Sparring went really well. They were careful not to get too turned on so it was productive. Each had to be careful with both of their injuries being so raw still.
Buffy felt really good after a brisk workout and Spike picked up a move or two from Buffy and felt pretty confident. He was honestly on a roll during their sparring and he hoped this roll would continue until the day of the wedding.
Spike sighed thinking of that day. He was nervous he had to admit. He was really worried he couldn’t pull it off. Now if Buffy and him could fight together, he’d be confident, and sure of himself but since he was doing it alone, he was the big Bad Vampire but this was for the life of the half pint, not just for some kittens.
Spike's attention was drawn back to Buffy as Buffy dismounted off a training horse and landed beautifully. See with her by his side, they were really unstoppable. They were the perfect tag team but this was all on his shoulders. He didn’t want to let the bit or the slayer down again. He had already done so once and didn’t plan to do so again.
Spike was determined to make this work and determined to win flying colors so he could get help and get them back to their dimension. He was thankful that the beast that he and Buffy had killed had been equaled in exchange for her visiting Dawn. At first they had made the agreement and he agreed to stay behind but they threw out that agreement when they saw he had given him such a large hunk of meat. In fact, the King was greatly impressed with the size of the beast and they he and Buffy alone had killed it. Usually 10 men take down one beast.
Spike flexed his hands removing them from a punching bag and turned to see Buffy sitting in the center of the floor with her legs crossed and hands folded. Her eyes were closed and she was in a trance it appeared. He didn’t want to disturb her but knew their time was up soon.
Quietly, Spike went over to her and put a hand on her shoulder and she jumped but smiled up at him, “Hey.” He smiled back, “Hey. Someday you can teach me that but for now we have to give this room back.” Buffy nodded and stood up heading towards the exit with Spike following her. Both of them knew they needed time to get ready for their dinner and the play tonight.
Every male at dinner was buzzing about the soon to be fighting match with the guards. Two new females had been entered in the contest and given up by families. Apparently this was a typical honor and females were given to the King for his use if they were not married by the age of 15 or 16.
Spike thought the logic was bollocks but decided not to say anything seeing how he was really hoping to stay on the King’s good side. He was really thankful that Buffy couldn’t hear what they were saying.
The King then turned to Spike saying, “I hope you and your mate are healing up nicely after your hunting adventure.” Spike smiled and nodded, “Yes we are. In fact we can hardly even tell it happened. We were just trying to get in a little mating on the beach when we were attacked.”
The King chuckled, “You should learn not to participate in such activities outside of the fortress walls for it is not safe.” Spike nodded, “Well noted.”
The King continued, “Tomorrow I’d like to spend some time with you alone. The guards train and I’d like you to participate. I think it would do you well to see how we fight and perhaps learn some techniques. The ladies can entertain your mate if you so choose. She can learn all about how the fortress works and what a lady’s place really is.”
Spike nodded again, “That’s fine.” He would talk to the slayer about it after the play so she didn’t make a fuss in front of them. He didn’t think she’d have a problem with it but he wanted to do it in the privacy of their room just in case.
The play was wonderful. Buffy was memorized by the play as it was powerful even without fully understanding the words. It was about a young maiden who had gotten lost in the woods. She had befriended another sort of creature who took her in and took care of her. It reminded her of a mixture of Jungle Book and Snow White without the death scene.
The creature that took her in allowed her freedom of the forest. She went out and would sing happily collecting food from the trees and flowers from the ground until one day she ran across a hunter. From what Buffy was able to gather, she did not allow him to kill her friends and he fell in love with her. She was not totally sure of the ending but it looked like the girl had gotten shot from another hunter’s gun and died. There was no happy ending for this play.
Buffy was in tears when the play ended. It was so sad. Spike wiped her tears away and smiled at her. He had also found the play sad and had shed a few tears himself but had already wiped them away as quickly as they had fallen.
Spike was asked to stay after the play to talk to the King about plans for the next day. Buffy nervously was led to her room and was lost without Spike by her side. For the last three days. Spike had been there nonstop and before that, eight days. She realized how much she was used to him being around.
She carefully managed to pull the beautiful white dress over her head and laid it across the chair in the room before smiling at the new nightgown she had gotten for the night. It was white with tan leather strips sewing it together. It was still button up so she would still have to ask Spike when he got back to button it up but for now, she would just have to due with being unbuttoned.
Alone Buffy went over to the window sill and looked out at the darkness. There were no stars in this sky unlike at home. but there were three moons. She giggled at the fact they actually had three moons. She wondered how time worked here. Would she return back home to find herself missing a full three weeks of her life?
She didn’t really care as she had none of the responsibilities of home life here but it would have been nice if no time had passed. Explaining three weeks of Dawn’s absence from school would be tough. Not impossible mind you, just really tough.
When a yawn passed her lips, Buffy realized how tired she really was after that workout earlier. She wished she could visit Dawn before bed but knew better. There was only a week left and she knew based upon what Spike had said right before dinner, they would be giving her beauty treatments soon and having her mingle with the other young maidens chosen and visiting her would be tough. She sighed as she realized she missed home a tad. She missed her friends and missed Dawn annoying her.
She most of all though didn’t want to go home. She wanted to stay in this carefree place. If Dawn could be with them in the fortress being taken care of instead of possibly raped by the King in a few days, then she would happily stay even if it meant being a fountain of blood for Spike for forever. She’d learn the language. God knows, Dawn could learn the language, she was like a little sponge picking up any and every language she came in contact with.
Buffy sighed brushing the hair out of her face as she looked out the window again tucking her legs under her as she longed for a star to make a wish. She could remember as a child her mother telling her to make wishes on stars and they might come true. She couldn’t decide what her wish would be exactly but she knew Dawn being safe and with her would be one part of it, and another part would be that her friends would understand her relationship with Spike and not be so against it.
Another wish would be that her and Spike would settle into a nice and healthy relationship. Again she sighed as she realized Spike hadn’t returned yet. She was really tired but missed him.
She wandered into the bathroom and drew herself a bath. She removed her nightgown and dipped herself into the bathtub to try to ease some of her sore muscles from the workout. Next thing she knew, she was asleep.
Spike wandered into the room, his heart full and heavy of learning the requirements of the fighting and knowing what the next day would bring and saw Buffy sleeping in the tub. He walked over to her and lifted her from the tub allowing the water to drain as he carefully dried her off. He slid the nightgown over her head and buttoned it up. He then removed his clothes and slid in the bed pulling her with him.
He kissed her as she murmured, “Don’t leave me Spike, I love you…” He whispered, “What luv?” She didn’t answer for she was still asleep. He gave her another kiss on the forehead hoping he was making the right choice in participating in the training tomorrow and closed his eyes to fall asleep.