fawn during the day. I can only be a man at night.”

“That’s ok, I don’t mind,” she replied. He stood up and began to pace.

“No, but you don’t understand! What kind of a life could you have with me? Living through the day with animal that could barely find his way home? I don’t want that life for you! You deserve better; you deserve to live with someone, someone who, someone…” he sat back down. “I could never even see you in the sunlight,” he said, his voice breaking with the tears that threatened to spill.

“William, no! If I wanted that, I would have stayed in the village. In fact, I was promised to marry Riley Finn” she said his name with distaste. William held back a growl from thinking about his girl with another man. “Besides… I know you transform during the day.” William glanced up in surprise. “I saw you change at sunrise the last time we were together. Listen to me: all I want is you. If that means leading a different life than them, then that’s ok. No one I know living that lifestyle is happy anyway.” Quiet surrounded them, thicker than the forest. William was about to say something, but his expression became unreadable.

“The sun is coming up. Wait for me?” he pleaded. Buffy nodded sadly. William kissed her forehead and embraced his beloved. Without a moment to lose, he ran into the woods. As he jumped, his form changed. Buffy waved dumbly, not knowing what else to do.

Why did he have to leave?

The Queen was furious. Not only had the exasperating pixies come to taunt her earlier that day, but they told her what William had done. Her William! How could he betray her, again? This Buffy was not good enough for her son, the so-called Prince of the Forest. Her skin glowed red with rage.

Drusilla had thought binding him to the confines of his kingdom was guaranteed to keep him with her. And yet, the world came to snatch him instead. Someone needed to pay.

“’ello Queenie,” the pixie sing-songed as she sat on Drusilla’s shoulder. The creature was the size of a rose stem, and twice as beautiful. Her lustrous brown hair was streaked with gold and caught the sunlight, even though little was to be found so far below the treetops. A few thorns littered her head as a spiky crown, most likely attempting to rebel against her family in some way. Her engorged smile made the Queen furious.

“What now?”

“Well, tha’s not a greetin I enjoy getting,” she pouted, playing dumb. “Fine, if ya want to kill Miss Buffy on your own, be ma guest. But if ya want their opinion, the one’s of the above, ya better listen.”

The Queen hated the games the pixies lived to play. However, if she wanted the information, she had to play nice. It did not mean she had to enjoy their meetings… or keep them alive after her pans were complete.

“Go on…”

“There’s a man comin to this here forest, an evil one who killed his family and everything. He will come and he can take care o’ your problem for you. But I ain’t so dumb to let you know ‘bout it now. Not after the welcome I get…” The pixie performed a cartwheel on her arm, spreading ill-smelling, sparkling dust all over her. The Queen wanted to smack the dust off her pretty face, but if she wanted to take care of her “problem” she needed the man’s help.

After all, she couldn’t kill Buffy herself.

. . . . . . . .

William’s discontent grew as he ran farther away. He did not want to leave Buffy’s side, but if they wanted any future together he would have to speak with his mother. Finding her would be a challenge if she chose to hide herself away. Nevertheless, he hoped she remained in the very heart of the forest, where he could do the least harm and still get out together.

He hated that he had to lie to his mother, but her overprotective nature went too far. If she really loved him, then she would have let him leave to find Buffy the first time. But no: instead, her aggravation grew to heights he did not know were possible. She threatened to confine him even closer.

. . . . . . . .

“What must I do to find him, little precious?” the Queen begged, angry that she lowered herself to pleading a pixie.

“Miss Edith to ya,” the trollop exclaimed defiantly.

“Why you-“ she stopped herself from strangling her. “Miss Edith, please tell me. After all, why would the above tell you such information if it didn’t want me to know?”

“Well, maybe we make the decisions ‘round here, ya ever think of tha?”

“I sincerely doubt it. Listen to me,” she was losing the last of her patience, “I can do this with or without you. I will find a way whether you help or not. If the above wants me to know, then that means you must tell me. You don’t have a choice in the matter! So why do you insist on prolonging these meetings! TELL ME WHERE HE IS!” her voice was so thunderous that the birds squawked and flew out of the trees.

“Ok! Ok, jus havin a li’l fun. They call him the rake… the rake Angelus.”

. . . . . . . .

William knew that she saved him and raised him, but he couldn’t go on like this. Stopping to catch his breath, he looked up and saw the moon in the daylight. He could not help but wish to share the day with his Buffy as well as the night. Suddenly, he realized the Queen was nearby; he made his thoughts simpler to lure her into a false consciousness of wellbeing.

. . . . . . . .
The pixie told Drusilla where to find the heartless man who would do her bidding, then left in a huff threatening to tell the other pixies of her outrageous behavior. The Queen could not afford to lose the support of the above, but she was sure the Powers would understand.

She sensed William’s presence nearby. A malicious smile made it’s way across her crackling face. Out of necessity, Drusilla had developed a talent for reading his thoughts when during the day when he was close to her. He knew it, but his mind faltered under such physical strains and he constantly forgot to hide his thoughts:

I hope she stays, I hope stays. What if she leaves? She can’t leave! Only can be with me. Must ask mother, must ask mother. Be together for a night. With Buffy, Buffy, Buffy…

His thoughts became quite muddled in his animalistic state, but she knew what he was going to say. And she would play along… but as the cogs of her mind twisted in intoxicating wrath, she realized that in the end she would win. She finished formulating her plan just as he ran around the bend.

“Mother,” he communicated to her, “we need to speak immediately.”

“Why yes my darling. We do,” she replied with an edge.

“Ok… I want to be with Buffy... for the night. But I cannot do that as long as your spell keeps me in this forest.”

“That spell is here for your protection my darling,” she said.

“I know mother, but just listen. Please?” William took the Queen’s silence as an indication to continue. “I know you know about Buffy. I cannot be with her if I am in this forest. Yet, I also know that you will not let me be with her outside of the forest.”

“My William, you-“

“I’m here to offer a deal,” the Queen looked intrigued. “One night. One night to do anything I please; in, out or around the forest, I will be allowed to do anything I want; I will be free. That’s all I ask.”

“How dare you! I saved you from the hands of the river! I rescued you from the terrors of the world, and this is how you repay my generosity?”

“Please, mother!”

“Give me one reason. One good reason why I should allow this uniting.”

“Because I love her!” he barked out. His eyes grew wide in terror, immediately regretting mentioning the extent of his feelings.

“You love that harpy?! That waif? This is who you choose over your own?”

“Don’t speak about her like that! Don’t you dare!”

“William!” she shrieked, once again causing the birds to squawk and fly.

“Mother… I love her,” he explained, almost defeated. “The wanting… oh, the wanting comes in waves! If you give me this one night, I-I’ll stay here for the rest of my life. I swear! Just give me this night!” The Queen seemed deep in thought for a few moments before responding.

. . . . . . . .

Buffy sat against a tree and watched for any kind of movement. It was getting dark and he still had not come back. She knew it was irrational, but she feared something might happen. He was just a little fawn! What if he became wounded, or worse? Refusing to panic, Buffy closed her eyes and listened her breathing.

Never the type to sit around and wait for someone else to do the work for her, Buffy felt extremely out of her element. She was never the weak one. And yet there she was, waiting for William to return before they ran away together. What they were running away from exactly, she was not sure.

And what about the baby? How would he react to that news? What if he did not want it? What if it turned into an animal like him? She had to top questioning it; if he loved her, he would be pleased. Que sera sera: whatever will be, will be.

She sighed as she gazed at the patch of stars above. It was such a lovely night. The fireflies flew quietly above her head, slightly lighting up the place where they had made love only hours prior. She wished William could be there with her to enjoy it. She sighed again for she knew that everything would be all right eventually.

. . . . . . . .

“Ok. For one night, you may do as you like. However,” she continued forcefully, “if you do not come back to me the following morning, the underworld itself will cringe for your demise. Do you understand?” For the first time, the Queen’s glare terrified him. No longer was she the strict but understanding mother he once knew. Driven by spite or insanity he wasn’t sure, but he knew that it was time to leave.

It was time to run.

The Queen had other plans.

Angelus rode his sleek, black horse across the countryside as the wind swept his feathery, brown hair across his forehead. It was in good timing that he left Hunterton village, considering his naughty deeds. Angelus smiled fondly as he recalled their faces…

He had originally planned to head East towards Offa’s Wall, but got sidetracked by the most glorious scent. Needless to say, he was compelled to follow it. He eventually landed upon a forest, shrouded in thick mist. Surveying the ground, he noticed hoof tracks and the footsteps of female boots headed into the mass. Never one to pass up an opportunity, Angelus began to plan.

Quite suddenly, the mist split in front of him and created a path through the trees. It seemed luck had found him once again. He jumped back on his horse and guided him through the narrow trees with which the path provided him.

Oh yes, this would be a good night indeed.

. . . . . . . .

William ran as fast as his human legs could carry him. He prayed she hadn’t left the forest again; he didn’t think he could take another few months without her. But the Queen gave him the night! He could run out and find her if that were the case.

Nonetheless, he hoped she hadn’t run off.

. . . . . . . .

As he trotted through the woods, Angelus considered his past. His children, his rotting wife, and the many girls of the villages he passed through.

When he was a lad of merely twenty-one, hardly an age for commitment, he married the mayor’s eldest daughter. At first, everything was wonderful: they made love every evening under the stars, talked for hours, kept each other company. It was the perfect life until the babies came.

First, there was little Xander, wrinkly and pale. From the day he was born, he cried nonstop as if the world had done him some great injustice by pulling him into it. He would not sleep or eat or play without crying hysterically. Just about when Angelus considered pulling his hair out, another one came.

Skinny Winifred slithered out of his wife’s womb like a serpent, come to ruin his life. The wife was supposed to mother them, not him. She was supposed to take care of the children while he worked and lie with him whenever he wished, just as they had before the pests were born, but no. She was too tired, frazzled, and overwhelmed and she constantly needed his help. When irritating Dawn came, all hell broke loose.

When his wife was asleep, he took advantage of her position. God knows he would never lie with her again if she were given the choice. He left the house for hours, sometimes even days, to escape the constant berating. It was not his responsibility to take care of the home. And when his wife told him that she was pregnant again he lost the last of his control.

Tired of his children, of his wife’s complaining, he decided to do something about it. On the day of delivery, he slipped a little poison into her drink. His wife and the new one, Daniel, died soon after.

At first, he was pleased with his work. No more would he have to deal with the pestering, the whining, and the aggravation. Sitting at her deathbed, his three children scampered closer and stared up at him. All he wanted was a new life, but they held him back. He knew he had to take care of them.

First, he fed foxglove to skinny Winifred, killing her instantly. Dawn was easier still for he left her alone to drown in the bath. Xander was more difficult because the seven year old fought gallantly for his life. Needless to say, he was no match for his father, the man he might have turned out to be had Angelus not burned him alive in fury. I wasn’t a bad man, I just knew what I wanted, he justified himself.

He told few the tale of his wife and children and they naturally wondered if he felt terribly about it. Angelus always replied that he was tortured by his bout of madness, but in all honestly, it never really bothered him.

In fact, he looked upon the time with fondness for it was the first time he felt free.

The aroma that brought him to the forest changed directions, and he with it.

. . . . . . . .

Drusilla watched the events unfold through her many eyes in the forest. She smiled at her cleverness. Soon, the Rake would find the heathen Buffy and everything would go according to plan. He would ride directly to the River Annan and then need her help. He would dispatch the girl before William had the chance to run away with her. She was not a fool; she was well aware of his plan. William was a sweet boy, but ingenious schemes were never his forte.

Which was why he needed to stay with her. There was no guarantee of his safety if she was not around to protect him. He could not take care of himself, and Buffy would certainly lead him to unspeakable horrors.

He did not know the real world, society and jobs… She never thought to tell him such things for she never imagined he would become so hateful toward her. But if he wanted to perish in the world of war and men, so be it.

However, she would not let him succeed in his task. She would rather have him dead than fear for her sons’ life. Not that she wanted to kill him. Drusilla did not believe it would come to that.

It was a simple plan really and he would fall in line, just as he had every other time.

. . . . . . . .

The smell was getting stronger. It reminded him of a field of flowers, which in theory disgusted him, but now seemed the most wonderful of all scents. It filled him with a desire he had never experienced. Finally, he found the object of his lust sleeping against a tree.

He did not want to wake her so he swiftly jumped off his horse and tiptoed toward her. He lifted her up, tightly wrapped her fingers together and slung her across his horse. The creature huffed as more weight was added to his straining form. Following her up there, he sped through the trees.

He needed a place to defile his new toy.

. . . . . . . .

William picked a few wild flowers to give to his love. He remembered a story his mother once told him about a man who gave flowers to his lady and they were wed. In his memory, the face of his mother turned into a human he did not recognize. It quickly changed back and he shook his head free from the thought. Had that been his true mother? Was she still alive? What if she still wanted him? What if she forgot about him?

Again, he shook his head. It would do him no good to ponder those things.

With several flowers in hand, he took a deep breath and made his way to the brush. As he reached their meeting placed, his heart dropped and shattered. She was gone again. William threw the flowers on the ground and collapsed to his knees. A primal growl erupted from deep in his chest and echoed through the trees.

Not so far away, a pair of emerald eyes shot open at his cry.

“Help! Help!” Buffy screamed as the horse trotted through the woods. At first, Angelus had smirked at the blonde’s passionate cry. But after a while, it took a toll on his nerves.

“Oh, would you silence your fat mouth?” he growled. Unfortunately, it had the opposite affect and she became louder.

“Help me! Please! Anyone! William! Help!” she yelled, tears streaming down her numbed face.

“William? And who might that be, princess?” he smiled menacingly. She ceased speaking instantly, terrified that she may have put her beloved in danger. “Come now, tell me, who is out here to save you?”

“N-n-no one,” she whispered.

“N-n-n-n-no one?” he mocked her with a mighty laugh. Buffy scrambled her brain to think of something to say.

“H-he’s my… he’s strong, very strong and he’ll kill you when he finds out that you’ve taken me away! Put me down immediately!” He once again laughed in her face, not worried in the least of her claims.

“Oh where, oh where could he be? He doesn’t seem to be coming, does he? It’s really too bad.”

“Let me go! Just let me go!” she began yelling again, beating the horses’ back from the way she was slung across it. Never one to miss an opportunity, he developed a plan to meet her proposed savior and torture her in front of him. Angelus hadn’t hurt a woman in days and the thought of slowly maiming the screaming girl beside him. Suddenly, a soft voice whispered through the breeze.

“Angelus, come find me…”

“Come find who? Who are you?” he asked no one in particular. Buffy heard nothing and a chill of terror flowed through her at the thought of his menacing demeanor on top of his insanity.

“The Queen… Come to me…” the deafening whisper continued.

“The Queen? The Queen of what?”

“Don’t be defiant!” the voice bellowed, causing the birds in the treetops to take flight in fear.

“Well… what do you look like? How do I find you?”

“Listen to my voice… the tree murmur and sang: I’m made of bones of the branches, the boughs, and the browbeating light
While my feet are the trunks and my head is the canopy, high
And my fingers extend to the leaves and the eaves and the bright…”

Entranced by the music of the voice, Angelus rode faster to follow it. He wasn’t sure how to find a specific tree in a forest, but he imagined that a being with powerful magicks would separate herself from the common crowd.

Buffy remained quiet, despite the sharp pains in her fingers and sides from her bindings. Questions flooded her mind: What did he want with her? Would he let her go? Where was William?

. . . . . . . .

He hadn’t moved an inch since his beloved took off. She promised to remain there until he got back; why the change of heart? Then it occurred to him: she realized that she could never have a proper life with him. William sighed at his blatant rejection. He couldn’t have made her happy anyway. She would soon marry some bloke with girls surrounding him.

A wave of possessiveness came over him and he stood up and kicked the nearest tree. How could he have been so stupid?

But there was that smell again: the unfamiliar scent that wafted through the trees all day. It smelled sickly sweet, like a field of rotting flowers. What if it was a person? What if he stole his Buffy away? That had to be what happened. She wouldn’t leave him willfully, would she?

He had to find her; William began to track down the monster.

. . . . . . . .

Where was the Queen? Angelus was searching for her for hours and Buffy’s cries and beatings of his horse had not diminished at all.

“Oh would you shut up, bitch?” he growled as he slapped her across the face. Tears sprang from her eyes once again as she attempted to move her hands to her cheek. Finally, he rode to a small clearing in the heart of the forest where two gleaming eyes shone. Angelus gasped at her unusual presence: her skin was like bark, crackling and dull, but sparkled in the suns rays. Her eyes were black and wide and her hair was a garland of black leaves reaching the small of her back. She was a shapely woman, but had branches for limbs, giving her a stalk-y look. The Queen peered at him as a human would an ant.

“Why hello, young Angelus. What brings you to my kingdom?”

“You did! You brought me here. What do you want from me?” he asked, already bored with the conversation and impatient to hurt the girl.

“Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, there was a queen, the most glorious Queen in all the land. Then, a baby came floating down the river in a cradle of clay and she saved him from inevitable destruction. He was always a well-behaved, good-natured child until one day, a small girl comes and he gives himself to her. He wants to run away with her, can you believe that?”

“What does this have to do with me?” he asked, annoyed. Drusilla was tempted to kill the man for his insolence, but thought against it for he was key to her plan.

“The girl you have held captive is the same girl who stole my William away. Tonight, he is able to do whatever he pleases, so I need you to take her to the far away fortress. There you can defile her all you want for as long as you want. I just need William to stay here throughout the night and he will never be able to disobey me again.”

“Did anyone tell you that your obsession is creepy?”

“This said from a man like you?” she huffed, but forcibly relaxed. “The river Annan is wild, too much so to cross on your own. I will fly you there and you will find the fortress. That way, William will not be able to reach you.” Angelus seemed to ponder this for a moment.

“And what’s in it for me?” Buffy whimpered, listening to their banter.

“Please,” she whispered, but no one listened to her plea.

“You get to have the girl undisturbed and under my protection. What more do you want?”

“Nothing, just wondering.”

“Now go! I will give you flight for when you reach the river.” She pulled an enormous pair of yellowed wings from thin air and clasped it together in her hands. It then turned into a singular feather. “Now dip this feather in the waters when you reach them and the wings will return.” The feather floated onto Angelus’ palm. “Do well my boy,” she said kindly as he rode off into the trees.

The leaves made little sense. William was known throughout the forest as a great tracker due to his keen human and animalistic senses, but he simply could not read the path. Sniffing around him, he smelled the distinct scent of fear wafting through the wind. Since the tracked path was in hiding, William decided to follow their scent.

But what if she wanted to leave with the other man? Then she wouldn’t be frightened, would she, he thought. The drive to find her grew tenfold when he heard a wisp of a desperate scream.

. . . . . . . .

Several minutes earlier

Buffy’s eyelids were too heavy to open. She could see flecks of red from the bits of light beyond, but that was all. As the world rushed back to her, so did the pain from the mighty whack Angelus gave her when she refused to be quiet. She attempted to move her hands and rub her eyes, but the ropes burned her fingers and wrists. She cried out.

“Oh darling, you’re awake!” he said in sarcastic glee. He lifted her eyelid harshly with his thumb. “Yes, there you are girl. I thought you’d never wake up and I’d never have my fun. Actually, I’d probably have fun anyway, but it wouldn’t be as fun, now would it?” he laughed as if it were a private joke. Buffy wondered how many women he had tortured, maimed, raped… she couldn’t bear the thought.

Eventually, she found the strength to open her eyes to the blurry site before her. Buffy thought she might be blind, but as her eyes cleared it became plain that it was an aftermath of the blow to her skull. Where was she?

The structure was possibly a castle once, but due to improper care or bad materials, the entire south wall was broken down and missing. Pieces seemed to swing from the vines growing up the stones. Three long iron bars bent as the building tipped toward the missing wall. She could not tell what was keeping it together, but the sight made little architectural sense to her. She was no expert, but the few blocks below held the larger portion above, despite its gradual collapse.

Buffy was tied to a jagged stone that bit her back if she moved too much. The ropes surrounded her refused to let up.

“Please, please don’t do this,” she begged quietly. Buffy hated being so weak, but her bindings were rough and painful; it seemed her only choice.

“Quiet,” he said quickly. He padded around the dirt floor, his hands clasped behind his back. He seemed to ponder something very seriously as he paced in front of her. Nervousness crept as she realized what he must have been thinking: how to keep her alive as long as possible before killing her. Finally, he turned to her with a murderous smile.

“William! My love, come save me! Please, I beg you!” she screamed as her life depended on it, and seeing the malicious look in the Rake’s eyes, it did.

“Oh lover, hush now,” his voice was saccharin sweet as he slowly stepped toward her. “No one can find you, no one can hear you. You are mine until the,” he paused for affect, “moment you die.”

“Can you hear me?! Please, help! William!!!” she cried as he came closer. Her screams echoed in the night.

. . . . . . . .

William!! a small voice prayed.

The man in question lifted his head and bolted toward the source of the sound. The branches whipped past his face and left welts as he ran faster and faster through the trees. What if he didn’t make it in time?

He couldn’t think that way. No, he would rescue her before it was too late. He had to. In his rushing, he almost ran directly into the River Annan.

The river gurgled angrily, as if abruptly woken from a deep slumber. Shocked, William jumped back a few feet and forgot his mission momentarily. That is, until her cries for help reached his sensitive ears again. William stared at the water in consternation. His mother always told him that the River Annan was not crossable.

How did the stranger get to the other side?

William ran down the banks in search of an opening or a log: anything would do. But nothing appeared except for the thrashing waves, reaching for the shore with hundreds of grasping hands. He did not seem to have a choice: he had to bargain.

“Hello? Annan?” he called out. Nothing changed for a few minutes. He called again to no avail. The third time he called, he demanded the water to show it’s true face. Suddenly, a whirlpool began in the center. It was a miniscule thing at first, but it grew and grew until a great gurgling came from below.

“Who is it that dares to speak to me?” it bellowed, spraying the young prince.

“I am William, son of the Queen and I demand you to calm your water so I may cross.”

“Why so glum on that side, William? What could possibly be better over there?”

“My love, she… she has been captured,” Williams eyes began to tear, but he wiped them away. There was no room for weakness.

“Oh yes, the Queen flew them o’er there a while ago. I could let you through, I could do that... but why should I?”

“Why should you? You should because I command you to!” he yelled, his impatience growing exponentially. The river splashed about.

“Well,” it burbled something resembling a sigh, “it is your love to lose.” As the whirlpool began to dissipate, William cried out again.

“No! I-I-I’ll make a deal with you.” The whirlpool started up again.

“A deal… how intriguing,” it spoke like a snake gargling with salt water. “But what have you to give me but the rags on your body?”

“I only have myself to give…”

“Done!” It cried out.

“What?”

“I will have your precious bones upon your return. For that, I shall let you wade across.” A moment later, the waves smoothed and glittered in the moonlight.

He had to work fast. Jumping into the calmed waters, he refused to consider the repercussions of their deal. Only one thing mattered anymore and that was Buffy. He would save her, even if it meant sacrificing himself. The sun was coming; William could smell it. He hoped she was still alive.

. . . . . . . .

“Well, it seems about time, does it not my sweet?” he whispered hotly in her ear. Buffy repressed the urge to spit on him, but feared he would do worse to her than he already planned.

“No, no.” she repeated, praying William would save her any minute. Angelus roughly grabbed her breast and kissed her furiously. Buffy squeezed her eyes tight; she knew what was coming and had no ability to stop it. Ripping her dress to shreds beneath the roped, he bit her flesh until it bled. She continued to beg and plead, but her cries were lost on the lusting man. Pulling his pants down swiftly, he rubbed himself in front of her. Knowing time was running out, Buffy cried out louder.

He positioned himself at her entrance and bit at her neck. It’s all over, she thought. Just when all hope was lost, a figure stood clumsily in the doorway. Her prayers had been answered! It was William come to save her! He had… she then noticed the figure’s rather short stature and long hair.

“Hello father.”

”Hello father."

The words echoed through the space. As the figure stepped into the moonlight, she realized it was a little girl in the archway. She had a glossy, almost transparent form with the exception of two menacing, black eyes. She did not, however, notice the violently shaking man slowly backing away from her.

“Not happy to see me?” she whined. Buffy couldn’t breath; between the shock of the Rake trying to rape her and the ghastly figure, she was about ready to faint.

“H-how did y-you… W-what…” he stumbled.

“W-w-w-well father,” she mocked, “I’m here to watch you die.” The little girl smiled with a set of crimson lips and blue-ish teeth. “Did you know I was once happy? Frightened and shy perhaps, but happy nonetheless. Then one day to my despair, my mother died. My father was a bad man and did not treat his children well,” she practically growled. Buffy looked back and forth between the two.

“But I killed you!” he shrieked as he backed away.

“Well… let me assure you, your little Winifred is back again.” The girl came closer to him, her voice rising in volume with each word. “You should have stopped where you started, Angelus. They’re all coming now and every cry you hear, every crack of every bone shall be your own from now on. And rest assured, it is all your fault.”

“No!” he yelled.

“Yes!” spoke a smaller girl. She suddenly appeared and padded to her sister. “Remember when you drowned me father? That was not your best work, was it?” she stated more than questioned. “No, you did far worse to the rest of them. Are you sorry now?”

“Yes, yes I’m sorry,” he pleaded.

“Sometimes sorry isn’t enough,” spoke a new voice. “Isn’t that what you told me before fighting me? Breaking my bones for the fun of it?” the little boy spat out the word ‘fun’. “Tsk tsk father, you have been a naughty boy indeed.”

“Leave me alone! Demons!” he shouted, quickly losing hope of his rescue. Buffy knew nothing of Angelus’ past, but she was certainly frightened of the three ghost children floating and staring furiously at the cowering man.

“Don’t you remember? How could you forget setting my hair and clothes on fire? Your only son.” Unlike the two terrifying girls, he appeared hurt. They were all quite young and Buffy’s maternal instinct took over.

“How would you like to feel our wrath this time, hmm?” Winifred stated.

“Yes! Our wrath!” Dawn repeated.

“Yes! Our… never mind,” Xander finished.

“My children, please,” Angelus tried to reason with them, “You don’t want to do this, not to your poor father. I couldn’t take care of you all and you would not have wanted to grow up with someone like me. You should be grateful I dispatched you before you had the chance to-“

“That’s right!” Winifred interrupted. “You never gave us a chance, which is why we are here now.” The children floated closer, eyes turning red. Buffy struggled against her bindings in fear that they would consider her an accomplice. She shut her eyes as the Rake screamed pitifully; she could only imagine the horrors they were inflicting upon him.

Suddenly, something tickled her wrist. At first Buffy ignored it, but it happened again. Craning her neck around she saw a small fairy-like creature cutting her ropes with a tiny, red axe. Slashing through, the fairy took no notice of the wide-eyed captive. When she was just about done, the pixie noticed her.

“’lo Miss,” she whispered. Buffy’s jaw dropped but she said nothing. “I’m not ‘ere to hurt anyone, least o’ all you.” With what she probably considered a comforting smile, she continued her work.

“How… What are you?” Buffy asked softly.

“I’m a pixie, I am. The powers above orchestrated all this and I’m ‘ere to help you.”

“Why?”

“Everyone wants to know why. Means to an end, Miss.” Before she could ask what the end would entail, the pixie broke through the last bit of rope. When she turned back to the Rake, the children had disappeared and he was talking to himself. The pixie handed Buffy the axe no bigger than her thumb.

As she looked upon the mad man, her rage grew. He could have killed her, tortured her or worse, hurt her unborn child. The axe glowed in white light and grew to a proper size, powered by her hatred. Buffy ran towards the crazed man.

In one clean swipe, she cut him in half. She hated the man and even more, she hated being weak. To make sure, she stabbed him once through the heart. He could never hurt anyone ever again. As the axe clattered to the floor, an out of breath and soaking wet William ran into the room.

“Buffy? Buffy!” he ran to the sobbing, blood splattered woman before she collapsed. William cradled her and rubbed soothing circles on her back.

“I love you,” she wept as she kissed him. “I love you, I love you,” she continued as she sought his lips.

“I know, I know, shh, my darling. I love you more than I have ever loved or ever will,” he said, tears threatening to spill form his own eyes. He could not bear to see her crying; his heart broke for her. What if the Rake had tortured her? Raped her? Why had he taken so long to reach the love of his life? Even if he had the opportunity, there was no chance he could reach her any faster. They embraced as if their lives depended on it, both feeling terrible for their actions.

As her sobs subsided into hiccups, William brushed the tears off her lovely face. Gazing into his azure eyes, she knew it was time.

“William… I’m pregnant.” Her vulnerability practically radiated off her in waves. At first William was silent with a blank expression. After a moment, a large smile graced his face. He picked her up suddenly and swung her around. He peppered kisses on her face and laughed ecstatically. Just as suddenly as he began, he stopped with a grave face. “What?” she asked timidly, wondering where the happy William went.

“I can’t be swinging you around; it could be bad for the baby,” he said as he knelt below her. He gazed up at her, more lovely than ever, and kissed her belly. He stood up and grasped her hand in his. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

The pair walked like that, hand in hand, until they reached the serene water. Buffy bent down to wash her face; the moment her fingertip brushed the water, the violent waves crashed over her. When the waves subsided, she was gone. William looked frantically for her until he saw a head pop over the surface.

“William!” she spluttered as the waves pushed her down again.

"William!” she spluttered as the waves pushed her down again.

. . . . . . . .

Earlier
The Queen heard the Rake’s defeatist cry. She tried to see him with the forests’ many eyes, but he was invisible on the other side of Annan. Drusilla looked for her son, but he and the girl were mysteriously missing. What if the Rake had turned on her son? What if the girl and the Rake had teamed up to bring about his downfall?

The Queen was furious that she had been toyed with. And her son? He was without protection, just the same as when he was an infant. She rushed to the river in an effort to save him from the scourge of the outside world.

. . . . . . . .

Without a second thought, William launched himself into the river. He had to save Buffy and the child!

Swimming with his eyes open, he searched for her. Despite the sting that it caused and the waves crashing above, pushing him farther away from her, he was too driven to give up. As he swam, William thought he heard a small scream. Praying it wasn’t Buffy he swam faster.

And then, there she was; floating with her eyes closed, a wash of red water beside her head.

. . . . . . . .

As the Queen reached the strange calm of the waters, she saw her William running on the opposite shore. She wondered how he did it with no magic of his own.

“William!” she bellowed, but he was too far away. She had to reach him before he made the worst mistake of all. Drusilla, believing the river had changed its violent ways, dipped her roots in. Abruptly, a might whirlpool began in the middle of the banks in an attempt to suck her in. After all, the river was promised the Prince’s bones and had no eyes to seek the difference.

The Queen was much too powerful to give in to the demands of the river. She could simply fly across if it would not cooperate. However, as she turned back toward her shore a spray of gold dust blew in her eyes.

. . . . . . . .

“No!!” he screamed beneath the water as he paddled toward her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and kicked them towards the surface. After taking a large breath, he shook Buffy’s unconscious body. “Buffy?” he cried before the river smashed over them.

Sputtering out, William used the last of his energy to swim her to the shore. The water had different plan, however. As if the current grabbed his legs, he was pulled backward by the infamous waterway.

He growled and swam faster, not letting go of his love for a moment. When his bones felt like they could break any minute, his hand grasped the sands and stones of the shoreline.

William laid Buffy across the sand, not knowing how to help her. It seemed she hit her head on a rock. Tears streamed down his cheeks, mixing with the droplets of water on his skin.

“Wake up!” he cried, collapsing beside her.

. . . . . . . .

“What is this?! I demand to know!” she shrieked. In her blindness she could not recognize the land as the vacuous river brought her closer to its center. Her screams were lost against the rough current that eventually toppled over her head. Her roots sunk into the water’s floor beyond her consent.

She normally didn’t need to breath for her magic was powerful indeed. This had proved helpful in the past, but was became an annoyance. No matter how hard she pulled, her roots would not budge from the sands below. Her cries of “Help!” were lost amongst the waves.

Her power had depleted immensely after leaving her shore. Besides her ability to breath, she could no longer see through the eyes of the forest, could not control her son and take him from the wretched girl who stole him away. She was helpless.

She searched for some savior, but only saw the sun glimmering above the surface. The Queen sighed a series of bubbles; she always knew William couldn’t survive without her. The last of her magic disappeared when the water washed it away.

. . . . . . . .

Buffy hadn’t moved or breathed. William refused to give up, but he did not know how to help. All hope was lost. As his heart broke, he kissed her softly.

“Please wake up my love. Please…” he whispered in the crook of her neck.

“Want me to give it a try?” a loud, cockney accent interrupted his wallowing.

“What?”

“I said, do ya want me to give it a try?” spoke the pixie.

“Don’t I know you?” William asked.

“Yeah, Edith the pixie at your service, but does it matter when your lover dies?” William nodded and moved aside. He didn’t know who to pray to, but he prayed nonetheless. The pixie lifted a small bag and turned it inside out. A flurry of gold dust fell lightly on the wound and healed it. William saw magic previously, but none compared to the beauty of this particular spell.

Buffy coughed and spluttered water as she rolled to her side. William was so in awe that he could not say a word. His happiness was far too great to express with speech. He patted her back in what he hoped was a helpful maneuver. Finally, she opened her glorious green eyes and looked at him. A weak smile bloomed across her face as they embraced.

“Oh William, I thought I was done for,” she said huskily.

“Buffy, I thought you were done for, I thought…” he couldn’t finish his statement as got choked up.

“But William…”

“What my love?” he asked as he cradled her closer.

“The sun!” she breathed. William turned around and indeed the sun was close to rising over the hills.

“All in the master plan,” the pixie made her presence known again. “You don’ have to be a fawn anymore.” He paused for a moment and though it over.

“What can I do to repay you?” he asked softly, inwardly refusing to make another deal. But the deal! Why did the river set him free?

“Nothing to repay. Let me explain this… The Queen was angry with you, William. She ran right into the river and got sucked down. The river thought it was you! Now she’s down there and you’re up ‘ere.”

“She’s down there?” he asked.

“Well, what’s left o’ her I expect.” William didn’t know how to feel. His mother died in his place, but she never let him live his own life. A multitude of emotions shook through him, yet he only shed a single tear. And then, it occurred to him….

“Her magic is done then? So I can be a man in the sunlight?!”

“Well, you are now, ain’t ya?” she said with a giggle. He yelled happily and once again hugged Buffy, who was equally ecstatic.

“I’m glad your happy ‘bout it, but it’s not you we are interested in. We are interested in the baby.” That quieted the couple quickly.

“What do you mean?” William eyed her suspiciously.

“Well, the Queen is gone and the above, the powers, they want a new one. They predict tha the baby will be the new one. One day, anyway.”

“Really?” Buffy spoke up.

“Yeah! It’s so exciting, isn’t it? I disliked the last Queen… although she was great fun to play with.” The couple chuckled awkwardly, not understanding the joke.

“D-does this mean you have to… t-take her away?”

“Nah, she’ll just grow up to Queen. She’s got the magic still inside her cause the magic was in William at the time he planted her.” She smiled happily.

“So that’s why you saved me in the castle?” Buffy asked.

“Course! Can’t have the Queen tortured and killed, now can we? Well, I must go. Good morning!” the pixie disappeared with a pop of smoke. The couple stared blankly at the leftover smoke, then turned to one another. They kissed passionately once more.

William lifted her to a standing position and let her lean on his shoulder.

“There will be no more hazards of love for us, my darling.” He promised before kissing her forehead, And as they walked down the beach, hand in hand, they watched the sunrise together for the first time.

THE END