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It took Tara a few minutes to open her door while trying to balance a tray full of food in her arms. Having not been sure what Buffy would like for breakfast she had gathered together an array of cold meats, cheeses and breads as well as a few pieces of fruit.

"That looks like quite a feast you have there." Buffy smiled, not able to contain the grumble her stomach let out as soon as her eyes had landed on the tray of food nor stop the saliva that pooled in her mouth at the thought of her taste buds consuming the sweet treats.

"I-I wasn't sure what you would feel like, s-so I got a bit of everything." Tara placed the tray in her lap.

She was still curled up on the chaise lounge next to the fireplace, soaking up it's warmth as the snow still fell outside.

"Thank you." Buffy picked at the bread, trying her best not to gorge on the food in front of Tara and gave up her restraint moments later to pile a few pieces of ham onto a slice of bread. "I seriously can't eat all this by myself. Please help." The look she sent Tara was a smiling plea.

There was a giggled in response as Tara smiled and took up a position next to Buffy on the lounge, reaching forward to select a piece of fruit. They ate in a comfortable silence, both content to fill their bellies and lap up the warmth that the fire was providing. Buffy made another sandwich and ate a few mouthfuls before sampling some of the cheese and then picking up an apple. The crisp crunch of her fruit was the only sound in the room besides the odd crackling as the wood in the fireplace slowly burned.

"T-The snow should stop soon."

Buffy made a humming noise in response and cast a glance to the window, watching as the white tufts fell to the ground below. Tara was quiet, glancing from the snow fall, the fireplace and landing finally on her.

"Yeah."

Buffy wasn't sure how long she sat staring at her, her brows knitting together as she seemed to be trying to analyzing her. From the corners of her eyes she saw Tara frown, forcing her to stop mid mouthful as she stammered out a question.

"W-would you mind if I tried reading your aura? It might help o-open you up to r-remember more from last n-night too." Tara's stutter grew as Buffy met her with a very confused look, not sure what she was asking.

"My aura?" Swallowing her mouthful of half chewed food and coughing slightly as a few pieces were too big.

"Y-your aura is the energy you give off. You're always surrounded in it and the o-only way I can simplify this to explain it to you is to say that it's your spiritual signature." She smiled at Buffy's confusion, leaning over to take the tray from her lap, placing it on the floor before explaining further. "Each person's aura l-looks different and has different colours. Those colours m-mean different things."

"And this is going to help me remember last night?"

"It could, yes." Tara shrugged her shoulders, not knowing for certain if what she was asking to do would bring Buffy's memories from the night before to the forefront of her mind again. "Or it could not."

"I don't see the harm." Buffy nodded in agreement, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Sure why not."

Not like I have much to lose. The memories are already gone anyway.

"Great!"

"So what do I need to do exactly?"

Tara had turned herself sideways on the lounge so that she was facing Buffy, bringing her legs up onto the couch to curl beneath her. She motioned for Buffy to do the same, both getting comfortable before speaking again.

"The f-first thing I want you to do is to close your eyes." Tara waited until Buffy closed her eyes. "Keep your breathing steady. In through your nose and out through your mouth. That's good." She smiled, watching Buffy breathe while talking calmly. Her voice was monotone, no emotion changing the sounds of her words as she directed Buffy with instructions on what to do next. "Now I want you to picture yourself standing underneath a large tree with its branches stretching high above you and over you like a canopy. You're standing at the base of the tree near the roots."

"I see it." Buffy whispered, eyes fluttering behind closed lids.

"I want you to plant your feet firm in the grass beneath you. T-this may sound strange, but picture your feet extending down towards the earth, further and further into the ground until you reach the center. You're connected to the earth, born from it, warm and safe. Slowly, with your feet still planted firm you can feel yourself being lifted high in the air, almost as if a breeze has carried you up. You're encased in a clear bubble of light, not a square or cube, this a sphere. Nothing can penetrate your bubble of light, not darkness or any evil spirits that seek to hinder you. This bubble takes you high above the clouds and beyond. You're protected here, grounded to the earth, but high above it at the same time. Now, slowly I want you to open your eyes."

At first all Buffy saw was white. Ever so slowly colours began to prickle at the edges of her eyes and then the room slowly came back into focus. First, it was the curtains near the window, then the stone-work of the walls, the fireplace and then Tara's form slowly shifted into focus. It took a few seconds of blinking rapidly before she felt her eyesight return to normal, colours appearing as they should. She felt different with light tingles shooting through her limbs and fingers as she moved her hands testing her movement. Slowly she looked up and locked eyes with Tara, who wore a kind smile.

"What was that? What did you do?" Her questions came out dazed and slightly confused. Tara rushed to explain.

"I grounded you. I-It helps with the readings if you're protected and by grounding you to the earth and placing a bubble of light around you I can look without fear of anything hindering my view. I-if that makes sense at all." Tara stuttered, blushing under Buffy's bewildered gaze.

"Kinda." Buffy laughed and closed her eyes, rolling her shoulders and feeling more relaxed than she had in weeks. There was a different kind of energy around her, a calm that she had not felt since she was a little girl living with her parents and had no care or worries. "I actually feel really good. It's like all my fears have just rolled away. I can't describe it." She rolled her shoulders a few more times, eyes closing as she savored the feeling.

"The white light you're encased in is from your guides. It's their energy you're feeling. They're always around you." Tara closed her own eyes and breathed deep, smiling before meeting Buffy's curious gaze again. "You just have to know when and how to ask for their assistance."

"I'll remember that."

"L-let's get started."

Buffy sat in silence and watched Tara's face as she stared at her. It should have felt awkward, having someone staring right at you with a mask of concentration and yet she didn't feel put off at all. If anything, Tara's calming presence had her relaxing into the chaise lounge even further, with her shoulders slumped forward and hands resting neatly in her lap. She jumped slightly when Tara reached forward to place a palm on either side of her head, not touching her, but hovering just a few inches on either side.

"What do you see?" Buffy asked, not moving her head, but turning her gaze to the hands that hovered on either side of her.

"It's conflicting." Tara murmured with furrowed brows, gaze focused as her eyes glanced over Buffy's still form.

"That doesn't sound good."

"N-not in a bad way!" Tara assured, pulling her hands back. "You have muted tones of pinks and blues. You have strong yellows and orange hews shining through you and there's a little red too." She smiled, eyes hinting to something that Buffy couldn't see nor understand.

"Right." Buffy dragged out, raising an eyebrow. "What do all those colours mean exactly?"

"W-well pinks and purples are normally colours you would associate with the head-"

"Like my brain?"

"N-not quite." Tara chuckled, shaking her head. She paused for a few moments and tried to think of the right wording to best explain it to Buffy. "I see that there's peace to be had. You're a quick thinker, b-but sometimes you overanalyse and that can be your weakness at times. When you set your mind to something you're firm. You know exactly what you want to do, but you have trouble producing the right words to express yourself." Tara motioned to her throat. "The muted tones in colour m-mean that you're struggling in certain areas."

"I do kind of put my foot in my mouth most of the time." Buffy grimaced, knowing more than once that having said the wrong thing to the wrong person had earned her a few lashes and she had the scars to prove it.

"Muted colours aren't necessarily bad to have, they're just a-areas you can work on."

"Easier said than done."

"A-agreed." Tara stammered, pointing to her own throat in silent acknowledgement of her stutter.

"So what do the yellow, orange and red mean?" Buffy leaned forward with intrigue and curiosity lighting up her smile.

"Confidence and creativity, traits which I think shine through you quite strongly."

"My father always did say I had a knack for creating things." Buffy beamed and blushed.

"Oh really?" Tara's eyes lit up, motioning for her to continue.

"We had these really big stables for our horses that acted partly as my training area, my safe haven and escape most of the time. I would sneak in there to play with our horses when I wasn't training and hide under the hay stacks and wait for them to find me. My horsy hide and seek. The second part to the stables was our workshop, my father's and mine. He would help be built new grips with leather for my swords and fashion new ways to hold my practice saddle on the barrel we had created. I was still young and learning to ride, but we spent many hours in there. My mother would get so mad some times, finding us in their late at night just laughing and playing." Buffy smiled sadly, trailing off as she struggled to hold onto the memories of her fathers loving face and his warm laughter.

"Oh that's beautiful." Tara whispered, eyes staring straight above Buffy's head.

"What?" Buffy turned to look up and saw nothing but the stone ceiling.

"The green I see." At Buffy's questioning look, Tara continued. "Unconditional love."

"I miss him." Buffy's eyes welled with tears, smiling sadly.

She turned her head to look into the fire not wanting Tara to see her cry. She had shed too many tears over the last few days. The feeling of warm hands slipping over her own that sat in her lap was felt moments later, followed by a gentle squeeze of comfort.

"I know." Tara didn't need to question Buffy or say anything at all, she just watched the myriad of colours swarming about Buffy's form that had tears welling in her own eyes.

"Would you like to come o-outside with me? There's something I want to show you that might cheer you up." She squeezed Buffy's hands in reassurance again and rose from her seat.

"Outside?" Buffy glanced towards the window. It had stopped snowing, but still looked like it was going to be freezing out.

"We'll be out of the cold. I p-promise."

She nodded and stood, helping Tara with the tray that sat discarded on the floor that had the remains of their breakfast on it. They left the fire going and she followed closely behind Tara as they descended the stairs and made their way through the castle halls. Buffy was still trying to navigate her way around the vast halls and wings that the castle had and had yet to see the whole thing in the daylight.

Maybe I can get Tara to give me a tour?

Buffy stopped abruptly, almost slamming into Tara's back and narrowly missing knocking the tray of food out of her arms.

"I'll be back in a moment."

She ducked through a doorway and returned a few moments later with her arms free, having left the tray in what Buffy could only assume was the kitchen. She vaguely remembered being down these halls when she'd had her dinner with Spike, but without the same lighting it was difficult to tell. The first time she'd walked these halls it had been nighttime and the walls were lit with candles that hung from their fixtures offering a soft glow.

"I think you're going to like this." Tara smiled and hooked her elbow through Buffy's, guiding her through the castle.

They walked down another hall before taking a few turns that led to a door. The first thing Buffy felt when the door was opened was the stiff winter breeze that blew through.

God I hate winter!

Buffy automatically wound her arms around herself upon reflex and allowed herself to be led outside. The snow crunched beneath their feet, the ice crystals cracking under the pressure. Tara sighed happily as they walked, enjoying the sounds and basking in the joy that the winter season offered her. Buffy silently shook her head, not understanding Tara at all.

Try living outside in the winter with no food or covering and see if you love it then.

Her face was a cold mask by the time they made it to their destination and she could feel her fingers and the tip of her nose starting to burn against the wind and cold. The building in front of them looked to be partly attached to the main castle itself, but not linked by any walkways or passages that she could see. The doors to the building were wooden and large with two great big circular steel knockers for handles.

Tara didn't knock. Instead, she reached forward and pulled on one handle and as soon as the smell assaulted Buffy's nose she knew where Tara had brought her.

"The stables?"

"I thought you m-might like to be around something familiar. In essence, I suppose."

Tara dropped her linked arm from Buffy's and walked farther into the stable, motioning for her to follow. The stable was huge and held at least four horses that Buffy could see at first glance. She closed her eyes and breathed deep, tears forming in her eyes.

There was no other sense in the world that could bring forth such powerful memories as smell and the images that flooded Buffy's mind had her nearly in tears. Baled bundles of hay sat stacked in one corner off to the side, while in a room to her right the rich smell of leather wafted her way. She knew instantly the sound it would make if touched, the crackling that old leather gave while riding, bending under pressure, was one she was quite fond of.

There was a loud snort to her left and Buffy stepped forward trying to peer around the walls. There was no mistaking or replacing that smell, one of dust and sweat that radiated around them in a musk. The smell of horses. With a tentative hand she reached forward to the black horse that was craning it's neck to sniff her, curious, but inching back when Buffy got too close.

"That's Faith."

"Pretty name." Buffy smiled, dropping her hand as Tara came over to stand next to her, both leaning on the wooden posts of Faiths pen.

"She's a special mare." Tara moved her lips in a smacking motion, sounding out a few clicks. The pen Faith was in was L-shaped and the back part completely hidden from view. After a few moments, there was a shuffling of hay on the ground and then the sound of tiny hooves.

"Hey there little guy." Buffy crooned at the small foal that rounded the corner.

"This is Percy."

"Hello Percy." Buffy ducked down to bend to Percy's height. He stuck his head easily through the large wooden slats to give Buffy a nudge.

"Short for Perseverance because without his mother's persistence and strength he wouldn't have made it. Would you little guy?" Tara smiled, scratching behind his ear.

"She's a late bloomer then?"

"Very late in the season for it, yes." Tara smiled and stood back up, watching with keen eyes as Buffy pet the month-old foal.

"Pulchra es. Ecce pedes eorum fortia. Vos erant 'iens dare vobis currunt pro ea pecunia matris unius diei."

Buffy spoke in Latin, a habit that she had picked up from a young age while her father attempted to teach her Latin. Given that she spent so much time in the stables he had figured that it should become her learning space and what better way to practice Latin than by speaking it to her horses on a daily basis.

She didn't know how long she sat on the ground petting little Percy, but after a while the foal seemed content to lie down in front of her, his little brown head peaking through the gap in the wooden slats and leaning on the fence that sat a foot from the ground. She traced the markings on his forehead, the little white blemishes making his coat unique and beautiful in her eyes.

"Sicut nubeculae."

Sitting on the floor in the castles stables, Buffy felt such peacefulness and lost all manner of time and noise. She was locked in her own private bubble of serenity. She didn't see or hear Tara leave, but was startled from her calm and peaceful state by a voice she hadn't expected to hear.


Pulchra es= You're beautiful
Ecce pedes eorum fortia= Look at those strong legs
Vos erant 'iens dare vobis currunt pro ea pecunia matris unius diei= You're going to give your mother a run for her money one day.
sicut nubeculae= Like little clouds


Chapter End Notes:
Does anyone else get flashes of memories from certain smells?



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