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Part 22
As William approached the castle gates, ran into
Xander, literally. “Hey, watch where you’re going! You… your
Highness. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. It’s entirely
my fault.”
“It’s alright, Xander.” William shook his
head, as if to clear his thoughts. “I was a bit distracted myself.
Now, where are you off to in such a hurry?”
“Oh, well I was going home to check on the Princess of Rosenberg. You see, none of us could stay all day with her today, so I need to go see if she’s alive.”
“I doubt that spending one day alone is difficult enough to cause the princess serious harm. Besides, she’s not alone. Anya’s there with her.”
“No she isn’t. She’s inside the castle, working on a charm for your mother.”
“Of course she is. I was just walking by your home, and there was this flash of light, and then a puff of smoke. If it wasn’t Anya working on one of her spells, then what could it have been?”
“Trouble.” Xander tuned and ran back through the gates in search of help.
Searching for anyone who would be able to help him, Xander raced blindly through the corridors, unknowingly passing Cordelia.
“Slow down there, Xander. I know you enjoy your job, but it think this is taking things too far.”
“Cordelia,” Xander paused to catch his breath and explain the situation to the brunette. “There’s a problem with Willow.”
“You mean besides the fact that she has absolutely nothing to wear to the ball? How does she expect to win over one of the noblemen in those clothes?”
“Yes Cordy, more important than that. I don’t know what, but Prince William was just walking past the house when…”
“He went by the house today? And she was in the garden, right? I knew it. He saw her with dirt on her hands and her hair a mess and decided to have nothing to do with her, right?”
“No. Just let me finish, please. He didn’t see her at all. But he saw a flash of light and some smoke.”
“So Anya’s just doing some casting with her today.”
“No, that’s just it. Anya’s not there today. Tomorrow’s her turn. I was on my way out to check on Willow when I ran into the Prince.”
“But if Anya didn’t do it, then… Willow hasn’t taken up greenwitchery, has she?”
“No. Cordelia, focus. The Queen of Rosenberg wants her dead. She knows magic. None of us were there to protect Willow. Come on, we’ve got to find Buffy. Or Giles.”
“Why, has Anya been teaching them magic, too?”
Sighing, Xander pulled Cordelia along as he went in search of the others.
* * * * *
“So you think that Queen Sheila went after her today while we were all at the castle.”
“Yes, Cordelia, we do.”
“Well, then, why didn’t you say so?”
“Because most of us had already figured it out.”
“Well, excuse me for not being a rocket scientist, or… or a historian. I have more important things on my mind.”
“You know, Sheila sure is lucky when it comes to finding Willow when she’s alone.”
“What are you suggesting, Buffy?”
“Hmm? Oh, nothing. I was just making an observation. I wonder how she does it though.”
“You don’t think she has spies here in Sunnydale, do you?”
“No, Jesse, but it is a possibility. I mean, anyone could tell her that Willow’s still alive. And there are several people who know our schedules and know when we’re not going to be there with her.”
“Wait a minute, Buffy. We don’t know for sure that Sheila’s done anything, this time.”
“How else do you explain what the Prince saw?”
“She was cleaning and accidentally mixed some of my supplies together?” Six pairs of eyes turned to stare skeptically at the witch. “It was just a suggestion.”
“Yes, well, when we talk to Willow, if in fact it’s not Sheila’s handiwork, we will have a discussion on where to put things that shouldn’t be touched by others.”
“And if it was the Queen?”
“Then we will have to make doubly sure that she is not left alone again.”
“We tried that already, G.”
“Yes, well, this time, we’ll make sure that it works.”
“If you say so, Giles. We can… Oh, no, Willow!”
Jesse stopped just inside the door of their home when he saw the redheaded
princess sprawled at his feet. The others stopped just behind him,
their lively comments fading into a silence laced with sadness. “Not
again,” he whispered as they began to search the room for the cause of
their friend’s third death.
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