Chapter 7 – Night, River and the Rain
Emotionless this city lies
Cruel it is, it clouds my eyes
The dull, the dark
Shades on my day
I live inside this play
Locked up inside my metal cage
Always tense and filled with rage
Above the concrete fields below
With you I wanna go, wanna go… - Blanket by Imogen Heap
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Her skin was gleaming under the pale sheen of moonlight.
His eyes hungrily followed the line of her spine, from the golden mane decorating her scalp where her fingers lay entwined with the soft curls, pulling them up to prevent them get wet, and all the way down to the waist, where the black river had reached to and obscured the view of his further perusal, much to his disappointment.
Murky water was black as a writing ink, but still reflected soft light of the moon, making it seem like white pearls were dancing on the black velvet; as a result, little gleaming flecks of light were playing on her skin as the river lazily flowed on, causing petite golden nymph to glitter in a spectacle of a sparkling bursts of light.
A few curls escaped from her hold and they tumbled down all the way to her waist where they touched shady river. He yearned to be closer, to touch the silky strands as they connected with the velvety water, but he hadn’t dared to make a sound.
He was a patient man, after all…
To his pleasure and amusement, it was that moment that it decided to rain. Pattering down to the ground softly at first then slowly building to the heavy rainfall. He heard her surprised cry and then muttered words of annoyance that soon followed. She turned to the side, unknowingly pleasing the man hiding in the bushes watching her and appreciating her bosom with a wicked gleam in his eyes.
Her pale globes were small but beautiful by his opinion, with pink nipples puckered due to the cold, making them a shade darker. He imagined if he were closer, he’d see the goose bumps spread all over her skin.
She let go of her hair, losing the war with the water and shrugging, she turned further toward him and he could clearly see the amusement coloring her pretty features. It was too dark to see the color of her eyes, but he was not concerned about that. He needn’t see the details. It was her perfectly unmarred skin that attracted his gaze.
She slowly submerged into the river, head leaning back as to wet her hair as well. He was enjoying the view of the outstretched column of her long neck when she dipped her hair, his fingers itching to touch… to hold… to squeeze.
She came back up, blinking a few times to dispel droplets of water from her eyes and eyelashes.
Angelus slowly backed away as soon as she decided to come out of the stream, painfully hard in his breeches by the time she did. He could not stop himself from waiting a bit longer then, just to see her whole form. It was dripping water in tiny rivulets, almost never stopping, fueled by the raindrops. His eyes paused at the apex of her thighs and groaned silently, with a grin on his face nonetheless, as he saw short golden curls adorning her mound.
A twig snapped under his retreating feet and he froze, not really concerned if she spotted him. But in truth, he wanted this to last longer, the chase to be thus sweeter…
She glanced up, her dress now tightly pressed to her front, as she peered into the darkness surrounding her.
The moon was half hidden by the raining clouds, not allowing her to see much further than the first bushes connected with the forest.
She waited in silent tension, her breath caught in her throat and it was when he saw that she breathed out slowly and relaxed, then he backed away further.
He’d follow her tonight, to see where she lives. It was a mere coincidence that he stumbled upon the vision of her a few minutes previously, as she unclothed herself, baring her skin to the tiny twinkling stars and the moon. He wanted her, not for himself, although he was not affronted by the thought, but he’d gift her to his love, thus showing his eternal devotion to her.
She’d appreciate his gift of affection and allow him to touch her body once more…
What a perfect and beautiful gift the girl was to be…
Angelus was whispering softly into the ear of his mistress, a story she heard so many times before, but never grew tired of it. Only, tonight there were other ideas in her mind and she pressed her bony finger to his lips, silencing him immediately.
‘’We are going to be late, my sweet. You shall continue this story later tonight, as I lay down to my bed and you come silently into my chambers…’’ she pouted prettily and fluttered her eyelashes at him.
Angelus opened his mouth and sucked her finger suggestively, his eyes were locked with hers, shining gleefully. ‘’As my Princess wishes… I cannot wait to see you dance again…’’
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Even as she had a heavy feeling deep in her chest, she lay down to her empty bed and closed her eyes. The sound of raindrops was lulling her into light sleep, not quite managing to make her feel at ease. The last thought she had, before she gave in to the pull of her dreams that night was, that she was so very sure someone was watching her as she bathed under curtain of rain and night…
It was raining no more in the next day and Buffy was happy to see the blue sky and the sun greeting her as she pushed open the doors to her cottage. All of the bad feelings that she had last night were completely gone as soon as she breathed in the rain-scented air. She let out breath slowly.
Her mother always loved this, the sweetness of the fresh air in mornings after the heavy rain. Joyce Summers would greet the day like this with a smile and call out to her daughter, who was still snuggled warmly in their shared bed…
Buffy felt tears spring to her eyes at the memories. It was but a few months after the burial and she was sure she’d never get used to her little cottage being so silent and empty.
The young blonde quickly wiped at her eyes and set up to do her morning routines. She opened wooden shutters to allow the fresh air to perfume whole hut then picked up roughly made broom to sweep across the hard earthed floor, already thinking of where she’d get some hay to cover it up for warmth. She had no livestock; the last chicken had been cooked months ago, which meant she could not share the hut with animals that would add to much needed warmth. Winter was fast approaching and the odds were not in her favor.
Buffy reached the decision by the time she finished sweeping. However, she was not delighted by the task that awaited her. She’d have to go to the closest neighbor to plead for a few handfuls of hay and be thankful for whatever the food they’d give her. If she’d be given any at all.
She had doubts that she’d survive this year and they grew stronger with each day.
It was never as bad as it was now. When her mother was still alive, things like food and warmth came to exist effortlessly as it would seem to her now. Joyce hadn’t even wanted for her daughter to be working at fields or mansions as a maid. And yet, the food was there…
How her mother did it Buffy did not know. The only thing that was clear to her, however, was the fact that it had much to do with the neighboring farm. To be specific, with its owner, Robert Flutie. He was a wealthy man in her young eyes, though he was probably anything but. None of the people she knew would be described as wealthy.
Only days before her mother had died, the elder Summers told Buffy to always go to that man, Robert Flutie, whenever she needed anything and he’d provide it.
Buffy was not foolish. She was confused as to what arrangements were made between her Mother and the already married man, and she even blushed at some of the thoughts in her mind, but she only nodded – just to make Mother feel at peace. They both knew the older woman was dying and Buffy would promise her anything in that time. And keep her word afterwards, no matter the oddness of it all.
And so she did, when her mother one day closed her wearied eyes and opened them no more, Buffy, stricken with grief, knew she could not make it alone. She decided she’d go to Flutie’s farm as soon as she’d run out of anything important.
But her mother’s plan had a fault. Buffy did not blame her, for how was Joyce to know that mister Flutie would be found dead in the forest not a week after her mother had been gone?
Buffy sighed. A misfortune indeed. All she hoped at that time was that Flutie widow would honor whatever arrangements were made by Joyce and the widow’s belated husband.
She was not really shocked by what happened, when she finally ran out of food last week and gathered all the courage she could muster to go to the neighboring farm.
For when she came knocking at the door of the larger house, which was made of stone, the doors were opened and revealed an angry face of his widow, Jane Flutie. She quickly made Buffy sure that she’d not help her in her needs and that she was painfully aware of the on goings of her mother and her belated husband’s arrangements which she heartily disapproved of.
The young blonde woman headed back home with her head bowed and her cheeks tinged in deep red, hateful words of the angry woman that shut the door into her embarrassed face, were still echoing in her head. ‘What on earth was her mother thinking?’...
Buffy was turned down that day and that is why she knew she’d not get anything from that woman. But she had to try one more time. Her body could hold out without something to eat no longer and… if she was not to get help she’d surely…
The sound of hooves pounding upon the dirt was heard suddenly and they were approaching fast by the sound of it. Buffy walked out of the hut, broomstick still in her hands, curious as to who in the name of God would bother to come this way. Who, owning a horse, even? It was a one way road, not really even a road, mind you; its only destination was this hut. And, it was a remote place.
She waited outside to greet the stranger and appoint them in the right direction, should they ask. For this surely could not be where they were headed for. She had not a thing in this world to offer.
She saw him right away, a lone rider, cloaked in black, hood hiding his face even when the wind tried to blow it off in his haste. She knew it was a man; no woman would have ridden the horse this way…
She took a step back, warily eyeing the stranger as he slowed down his gray horse right beside her, its hooves digging restlessly into the soil as if to point out itself they were not in the right way.
She took one more step back. Clutched the broom in her hand tighter.
Buffy’s eyebrows rose when she spotted riding boots… the only thing that showed her that this…man, was not in the least poor. What would he want? No upperclassmen were ever here in these parts before… The man looked so… but then again, perhaps all of the lords wore cloaks such as this?
When she stayed quiet in confusion, it was him, who finally spoke.
‘’Good morning there, young maiden.’’
His voice was deep, scratchy and unrecognizable. Buffy shuddered involuntarily in sudden chill. The feeling from last night started tingling at the back of her neck and she tried to fight off the urge to scratch at it in the front of this person.
And he must’ve noticed her unease, for he spoke out hastily, though still in that almost inhuman-sounding voice. He never took off the hood from his face, almost as if hiding it…
‘’Oh, do not be frightened, my little dove. I mean you no harm, not at all. As a matter of fact, I am pleased that I had the fortune to meet you, for I need assistance, if you’d be so kind to provide it.’’ He coughed, as if in embarrassment, and continued. ‘’I’m afraid I… got quite lost. I’m a stranger in these parts, you see.’’
Yes, that much she guessed herself already. She nodded and opened her mouth to answer, but it had gone dry, so she closed it. She was nervous… after that incident few years ago she hadn’t spoken to any man ever again. Or…any human, since her mother died.
The angry widow would not count, since she hadn’t even uttered any word in her presence. Only listened to insults and then were dismissed.
Her inner ramblings must’ve amused the cloaked man.
‘’Oh, but you are a pretty thing, aren’t you, little dove…’’ he let out a short raspy laughter.
She could not help herself but smile and bow her head, but still deciding to ignore his flattering. Never did her any good before, huh?
‘’F-from where…’’ she lifted her gaze toward him and tried again. ‘’Where do you travel to, stranger? If it is to town called Sunnydale, I am afraid you must’ve took the wrong turn, sir, for this road we’re standing on right now, ends here.’’ She pointed out the trees clustered around her small hut. ‘’Sunnydale is right behind those trees, you only have to follow the road you came from and at the first crossroad turn left, it should take you right to the-‘’
‘’Oh, but I am not traveling to Sunnydale, my little dove. I travel to the… somewhere else. Even so, I just might turn my horse to the direction you’ve showed me. Been travelling for days now with but a short stop once and a good rest at the Inn would do me good.’’
‘The inn?’ Buffy could not help herself but to glance quickly back at the boots. A man that could afford these should have visit the castle of Sunnydale, a mansion of Lord Rayne… her thoughts were cut short suddenly as his scratchy voice held the solution to her current problem.
‘’You could work for her, you know? The Lady of the mansion I come from just now.’’
Buffy’s mind never questioned the strange man’s words. Never questioned the fact he could afford staying at one mansion, but would not seek hospitality of another… the only thing that she heard was Work, which would lead to Food and finally, her Survival….
Buffy told young lord Andrew everything that had happened since that day and the boy listened to it quietly. She could not believe the things he told her only minutes before, and she had to make him see that she was innocent in all the things she was accused off. Everything that the young blonde boy told her, sounded so impossible and… and… impossible.
She could not even find another word for it all.
He seemed very deep in thought as she spoke, then paled at some of the parts in the story and even became queasy when she finished. Somewhere in the middle of her ghastly experience he started to chew on his nails.
She was stunned when he told her then, as soon as she finished, that he believed her. That he knew it even before he came to her. And so she cried again, clinging to the bars that separated them, letting out all of the emotions that she was afraid to unleash before.
‘’S-so, you r-really believe me, that I haven’t k-killed anybody?’’ the thought alone, the possibility alone, that someone could accuse her of something so horrid, made her sick. She hiccupped and sobbed, the words were hard to utter in between. ‘’R-really, realy?’’
‘’I do,’’ said the boy in all his seriousness. He even gave her a firm nod, his ponytail swished sideways at the fierce gesture.
‘’N-nobody else does, it would seem. T-they locked me down here a-a-and they…he…’’ she gulped. ‘’He’s a demon, I’m sure…’’
’’Oh… my brother, you mean? Naah… he is not a demon.’’ Andrew waved off her description with a hand and rolled his eyes. ‘’You should get to know him better.’’
Buffy snorted humorlessly at the strange image in her head that that sentence brought to her. This boy must be so very young. She wanted to change the subject quickly. The man of whom she spoke was Andrew’s brother after all. And he seemed to adore his older brother very much. She hadn’t wanted to make the only person that spoke kindly to her in weeks to be chased away or hate her as well.
Buffy noticed he fingered a small figurine in his hand, spinning it around nervously. For a moment distracted, she asked. ‘’What is this? That… thing, which you hold?’’
He cocked his head in confusion, then looked down to his own hand and smiled. He lifted the small wooden thing high with his thumb and middle finger, so she could see it well and then explained. ‘’It is a chess piece. I like this one, it is called the Queen. It is my favorite and I prefer it over the King, because she could move around more…’’ he stopped talking, seeing her confused face. ‘’Oh, you do not know how to play this game, do you?’’
‘’No.’’ she sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand, then with its heel wiped at her eyes. She chuckled mirthlessly as she saw his crestfallen face. ’’I do not…’’
For the next hour or so, the world she knew blissfully slipped away, if only for a few moments, as the young blonde lord described the chess game to her, the game she soon realized, that meant the world to him.
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Spike signaled the guards to let him in and rode his steed to the stables as fast as he could. He dismounted and handed reins to Alexander, who caught them, already waiting there to take the black mount from him.
‘’Take a good care of ‘im ‘Xander.’’
‘’Sure will, my liege,’’ dark-haired young boy quickly assured him and patted the long silken neck of the black horse, murmuring at it soothingly, as the horse-whisperer that he was.
Spike strode to the gates, his footsteps soon echoing in the corridor on his way down to the dungeons. He felt unease at the pit of his stomach. He should do things differently. He should have…
His mind went blank at the foot of the stairs. He was not prepared at the sight that awaited him there, so he stood, frozen in place.
Anger once again started boiling in his veins, only this time, it was not appointed toward his beautiful captive...
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‘’Why, I snuck down here.’’
Buffy thought it was so, but she was so surprised at his presence at first, that she hadn’t asked him right away. She hadn’t realized how fast the time had flown. So it was now that she asked the young blonde how he came to be here.
And was not pleased by the shrugging manner that he took in answering her.
‘’If you were forbidden to come here, then why did you disobey?’’ Buffy was suddenly trembling again. For this boy! This young man’s brother was to be back any time and he only shrugged once more?
She already felt strangely protective over Andrew. She liked him and Buffy did not believe that Lord Rayne would be happy of his disobedience. She hastily added, ‘’Go, now! While … h-he… is not here! Please! Go, and do not come back!’’
Tears were flowing again and she quickly dried them away with the back of her hand, salty water smearing dried dirt there.
‘’Oh, do not worry about my well being, miss. I only came here to play a game with you.’’ The look he gave her then was disappointed and a bit confused. ‘’Warren told me that my brother comes here to play games with people he locks up, so I thought…’’
‘’What in the bleeding hell do you think you are doing ‘ere, Andrew??!’’
Both blondes jumped at that and Buffy hurriedly backed away from the cell doors and sank down to the hay at the wall opposite it, staring wide eyed at the man standing at the foot of the stairs.
He came back…
Although he was shouting so that his voice was thunderously echoing all around them, she noticed, in the firelight of the torches on the wall, how his eyes had immediately softened by the look upon his brother, much to her disbelief.
‘’I thought I made myself perfectly clear that you are not to be here!’’ he swiped with his arm around the place, to emphasize where he forbade his brother to go. ‘’Ever! What were you thinking, going into dungeons like that?! All alone and with no guards to escort you! Or going into the dungeons at all! Sod the guards, YOU ARE NOT TO BE DOWN HERE!’’
Andrew bowed his head down, seemingly contrite, but Buffy could clearly see his smug and smiling face. Maybe he was looking down for that reason alone, to hide his expression. She was shocked to see that he was not afraid of the man yelling in front of him as much as she was… her heart clenched at his every bellowed word!
‘’Go to your chambers, Andrew. I will come to you shortly and we shall talk.’’ He let out the annoyed sigh when his little brother hadn’t moved right away. ‘’Now!’’
Andrew nodded meekly and just before he trotted up the stairs he turned his head slightly towards her and… winked.
Why would he…? He did not… what…??
Her confused thoughts were cut short by the sound of her cell door being opened with a well known squeak of the iron, as Lord William Rayne walked in, her own personal tormentor of the past few days. She couldn’t help but to try and compare the two men. Other than a few familial features, she was at a loss… how so different they were in character...
He made a few steps further to stop in the middle of the cell. Their eyes locked in silence, his assessing hers. All she could do was stare back at him, too afraid to move a muscle. He seemed to be composed at the moment and she was not too keen on making him angry again. Her ears still hurt.
‘’Oh… my brother, you mean? Naah… he is not a demon. You should get to know him better…’’
Oh dear… does Andrew know how wrong he is? She could still hear the other woman screaming in her head and saw her dead body being carried away by his men every time she blinked. And he was in the middle of it all; she saw his bloodied face and hands…
She gulped audibly, though her throat felt dried raw. She could notice the glistening sheen of sweat upon his brow in the light that torches provided. He seemed to breathe faster, his chest falling and rising as if he had run all the way down her and… And why is he staring at her like that?
Before she’d dare to open her mouth, to plead and make him understand that she was innocent, or at least to tear down this torturous silence that had muffled the space around them, he turned and strode out of her cell without any words of his own.
As he disappeared up the stony stairs, the echoes of his boots growing silent with his each step, she noticed that her palm hurt.
She looked down and was surprised to see that she still held the Queen in her hand, gripping the small carved wood tightly, it’s smoothed curves digging into her flesh…
There were footsteps again, but before Buffy would start to panic anew, she noted that this time, the steps were soft. Purposefully quiet. She first saw feet tiptoeing downstairs. Then the person itself.
It was a woman. Long-haired blonde woman. There was nothing threatening about her and by the look of her clothes, though neat and not even a bit ripped, she was obviously a servant. Buffy frowned as the woman stopped at her cell. She held something in her hands.
‘’M-miss Summers?’’ she asked, her eyes darting around the place, looking frightened as much as Buffy was.
‘’Yes?’’ Buffy whispered softly, mimicking the other woman’s tone of voice.
‘’T-this is f-for you.’’
Buffy’s eyes widened when the woman squeezed that something through the bars and let it fall down. As it unfolded before her eyes, she could only sit there, stunned and beyond confused. But by the next words that the woman whispered urgently to her, she could feel only warmth.
‘’I come, under Master Andrew’s command. Hide it in the hay, miss. Do not let anyone see it…’’
As the woman hurried upstairs again, Buffy outstretched her trembling hand and as her fingers closed on sheer softness, she let the silent tears of gratitude fall down her cheeks.
Andrew sent her a blanket.
TBC...
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Author's Chapter Notes:
It's been a long time, huh?
I blame it on the crazy holidays... by the way, HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! I hope you all spent it with people you love and feel close and had a great time!
This chapter is unbetaed, as per usual - it was me who tried to shape it towards readability. Any grammar mistakes - point them to me please, I still learn to write in this language :)
The chapter I first planned on posting today would be tooooo long... so I kinda cut it in half...this is the first part. I hope you'll like it.
To my reviewers that took their time letting me know what they thought of the previous chapter - I love you guys!
I blame it on the crazy holidays... by the way, HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! I hope you all spent it with people you love and feel close and had a great time!
This chapter is unbetaed, as per usual - it was me who tried to shape it towards readability. Any grammar mistakes - point them to me please, I still learn to write in this language :)
The chapter I first planned on posting today would be tooooo long... so I kinda cut it in half...this is the first part. I hope you'll like it.
To my reviewers that took their time letting me know what they thought of the previous chapter - I love you guys!
Chapter End Notes:
Review, please? *bats her eyes* Any comment is good and I like to know how many people actually read this thing :)