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Oz looked over at Buffy as they neared the castle gates in Alcala. She hadn't said a word all the way back, but her face was completely red and he could tell she was fighting her tears.



He had looked behind him several times, seeing William and the others off in the distance and he hurt for his friend, knowing that his destructive behavior had finally caught up to him. He didn't know how William was going to get out of this one, but Oz knew they would all help in any way possible.



Buffy pulled on the reins, stopping her horse before she slid from the massive creature. She could see the flurry of movement within the castle doors and, steeling her emotions, she marched defiantly into the castle.



"Your majesty," the servants all greeted, bowing to her as she stomped past them and hurried down the hall.



"Princess, his royal highness asks for your presence in the throne room," a servant said, smiling as Buffy made her way around the corner and started down another hall.



"Show me to my room!" She said loudly, glancing at the scrawny man before her as she continued down the long corridor.



"But the King," he replied, "he requests."



"Do you have a problem following orders?" Buffy asked hatefully, stopping briefly to look at him. "I want to go to my room immediately. If you cannot show me, then get out of my way!"



The man before her gaped at her rude behavior, seeing her face glow bright red before he gave her a small nod. "This way," he said quietly, offering her a tiny smile.



Buffy followed him up two flights of stairs, marching along behind him before stopping at the large double doors at the end of the long corridor. As he opened the door for her, she brushed past him, grabbing the door and slamming it in his face while he stood there looking wide-eyed at her.



Buffy looked around the large room, taking in the small sitting area before walking to the adjoining room off to the left. As she entered, she took in the large bed, the freshly cut roses that lined every surface available and the rich, colorful tapestries that decorated the walls. As her feet slowly carried her across the room, Buffy sat down slowly on the edge of the bed as she looked around. As the first tear finally fell, she felt her heart break at William's betrayal, before she fell back on the bed and cried.







William slowly climbed from his horse, looking up to the third floor of the castle and sighing heavily before he shook his head and started for the door. As the servants all looked at him, he held his head high as he walked down the hall.



King Rupert had been informed of Buffy's arrival and about her behavior and was walking toward the stairwell with Joyce as William rounded the corner. Relief flooded Rupert but that was immediately replaced with concern as he saw the look on his son's face.



"Edw...um, William, is everything alright?" King Rupert asked, worry lacing his words.



As William stopped, he looked up at his father and choked back the tears he had been battling since leaving Colligt. "I've really made a mess out of this one," he said softly, glancing at Joyce briefly before looking back at his father.



King Rupert sighed, watching as tears filled his son's eyes before he gave him a little smile. "Come, you can tell me all about it," he said, as he draped his arm around William's shoulder and led him to the stairs. He wasn't sure what had happened, but knew it had to be bad. He hadn't seen his son cry since his mother had died and that, along with the fact that he was allowing his father to provide him comfort, let him know that whatever it was would take more than a few words to fix.







Joyce knocked softly on Buffy's door, entering quietly before shutting the door behind her. She could hear Buffy's heartbreaking cries as she walked through the small sitting area and into the bedroom before a sad smile covered her face.



Walking quietly to the bed, Joyce sat on the edge, reaching out to cup the side of Buffy's face and smiling as Buffy finally looked up.



"Oh mom," Buffy cried, launching herself into her mother's arms as her cries became harder.



"Shhh, don't cry baby," Joyce said, as she stroked Buffy's head and held her tightly. "Everything will be fine."







King Rupert listened intently as William told him everything that had happened since he had left for Parissa. Although he was upset that William had deceived him, along with Buffy; he could see his son's motives, even though he didn't necessarily agree with the way he had handled things.



Watching William finally stop his pacing, King Rupert cleared his throat and stood. "Did you try to explain this to her?"



"She wouldn't listen." William answered him quietly.



"I see," King Rupert replied. "I wish I knew what to say or do.William, but I'm afraid this one is out of my hands."



"I know," William said, as silence fell between the two.



"Do you believe she loves you?" King Rupert finally asked, taking a few steps toward his son.



William turned, looking at his father before he smiled. "I think she did; not so sure now though."



King Rupert smiled back, crossing the room to his son before laying his hand on his arm. "Love isn't something that just goes away William. Once there, it takes more than just a misunderstanding to erase it. I'm sure things will work out."



"I hope you're right."







"Do you love him?" Joyce asked, as she sat with Buffy in the lounge area.



Buffy looked up, her eyes itching and red from crying before a tiny smile curved her lips. "I'd be lying if I said no."



Joyce smiled back at her, holding Buffy's hand more tightly. "Buffy, I don't know why William led us to believe he wasn't the prince, but what I do know is that the young man who stormed into this castle is very much in love with you. I know he should have told you who he was, but I'm sure whatever reasons he had, he felt he was doing the right thing."



"But we've been alone for so long," Buffy half-whined. "He had plenty of chances to tell me."



"Would you have believed him?"



Buffy thought about it before she sighed heavily. "I don't know."



"Well, have you thought about how things would have been if you would have known?"



Buffy looked up at her mother, running her words over as she thought hard on it. She had been so nervous about meeting the prince and the minute she realized he hadn't come to escort her to Alcala, she had felt relieved. "I guess it would have been strained."



"And it wasn't thinking William was just a page?" Joyce asked.



"No, not really," Buffy answered her. "Well, not after a while," she half-laughed. "He was such a pig!"



Joyce shared a chuckle with Buffy, glad that she was at least smiling before she wrapped her arm around Buffy's shoulder and gave her a light squeeze. "All men are pigs at times," she said, laughing.



"Yeah, I guess so," Buffy said, before her smile fell away. "What do I do now?"



"Well, I saw a very upset young man walk into the castle," Joyce told her. "You could always go talk to him."



Buffy looked down at her hands, bunching up the material of her dress in her hands before she looked up. "I don't think I can, not yet," she told her.



"Well, I'm sure whenever you're ready, William will be waiting."



Buffy nodded her head, looking around the room before turning back to her mother. "Do you think someone could prepare a bath? I'd like to get cleaned up."



"Sure thing sweetie," Joyce said, smiling as she stood. "I'll go have one of the servants warm some water for you."



Buffy smiled as her mother leaned down, kissing her cheek before she turned and left the room. Once she was alone, her mind once again drifted to William. As she stood from her seat, she had to refrain herself from running from the room and going to him. Although she believed him to be wrong in deceiving her, she couldn't deny her love for him and the fact that he was there, and more than likely hurting as much as she was, made her want nothing more than to comfort him.



Shaking her head, she turned to the bedroom, walking to her chest of clothes before opening the doors and looking inside. Looking at the array of delicate silks, her hands glided across the soft fabrics before they stopped on a pale pink dress, pulling it free.



As she heard the outer doors to her room open, Buffy laid the dress across the bed before gathering up her other belongings. As the footsteps from the other room came closer, she turned to the door.



"We want every juicy detail!" Willow squealed, as she launched herself across the room and onto Buffy's bed, followed closely by Cordelia and Dawn.



Buffy rolled her eyes at her giggling siblings, grabbing the dress they were wrinkling from the bed and turned from them. "There isn't anything to tell."



"Oh come on!" Cordelia yelled. "We've seen what you've been stuck with for weeks. There's no way something didn't happen!"



Buffy was glad her back was to them, because she couldn't help the smile that covered her face. Their laughter was almost contagious as they prodded her to talk. "Nothing happened," she lied. "We just walked and talked."



"Oh please," Willow said incredulously. "You don't honestly expect us to believe you've been with the most gorgeous guy we've all ever set eyes on and expect us to believe that nothing happened?"



Buffy finally turned, looking at the expectant faces of her sisters before she smiled at Dawn. "I saw a pixie," she smiled. "We went into the Enchanted Forest."



Dawn's squeal almost deafened them all as she sat up on the bed and bounced. "A real pixie! What did it look like? What else was there?"



Buffy laughed, more at the looks on Willow's and Cordelia's faces than on Dawn's before she sat down on the bed with them. "Well, the pixies were tiny and wore brightly colored clothes that seemed to cause each one of them to glow in color. There were beautiful horses that had coats as white as snow with golden horns coming right out of their heads. Hobbits and magic.," Buffy sighed, as she trailed off. "It was.amazing."



"Oh wow," Dawn said excited. "Do you think we could go back?"



"Okay miss avoidy, we want the juicy stuff," Willow said. "No one cares about the Enchanted Forest."



Buffy smiled, looking over at her sisters before she felt her cheeks flush. "There was a waterfall there and a beautiful pond."



"Yeah, anything special about it?" Cordelia prodded. "Like slick, wet, salty goodness?" Cordelia laughed.



Buffy's whole body seemed to burn as she ducked her head and the giggles from Willow and Cordelia only intensified as they looked at her. She glanced up at them and as the memories of William in the pond flooded her mind, a smile so wide it almost hurt covered her face. "Maybe," she said quietly, before glancing over at Dawn.



"Ugh, I so don't want to hear this," Dawn said, as she stood and walked toward the bedroom door. "You'll have to promise to tell me more about the pixies later," she said as she walked out the door and left the three older girls alone.



"Okay, the brat's gone, now on with the naughty bits," Willow said, grinning.



"There aren't any naughty bits," Buffy told them. "Nothing happened."



"Nothing?" Cordelia asked, smiling.



Buffy just shook her head, her smile still blooming across her face as she stood and tried to busy herself.



"And why do I not believe you?" Willow asked.



Buffy turned, looking at the two smiling girls on the bed before she giggled with them. "There may have been.some kissing," she said, softly.



"I knew it!" Willow yelled.



Buffy couldn't help but laugh as Willow and Cordelia both started bombarding her with questions and the anxiety she had felt earlier was temporally forgotten as the lust-filled teens prodded her for info. As they gazed up at her, she laughed before throwing herself back onto the bed with a dreamy smile on her face.







Buffy walked the gardens of the castle, amazed at the array of colors of the roses as their scent filled the air. She had spotted a pale purple rose that seemed almost too perfect and was currently studying it when a shadow passed within her line of vision. Turning her head, she smiled and stood as King Rupert smiled down at her.



"I see you've found the gardens," he said as he looked around. "This was Caroline's favorite place," he told her. "She spent most of her days here."



Buffy smiled as she received the gentle smile King Rupert gave her before she looked around. "It's very beautiful," she told him. "We have gardens in Parissa, but nothing like this."



"Well, perhaps I can arrange an.upgrade to your gardens.as a wedding gift to you," King Rupert said, smiling.



Buffy's smile faltered slightly at the mention of the wedding before she glanced away. It had been two days since the ordeal with Prince Angelus and she still hadn't seen or heard from William. She didn't know what to make of it. She was sure he would be banging on her door day and night wanting to talk to her, but seeing that he hadn't, she had begun to worry.



"He's misses you," King Rupert said, softly. "He's been pacing his room like a caged animal since you've come back."



Buffy looked up, blinking away the sudden emergence of tears that filled her eyes as she looked out across the acres of colors that surrounded her.



"I can't make any excuse for what he did, but William has always marched to a different tune," King Rupert chuckled. "Caroline was the only one who could make any sense out of his doings."



Buffy smiled as King Rupert motioned her over to a bench a few yards away and waited until she has sat down before joining her. "I suppose Drucilla had a lot to do with his decision," he began. "I suppose you've heard of her?" At her nod he smiled and continued. "She and William were to be married three summers ago. They had been betrothed since birth. Prince Angelus, well he and William were very close at one time and when the time came for William and Drucilla to start courting, Angelus, being the manipulative man he was, took it upon himself to see that William suffered."



"Why?" Buffy asked, not sure what Angelus had against William.



King Rupert smiled, glancing around the gardens before sighing heavily. "Prince Angelus never knew his mother and whenever he came here to the castle, he always seemed.distant. I suppose it was due to the fact that our family was very close. Caroline always made sure the children knew they were loved and, well, Ethan spent most of his time in that blasted dungeon, completely ignoring any of Angelus' needs. I assume Angelus' jealously was the main reason for him wanting to hurt William, and Drucilla was the easiest way."



"So he deliberately.did those things?" Buffy asked.



"I can't really say," King Rupert told her. "He may have had true feelings for her, but I doubt it. William, on the other hand, adored Drucilla. He loved her deeply and assumed she returned his feelings. When.well when William.found them together, it almost destroyed him."



"What happened to her?" Buffy asked, almost to scared to know.



"Well, no one knows for sure," he told her. "William came home that day devastated. Rambling on about Angelus and Drucilla and not making very much sense. He left shortly thereafter, collecting his sword and before I could talk any sense into him, he was gone. I sent one of the guards to find him, but he lost them. All I really know is that William and Angelus fought and Drucilla's body was found in the river a few days later."



"I see," Buffy said quietly. "I guess that explains Angelus' desire for me then."



"Indeed it does," King Rupert smiled. "Not that you're not worthy of every young man's attentions, but the fact that William was chosen over him didn't sit too fondly, I'm sure."



"Yeah, I got the distinct impression that Prince Angelus would do just about anything to hurt William."



"And he would," King Rupert said. "Not to mention King Rayne's desire for Parissa."



Buffy let all the information she had learned run through her mind and sighed heavily at it all. Although she now knew why the hatred between William and Angelus existed, it still didn't explain William's motives for not telling her the truth. As she looked out across the gardens to the setting sun, she felt King Rupert shift beside her before she looked over at him as he stood.



"I do believe the rest of your questions can be answered by William," he said smiling at her, "That is if you're ready to talk to him."



Buffy looked toward the castle when King Rupert turned and she saw William standing by the entrance to the gardens. She felt her heart skip a beat as days of not seeing him made her heart flutter at his sight. Looking up at King Rupert, she gave him a small nod before he smiled and walked away.



William stood patiently at the rose-covered arch that led into the gardens as he watched his father walk toward him. He had been in his room watching Buffy roam the gardens and wanted nothing more than to go to her, so when he saw his father sit and talk with her, he decided now was a good as time as any to try.



As King Rupert approached him, he almost dreaded to hear what he would say. As he shifted his weight on his feet, the smile his father gave him caused him to release the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding in.



"She will see you now," King Rupert said, smiling as he stopped in front of William. "Make it count."



William turned his head, watching his father leave before he slowly turned backed to the gardens. As he started toward Buffy, he saw her stand and face the opposite direction before his steps slowed.



Buffy had felt butterflies start swimming in her stomach as she saw William start toward her and had immediately stood from the bench. As she heard his footsteps draw closer, she took a deep breath before turning to face him.



William stopped a few feet from her, smiling as she turned to him. "Hello princess," he said softly, smiling as he took a deep breath.



"Hey," Buffy whispered out, looking away from him briefly before looking back up.



William didn't know where to start and even though he had rehearsed this speech what seemed like a thousand times in his room, the words seemed lost to him now. Sighing heavily, he looked toward the darkening sky before leveling his gaze back on Buffy. "Look Buffy, I know what I did was inexcusable, but I thought.well, I just wanted to see."



"See what?" Buffy asked as William stopped talking. She could see he was struggling with what he was trying to say and even though she was still slightly upset with him, she didn't have the heart to see him suffer for it.



"I wanted to see who you really were," he said softly. "I knew if Prince Edward would have been in that carriage, that things would have been different. I wanted to find out who you were without all the tension. I never expected things to get so out of hand."



"When the carriage was attacked and I saw that it was Angelus.well it looked as if history was going to repeat itself. That's why I didn't say anything."



"I'm not her," Buffy said quietly. "I'll never be her."



"I know," William smiled slightly. "You're nothing like her."



Buffy looked down, closing her eyes as a sudden jab of pain pierced her heart at his words before she felt his hand come to rest on her cheek.



"Drucilla wasn't half the woman you are," William said softly as he lifted her head. "She never loved me and I didn't want to fall so easily for another woman if she was only going to break my heart again. I had every intention on telling you who I was, but the closer the day to leave for Parissa came, the more nervous I became. You have no idea the tales I've heard of your beauty and.I guess I just got scared. When we left for Parissa, I swore the driver to secrecy and told your mother I was Prince Edward's page."



"But why didn't you tell me in the forest?" She asked him.



"Would you have believed me?" He smiled.



Buffy couldn't help but laugh as her mother's words were repeated to her. "No, probably not."



"I did try," William finally said. "In Verisha."



Buffy sighed lightly, remembering him trying to tell her and how she had freaked out and ran, thinking he was going to say he loved her again. "I know," she smiled. "I remember."



William just watched her, seeing the smile on her face soften as she looked at him before he took a step closer to her. "I do love you," he said, softly. "I never thought I'd be able to allow myself that again, but I did."



Buffy looked up at him, the now darkened sky leaving the moon to hang heavy in the night sky and its luminous light casting shadows across his face. He was still the most beautiful man she had ever seen and she smiled, wondering what he would say if she told him so. "And I love you," she said softly, her smile widening as the azure pools that gazed down at her seemed to sparkle. "Always."



William smiled, leaning forward and placing a small kiss on her forehead before he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair, breathing in her scent. As he felt her arms circle his neck, he tightened his hold on her, thanking every god known to man for sending him this angel.



Buffy smiled as William's grip on her tightened and she sighed happily as she closed her eyes and buried her face against his neck. She smiled to herself, knowing that the rest of her life would be spent feeling as safe as she felt now in his arms.



Lifting her head, Buffy smirked at him as he raised his head to look at her. "So, if I'm not mistaken, I do believe you promised to marry me," she said.



William chuckled, remembering her spontaneous wedding proposal before he leaned down and captured her lips in a brief kiss. "That I did," he said, smiling against her lips. "Don't suppose we can pretend we did already and skip straight to the wedding night?"



Buffy laughed heartily at that, leaning back to look at him and shaking her head. "No," she said, laughing. "You'll just have to wait."



"You can't possible expect me to wait now," he said, grinning, "Not after seeing you in the pond."



Buffy felt her cheeks warm as she leaned in, kissing him softly before looking up at him. "Not until we're properly wed," she said, smiling. "I'm not about to sully my virtue, no matter how incredibly gorgeous you are."



"Gorgeous, you say?" William asked, grinning wildly. "Why Princess Elizabeth, I'm flattered."



Buffy felt her already flaming face burn even hotter before she giggled and ducked her head.



"And here I thought you just needed me to rule over your kingdom," William joked.



"Oh I do," Buffy said quietly, "But I also get to spend the rest of my life basking in `salty goodness' as Cordelia called it."



William laughed, finally noticing the red tint to her cheeks in the moonlight before he wrapped his arms tighter around her waist. "Well, what's say we go plan us a wedding then?"



Buffy smiled back at him, her heart a flutter with excitement as she looked at him before she leaned up and gave him a small kiss. "We can do that later," she said, pulling back from him slightly. "I'm in the mood for pre-wedding smoochies."



"Smoochies?" William asked, raising one scarred eyebrow. "Wherever did you learn to talk?"



"I have very.influential sisters," she giggled. "Now shut up and kiss me."



"As you wish," William said, laughing. "As you wish."







"Please tell me the red-haired friend of William's is single?" Willow asked, grinning as she entered the room Buffy was currently dressing in.



Buffy turned, looking over at the huge smile on Willow's face before she nodded. "He is," she told her. "His name is Daniel Osborne, but William calls him Oz."



Willow giggled insanely as she threw herself into a chair in the room as a flurry of people attended to Buffy. She watched all the servants pamper her sister and hoped that one day it would be her, preferably with the handsome man she had seen from the window.



"Oh Buffy, you look radiant," Talia said, grinning as she entered the room.



"Talia," Buffy said, smiling happily as she turned to her and leaned down, wrapping her arms around the tiny woman, "how can I ever repay you for all that you've done?"



"Just live happily Buffy," Talia told her. "That's all we ever want from you."



"But you've done so much," Buffy said. "There's no way for me to ever show you how much this means."



"That smile alone shows me, princess," Talia told her. "And the smile on William's face as well."



Buffy's smile widened at the mention of William's name and she felt the tears she had been wiping at all day pool in her eyes again. "Have you seen him?"



"Oh, that I have," Talia laughed. "He's been pacing around out there like he'll combust if he doesn't move."



Buffy looked up as Dawn flew into the room, an awestruck smile covering her face. "Buffy, look!" She squealed, giggling happily as she turned.



Buffy smiled, looking at Bella as she fluttered beside Dawn and she was surprised to see the smile on Bella's face matching that of her sister's.



"The forest is covered with them!" Dawn practically bounced. "Can I keep her?"



Buffy laughed before shaking her head. "She's not a thing to possess Dawn," she told her. "But she's welcome in Parissa anytime she wants to venture outside of Verisha."



"Is that possible?" Bella's small voice asked as she looked at Talia.



"I don't see any harm in it," Talia replied, smiling. "Now that Ethan has been destroyed, the threat has been minimized."



Dawn and Bella both laughed as they ran and flew from the room. Buffy smiled, turning back to Talia and grinning big. "Is everything ready?"



"It is," Talia told her. "We're just waiting for you."



Buffy giggled, turning to look at her mother who had been silently crying in the corner ever since they had arrived in the Enchanted Forest. She still couldn't believe that Talia had appeared in Alcala and Buffy had to wonder if Talia had been reading her mind while she and William were discussing the wedding. Buffy had thought the Enchanted Forest was a perfect place to marry, seeing how their adventure was what had shown them their love for the other.



Smiling as she walked toward her mother, Buffy took her hand as she reached her before kissing her cheek. "I guess it's time," she said smiling, the tears she had been holding back falling slowly down her cheeks.



"Buffy, you look so beautiful," Joyce said, new tears coming to the queen's eyes before she wrapped her arms around Buffy. "I'm so happy for you," she whispered.



"I know mom."







William saw Talia exit the small flower-covered cottage that sat nestled in the flowering trees which he knew the hobbits had created. The whole area around the pond had been transformed, making the spot where he and Buffy had spent almost a week look like a completely different area altogether.



The waterfall still flowed and water lily's floated across the surface of the crystal clear pond. The flowering trees seemed to rain petals constantly and the area seemed larger than before with a thick blanket of grass as far as the eye could see.



The addition of the cottage was the most astonishing. It was a fully functional house from what Bertram had told him, created especially for them. He had been amazed when he had seen it and knew Buffy had undoubtedly fallen in love with it instantly. Green ivy clung to the outer stone walls of the cottage while small pink roses trailed up the vines. Fresh Jasmine grew everywhere and its scent carried in the breeze. He had been completely speechless when he arrived to find all the changes and as much as he wanted to repay the hobbits, he knew nothing he could ever do would be enough.



"She's ready," Talia said, smiling at William before she turned to the small gathering of people that had come to witness the event.



As everyone took their places, William smiled as Joyce exited the cottage and made her way to him.



"If you can keep her half as happy as she is today, I'll be forever grateful," Joyce told William as she stopped in front of him.



"I plan on doing just that," William told her.



Joyce gave him a watery smile before kissing his cheek and making her way to King Rupert. As they both finally seated themselves and waited for Willow, Cordelia and Dawn to find their seats, smiles bloomed across every face as music seemed to magically loft across the area.



Hobbits lined the surrounding area and hundreds of pixies fluttered above those gathered, casting an unearthly glow to everything below. As William took a step and positioned himself by the priest that would perform the ceremony, William smiled as the door to the cottage opened and Buffy stepped out.



If he hadn't been reminding himself to breathe, William knew he would have been breathless the moment he saw her. He had never seen her look more radiant than she did at that moment. A smile unlike any he had ever seen on her covered her face and her golden hair seemed to glow like spun gold as it spilled over her shoulders. Small braids held the sides of her hair back away from her face with thin tendrils that fell loosely, framing her angelic features while delicate flowers were woven into the flaxen locks and a small jeweled crown sat proudly on top of her head.



Her dress seemed to catch every color surrounding her as the slivery material flowed down her body while she moved. His eyes were fixated on her as she slowly made her way to him and the longer he stared at her, the wider her smile became.



Buffy fought the tears she had been fighting with all day as she made her way to William. The look on his face as he stared at her caused her smile to widen as she finally crossed the small distance between them. Coming to stop in front of him, she felt a tear slip from her eye.



William smiled when she stopped, reaching up and brushing the lone tear away with his thumb before reaching down with his other hand to take hers. "You are so beautiful," he whispered, smiling as more tears followed the one he had brushed away.



Buffy's smile only widened as she looked up at him, trying to hold back her emotions even though she knew it was hopeless. "You make me feel beautiful," she whispered back to him, a happy giggle escaping her.



As the ceremony began, there wasn't a dry eye among those gathered as William and Buffy committed their lives to each other. The small gathering of friends and family all looked at the pair with love and respect as they declared their love for the other and, as the music that seemed to loft in the breeze swirled in tune with the flower petals that showered William and Buffy, their holy union was blessed.



"I now pronounce you husband and wife," the priest said, smiling as he looked at the couple before him.



Buffy and William both smiled wildly as the priest finished the ceremony, neither needing any prompting before they were in each other's arms. As their lips met, cheers rang out through the Enchanted Forest as their marriage was sealed with a kiss.



Buffy laughed through her tears as she and William finally pulled away from each other and glanced around at all those gathered. Smiling faces greeted them as did warm wishes before the area seemed to change before their very eyes. The chairs were suddenly moved, placed under tables that were covered with food. The sunlight seemed to disappear and the glow from the pixies illuminated the entire area as the soft flowing music changed into that of a more cheerful tone.



Buffy wasn't sure how much more excitement she could stand as she held onto William, watching her family as they stared in awe at everything that was happening. As food and drink began to flow, the music lifted everyone's mood as Talia tried to get everyone's attention.



As a hush settled among those gathered; the small hobbits gathered behind Talia and they all smiled as they looked at William and Buffy. "We, the people of Verisha have been honored by your presence," Talia began, as she smiled at William and Buffy. "And to show you how very honored we are to have met you, we offer you this," she said, pointing to the small cottage that Buffy had used to dress in. "For as long as you both shall live, you will always have a home, here, among friends."



Buffy looked from the hobbits to the small cottage before more tears mingled with those she couldn't seem to stop. She was speechless and was glad William had a voice as she heard him thank the hobbits before she felt his arm tighten around her waist.



"Well princess, looks like skinny dippin' won't be only a pleasant memory now," he whispered into her ear. "What's say we try that later, without all the hidin'?"



Buffy knew she blushed but couldn't stop herself from grabbing him and kissing him hard as the laughter of those around her rang out in the forest. She knew her life was only beginning and, no matter what hardship came their way, if William were by her side, she would be able to make it through.





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