Silence met Buffy when she entered the court on Rhys' arm. He escorted her up to the throne; surprised to see Andais' throne remained the same. The court bowed in a strange synchronized movement when Buffy walked by them. Sholto, Kurag and Niceven stood beside their thrones, as did the other court leaders. She nodded to them as she moved her hand graciously letting them know to sit.
"Thank you for coming. For those who do not know me, my name is Buffy also called the Lady. Andais is no longer the ruler of this court. She is serving sentence for her crimes against the Unseelie for the next 6 years."
She waited for them to settle down. "No one has the right, not even royalty, to enslave another. The fey are fading and I have come to stop this, to make you strong again, everyone not just the Sidhe. There will be changes. This will be a united court when I am through. Each of your kings or queens will have a seat on the council to represent you. Should any ever need sanctuary or justice above or from them, I will grant it, swiftly. The Mound and Sithin are once again at peace, but do not think they haven't whispered all your stories to me. You were given a gift of magic, which you haven't honored. Instead, you've fought one another from little more than boredom. If your immortality is such a problem for your, I'll happily remove the burden. Merry is with child by Rhys." Everyone cheered as the two stood beside Buffy.
"Their child is the other reason I'm here, it will be my heir. The fate of the fey rests on the well being and future of this child. Once this court is set in order, Merry and Rhys will become Regent in their child's place. They will have my complete backing."
"Where will you be lady?" A voice in the crowd shouted.
"Why to straighten out the Seelie Court of course. My heir will inherit the united kingdom of all the fey. When it is time, he will take the throne. I will train them, then they inherit my ring of power and my sword."
"What does the sword do, Lady?"
"Andais' sword could kill an immortal. Mine can take all that is fey from you leaving you mortal - human."
They gasped. "That is worse than being dead."
"But we aren't human."
"What crime would deserve that."
"In one month, your rulers will return here with their heir or second in command. We will begin creating a new world. Now, everyone please, sit, eat enjoy, this is a celebration of new life and new beginnings."
Buffy sat on the throne as everyone watched it started to change. The main seating became a deep forest green with the flower directly above her head like a star. The arms legs and back depicted every form of fey in the Unseelie court - Sidhe, Goblins, Demi-Fey, Night-hags, on and on, they were like tiny little people captured in the material. It wasn't wood or metal but some strange mix of both.
Merry put a finger out to touch a Goblin, but it snapped at her grinning. "They are alive?" Merry whispered to Rhys. "It tried to taste me like a real Goblin."
"They stop moving when each group comes together in the court. Once they all stop we know we have the right balance of laws in place," Buffy explained.
"So, it's like a living sand glass?" Rhys peered over Merry's shoulder to look at the tiny creatures.
"You could say that. It's also a symbol to the other groups. They won't want the others to stop moving before theirs does. It's a neat little competition they will enter and not even know it. They will work harder because of it. The benefits are in everyone's favor."
"Each court will work hard and the result should be laws, good laws for the fey." Merry said. She admired the way Buffy thought. The way she saw into the heart of a matter.
The leaders of each order of fey were represented by a monarch, like Kurag, or a chieftain or captain. Each leader waited patiently to be formally introduced to the Lady. None seemed surprised by the presence of Merry by her side, but the replacement of Rhys eyes had them all fighting not to stare. He sat beside Merry ramrod straight and proud. It was easy to see what he once was and could possibly become again.
Kitto's change in status caused just as many tongues to wag. The Goblin Queen was still angry at being denied the opportunity to taste the former half-Goblin's flesh. She eyed him hungrily, as did several other women present, but for far different reasons. They watched the Lady smile up at him when he said something to her between introductions. They also noticed the interest of the Queen's Darkness, whenever his eyes fell on Buffy.
Many wondered if Buffy would be another Andais, who would keep all the prime Sidhe men for herself. When the last fey leader finally sat table, Buffy stood, once more causing silence to fall on the great hall.
"TI've abolished the geas and it can never return. Any current Raven who no longer wishes to serve as a protector to the throne, may leave without question and repercussion. Any who would like to continue or be considered need only step forward. First, you must understand your duty; I will be in charge of your training to ensure that you are right for the job. It is not meant for everyone. Second, you will be responsible for guarding the royal family, but first and foremost the child. He is important to the fey, including me. Last but not least, you will be the representatives of the new laws that we put in place. You will no longer be called Ravens; you will be known from today on as the Chosen. You are the protectors of innocents from the darkness, all darkness, no matter what shape it comes in, and you do not have to be male or Sidhe."
Her announcements were met with shocked silence. The royal guards were always the best, the brightest, the most beautiful - the Sidhe. It had been so since the days of the Tuatha De Dannan. Now, the Lady said anyone could be a guard, a Chosen. It was unheard. The Sidhe were always held above the other fey, even in the Unseelie Court.
Buffy waited all of two minutes before her finger went to her lips and she pushed out a puff of air while she whispered. "Hush." Immediate silence fell like a heavy fog. Several tried to talk but found no sound would escape their moving lips and finally gave up.
"If you let me finish, maybe you didn't understand me before, so I will make myself clear here people. Everyone will be equal in this kingdom when I am through. You will live by the same rules and be judged by them as well. That does not mean everyone, but the Sidhe. That means everyone including women, are equal. If you doubt how well a woman can fight, then I will be happy to take any challenges. No magic, just strength and skill." Buffy gave them a hard look and one arrogant Raven who was on guard duty last night and missed everything that happened stepped forward.
His name was Conri, Cel's best friend. "I will fight you, Lady. Sidhe warriors have always guarded the royal family. No mere woman could best us without the use of magic."
He was handsome as only a true Sidhe could be. His hair looked black until the light hit it, then the deep purple color could be seen. His eyes were three shades of lavender with the inner ring being such a pale color it appeared almost white. His skin glowed luminescent white and it stretched across wide shoulders, tapered hips and strong, muscular legs. Conri strutted forward confident that he could put the 'Lady' in her place. He heard the rumors and even though she bested Queen Andais, to his thinking Andais was well past her prime. She hadn't practiced or accepted a challenge since she took her throne over a thousand years ago. No, Conri was confident he could take this tiny woman down and place the rightful heir, Cel, on the throne.
Buffy could almost hear Conri's thoughts, his smug looks as he eyed her up and down told her more than enough about him. She was used to being underestimated; it happened her whole life, even when she lived with the Powers. They could not imagine that a mere Elven child could understand and absorb their ideas and knowledge. Buffy not only absorbed them, she excelled, even improved on them.
The moment she stepped down from the throne, her clothes changed to black leather pants, boots and matching bra. "Which do you prefer swords, fist, feet or all three?" Her voice was casual, as if she asked him if he preferred beef or chicken for dinner.
"I thought you said no magic." He eyed her changed outfit appreciatively.
"What you expected me to fight in a fancy dress? Get real. I said I wouldn't use magic to fight, I didn't say anything about using it to get ready, besides it does it all by itself, so get over it already. Now, choose or I will."
For the first time Conri was unsure of himself. He heard a note of steel in her voice. Perhaps, this wouldn't be as easy as he'd assumed, but a mere woman who wasn't a pure Sidhe wasn't match for someone who was. "Swords." He pulled his blade from its place at his side.
Buffy nodded then looked back at Doyle, something passed between them. He stepped down drawing Bainidhe Dub. Gasps were heard when Buffy took the black blade from his hands. She smiled her thanks and he returned the smile in kind.
Merry watched this in wide-eyed wonder, her nails digging into Rhys' arm. His absorption in the scene kept him from even noticing. He never saw his friend smile like that in all their years of friendship. A carefree, easy smile somehow fit Doyle's face. Rhys thought it strange that a smile should look so right on his friend's face, since it was only a short while ago that he showed anyone that he even knew how. Now, here he stood, with Buffy, handing her his most prize possession with a smile. Rhys' eyes turned to watch Buffy take the Black Madness in her hand, once more doing the impossible. How could so much power be housed in such a small body? What changes will she make in our world and lives before she leaves us? His hand unwittingly moved to rest on Merry's stomach, as if he could feel his child nestled there.
Merry looked into his eyes and her small hand came up to caress his cheek. "Our child is well, nothing and no one shall harm him, I promise. More important still Buffy promised. I trust her, Rhys, I'm not sure why but I do. I'm not sure I can explain to you what I saw, what I felt when she showed me her life. She had so much joy inside it just bubbled out and touched everything around her. To know that happy, laughing fairy child sacrificed so much for her world and ours, there aren't enough words to describe it."
"I understand Merry. What I saw was just as hard to explain. I saw someone give everything, then find the strength somewhere deep inside to give more, no matter the cost to them; it is unheard of in our world. She is right we have become arrogant with our power and I believe we were punished for it. There is no other reason why the only way to keep us from fading was to give our power up to the Nameless and the spell before that. I wonder if we learn to honor it that it will return."
They stopped talking when Doyle approached the throne. He simply stood in front of it with his arms crossed. His black eyes focused on the tiny blonde who held the black blade, which by right she shouldn't be able to touch. His eyes swept over her body taking in the play of muscles in her back as she prepared herself for battle. She moved into a ready position. To the untrained eye, Buffy looked relaxed, almost ignorant of what to do. Doyle wasn't fooled, even if he hadn't seen her fight, he knew a seasoned warrior when he saw one. She held the sword as if she were born with a blade in her hand.
Conri's confidence fell back in place, when he saw Buffy's lose grip on the sword's hilt. A smug grin crossed his face and he brought his sword down thinking the he'd knock Buffy's from her hand. He received a surprise when her blade met his mid-stroke and stopped it cold. Conri tried to push down with no such luck.
He spun to the right out of Buffy's upward strike and the fight was on. She wasn't surprised that Conri knew how to use a sword well. She smiled to herself remembering her hours of swordplay with Legolas, not to mention their favorite way to unwind afterwards. Buffy slid past her opponent's blade. Spinning on the balls of her feet, she cut a slice into Conri's upper thigh. He screamed with pain and disbelief.
"What's the matter? You aren't going to let a 'woman' best you, make you scream like a pig, oops too late." Buffy continued to move in, then out again, in an ever tightening circle. Whenever Conri tried to strike out at her, she wasn't there. The black sword moved like a striking cobra. The audience held the breaths in wonder as they watched it moved like a black blur across the floor.
Conri's frustration, humiliation and anger rose in equal measures. He heard the snickers and comments on Buffy's prowess and his lack thereof. He wouldn't let this 'Lady' best him before the entire court. Conri's hand of power was unusual and tied to his lavender coloring, more than an unsuspecting opponent would think.
Lavender's properties contained the ability to calm the senses, slow them down, to a satisfied state conducive to sleep. The pulling of his power was a subtle building; it didn't have a normal magical signature. He planned to pull enough power to slow Buffy down long enough for him to knock the sword out of her hand. He'd slice her in payment for the blood dripping down his arms and legs.
Buffy felt him pull on his magic and her anger flared so hot and bright, that a golden shimmer outlined her body. The Mound immediately responded, detecting a threat to her. The high ceiling split apart and a branch of the roses fell down. It shot across the room, straight at Conri wrapping around his feet. The sharp knife-life thorns cut into his legs, while it hauled him up, until he hung ten foot from the ground.
"What manner of trickery is this? You have no honor, Lady. You said no magic, yet the roses attack me." Blood dripped down his legs, not to mention from the cuts Buffy gave him.
The roses shook him for lying. "I think you should be careful, Corny, my friend doesn't like liars. You were calling on your hand of power and that is why you are, well, where you are."
"I did no such thing. You have no proof and no right to treat me this way. Release me, immediately, you have no proof. You only prove that a true Sidhe is the only proper leader, not some half-human or whatever you are."
The court held its breath, waiting to see what Buffy would do. They knew what Andais would have done were she still queen. All eyes turned to Buffy as she walked around Conri. Buffy looked up at him with her head tilted to the side as if she'd never seen anyone like him before.
"Let's put this before the houses for a vote. Is there someone here knowledgeable in all types of magic?"
"I am, Lady." A tiny Dryad, a tree nymph, stepped forward. Her green skin was darker than Galen's, holly leaves streamed through her hair and pale green looked from an ageless face. She could be twenty or two thousand.
"What is your name?" Buffy took in the tiny green woman was reminded of Lothlorien.
"Rowan," she said proudly with her tiny shoulders square and her head held high. "My house continues in the old ways to ensure the knowledge is not lost. We lost some of our natural magic like all the fey, but our learned magic is strong."
"Do you know how to trace a line of power back to its source?" Buffy watched the tiny creature with interest.
Rowan nodded then moved to the center of the floor, placing herself directly between Buffy and Conri. She closed her eyes while her green lips chanted silently. Her eyes flew open and fine green mist raised from her the ground around her feet. It hovered in the air before moving through the open area like a bloodhound, stopping and starting several times. It flared a bright white where Conri previously stood, then shot across the room straight into his chest.
Conri's back arched and a scream burst from his lips. He struggled to get down but only caused the thorns to cut deeper into his skin.
Buffy turned to the crowd; this would be their first test at deciding on the way their world should evolve. Shouts came from all directions. "Kill him!" "Send him to Ezekial." "Punish him, Lady."
Her shoulders sagged, realizing how far they had to go to create a fair system of laws. The shouts stopped when her hand went up. "You have to learn to balance justice and mercy. Conri," she said and the roses dropped him at her feet, "you have been found guilty of breaking the rules of a challenge. You tried to use magic when you couldn't win straight up. I pass sentence on you. You will not be killed or sent to Ezekial." The court complained loudly at not getting their pound of flesh. "Since you do not understand or honor your gift it will be taken from you. You are no longer needed as a guard. Perhaps one of the other houses will take pity on you and take you in."
Complete silence met her sentence; the mere thought of their remaining power being stripped from them left everyone in shock. How could this be? What would this mean to them all?
"You can't do that, I will be defenseless."
"Merry survived without a hand of power, until only a year ago. I am confident that you can do the same. Anyone who abuses magic to harm or kill another will lose that power." Her words vibrated throughout the hall and their minds. Buffy waited for her words to sink in before she continued with the rest of her announcement. "If the situation is severe enough they could be banished from court and stripped of all things fey. I am not playing here people. You better believe the new laws will be fair but the punishment will be harsh and swift." With that said Buffy walked over to the rose vine and stepped into a loop that fit her foot. She grabbed hold of the vine and it receded into the ceiling, disappearing with Buffy safely in tow. The minute she was gone, the hole closed behind her.
"What just happened?" Merry asked Rhys, her heart was still beating a mile a minute. It was over so quickly that she was still processing what she heard and saw. She watched Conri crawl to his hands and knees.
No one came forward to help him, they were too afraid of being associated with someone who broke their word. Conri broke the one rule no fey would ever consider doing. The normal sentence was banishment from the court or death, the court wasn't sure he was given a better deal. To be among the court with no means to defend yourself was as good as a death sentence.
Conri stood up with an effort and Fflur, the court healer, approached him. Fflur searched him for serious injuries but quickly realized that although the wounds continued to bleed they weren't life threatening. Her healer's eyes saw something else, something deeper that was missing. She knew it was Conri's magic.
The roses softly deposited Buffy in her room then receded to their place in the arbor. She played the last half hour over in her mind.
Kitto slipped from the court worried about his newest friend. He quickly made his way to the 'queen's rooms.' Several ladies tried to catch his eye but he was too concerned for Buffy. His life changed drastically when Merry accepted him as part of the treaty with the Goblins. It was the first time he ever knew any sense of freedom. She was good to him, even cared for him, but would have returned to Kurag's court. It was politics and nothing that she could do for fear of war. Given the same situation, Kitto didn't see Buffy quietly handing over anyone she cared for or decided to protect. He wasn't sure how he knew but he was certain of it nonetheless.
When he stood outside Buffy's rooms, he noticed the doors were once again solid with visible way to enter. Suddenly, the door split opening for him, which allowed Kitto to walk inside only to seam shut once more. "Lady Buffy, are you all right?" He asked quietly from just inside the door, where he watched her pace furiously.
She stopped at the sound of his voice. "Hey Kit." Buffy smiled at her new friend. "I'm fine just pissed off. I expected someone to pull what Corndog did. The court's reaction and thirst for blood is what has me so pissed off. How do I make them understand? What they wish on someone else as punishment for their amusement can become law for all future acts. Don't they see the laws will be for everyone? They are going to have to learn a different way to have a good time."
Kitto watched her silently, absorbing everything she said before he spoke. "Buffy, they have lived this way for hundreds, even thousands, of years. It won't change overnight. You are powerful but no one is that powerful. They have known Andais rule for a thousand years, in that time, she became crueler as her powers faded with the fey. Many think it would have been different if Owain hadn't died in the wars. She loved him and almost went mad in her grief."
Buffy smiled at him. His quiet ways reminded her more and more of Frodo. "Kit, you are a very wise man. I'm glad that you are here and that we will get a chance to become good friends. Come sit with me and tell me about yourself." She put her hand out the 'new' Sidhe.
Kitto walked over to sit beside her. "My life is nothing special; during the wars a snake Goblin raped my mother. She was a Sidhe. Neither the Sidhe nor the Goblins accepted me. I am half-Goblin and their laws decree that they give me shelter. That is all they gave. My looks and white skin were tasty, so I have heard a thousand times." He couldn't stop the shudder that memory brought back. In his mind, the things done to him for hundreds of years played out. His voice dropped down to a whisper while he guiltily looked away. He jumped when he felt a soft hand tenderly caress his cheek.
Buffy gently turned Kitto's face back toward her. "You have nothing to be afraid of Kit. No one will ever hurt you again, I promise. Tell me the rest, then you can put it in the past, where it belongs."
He looked at her with his navy within black eyes and nodded. "My former master took particular pleasure in giving me to her friends. The Goblins crave the taste of Sidhe flesh above all other things, even half-Sidhe. They took great pleasure in watching me heal after they were through. My master took her pleasure in watching and providing instructions. When Kurag gave me to Merry, it was meant as an insult and a test. No one expected her to accept. Merry is the first person to treat me like a person. But," he sighed heavily, "she never saw me as a man, not a real man. My size caused her to think of me as a boy or child."
"Most people only look at a person's outside, then decide who or what they are in inside. It takes someone who has been misjudged themselves to learn to look deeper. Very rarely do you find someone, anyone who comes to that conclusion naturally. People look at me and see a small blonde and automatically think stupid and weak. I admit that I use it to my advantage on lots of occasions, but it gets old after a while. Anyone can see that you are an intelligent, insightful man, if they take the time. You remind me of an old friend. He carried a heavy burden that ate at his soul. Frodo saved our world." A beautiful smile graced her lips as her mind looked back at her friendship with the brave little Hobbit.
Kitto watched her closely; her words sparked the light of hope that he thought died long ago. He couldn't help the fear that thought brought rushing over him as well. Buffy watched the emotions play over his face. She brushed through his long cape of hair. He turned to lay his cheek in hand.
"You aren't responsible for the way you came into this world, only for what you do while you are here. Take it from someone who knows what it feels like to hate what you are, only to come to terms with it. You have to learn to see yourself the way that people who cares for you see you, the way that I see you." Large hazel eyes searched tri-colored navy depths. She pushed her senses out, searching for that buried piece of herself inside Kitto's inner being. The spark that Buffy lit glowed brightly in Kitto; she knew it was his own inner light that fed the glow. "Close your eyes, Kit." He did it without question, causing Buffy to smile sadly. She knew that he trusted her but a large part of his response his history's fault. "I want you to take slow deep breathes. That's right. I'm going to show you what you look like, where it counts." Buffy took a deep breath, then softly blew it across his face.
Sparks flashed behind Kitto's eyes and when they stopped, he felt his heart start to pound. He saw a tall, strong man with long dark hair who was handsome but there was something more to him. There was a silver light surrounding him and the light came from inside him. Kitto's eye flew open to find large hazel ones looking at him with understanding and kindness. "That is what I look like to you, Buffy. How could that be me, I am not anyone important, I don't even have a hand of power."
Her eyebrow rose but she smiled at him. "Are you sure about that Kit? I could have sworn there was one floating around when we did the whole presto chango, make Kit grow."
His eyes went wide when her words finally sunk in. "You mean that I have a hand of power. What is it; I mean what do I control?"
"What fun would it be if I told you? I promise that it is perfect for you and that you will know how and when to use it. Now, I am going to turn in and hopefully not have any dreams." The last she said under her breath but Kitto heard her.
"I want you to remember that I am always here for you anytime, day or night. Promise me that you will let me know if you need someone to talk to."