BTVS fic: An Errant Quest
Mar. 10th, 2014 07:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
craterdwellerSummary: Buffy thinks Excalibur may be just what she needs to defeat Glory. Set in Season 5 BTVS between the episodes "The Weight of the World" and "The Gift" and immediately after Season 1 Merlin episode "Excalibur".
Content Notes: Rating PG
Word Count: 1081
“Buffy, you can’t be serious!”
“Do you have a better idea, Giles? We’re running out of time. And this sword sounds like it would be powerful enough to slay Glory.”
“Buffy, Excalibur is a myth. A legend.”
“Yeah, well they say that about the Slayer too.”
Giles sighed and ran a hand through his hair. This plan to open a portal to the mythical Camelot to retrieve Excalibur was nothing short of madness. But his Slayer was determined. And rather frightened. Glory had Dawn and time was running out. He limped towards his weapons chest. It was long past time for another dose of painkillers, but he didn’t want to invoke powerful magics while numb. He grabbed one of his favorite swords and turned to Willow, “Do you have everything you need to open the portal?”
“Yeah. We’re just about ready,” Willow replied.
He turned to Buffy, “Alright, let’s go.”
“Giles, you’re not going.”
“What! Buffy, I’m the most likely person to fit in and”
She cut him off. “Giles, you’re wounded. You almost died. I won’t risk you.”
“Buffy, I’m fine. I’m going. I’m not going to let you do this alone!” Giles rarely raised his voice, even when angry, so the fact that he was now shouting was something that gave everyone pause.
Buffy hated what she had to do next. Please forgive me, Giles. She gently, but firmly poked the Watcher in his wounded side. He fell to his knees in agony. Buffy showed him her fingers that were now wet with fresh blood. “You’re not going, Giles.” She turned and strode towards the portal. “Besides, if this doesn’t work, I need you here to rescue, Dawn. Wish me luck.” She looked back, but Giles, still on his knees, would not look at her. Without another word, she and Willow went through the portal.
They landed hard, in a meadow just outside of Camelot. Buffy brushed herself off and offered a hand to Willow.
Willow slapped Buffy’s hand away and glared. “Did you have to hurt him, Buffy? After everything he’s done for you?”
She held up her hand that still had her Watcher’s blood on it. “He should be in the hospital, Willow! I’m trying to keep him safe!” She stormed off in the direction of the castle.
Willow hurried after her friend. Damn her and her Slayer stubbornness! Hasn’t she learned by now that things never go well when she and Giles aren’t on the same page. They hadn’t traveled far when they came across two men about their age. The dark haired one introduced himself as Merlin. “Merlin! The Merlin? Buffy, this is perfect! I’m Willow and I’m a witch. Well still learning but, “
“Did you say you were a witch?” The blonde asked.
“Yes, and”
“NO! That’s not what she said,” Merlin tried to cover.
“Merlin, you need to have Gaius clean your ears. As for you two, you are under arrest.”
Buffy, already in an ill-temper, “For what? What crime?”
“Your crime is sorcery, an offense punishable by death. This one has admitted her crimes.” He motioned for the guards that had now caught up to them. “Take them to my father.”
Buffy struggled, knocking two of the guards unconscious, but when one held his sword at Willow’s throat she was forced to submit. She sent a glare to her friend. Way to keep a low profile.
But they were in for an even greater shock. When they were brought before the King, they discovered he looked exactly like Giles.
“I told you to stay in Sunnydale!”
The guard shoved her roughly to her knees. “You will not address the King with such disrespect!”
Uther approached the pair. “What is going on here? Why have these two been brought before me?” The last was directed at his son, Prince Arthur.
“We found them in the east meadow. The red-haired one admits to being a witch.”
“Is this true?” Uther demanded of the blonde.
“Damnit Giles. Let me up. I’m sorry you’re feelings were hurt, but we don’t have time for this.”
“Who is this, Giles? I am King Uther Pendragon, and you have been accused of sorcery. A crime punishable by death. Do you deny this charge?”
“Look. My name is Buffy and I came all the way from Sunnydale in the future to get a sword. You may have heard of it. Excalibur.”
Merlin gasped, but everyone was too shocked at the way Buffy was speaking to the King to notice. He slipped quietly from the room.
“Where is this Sunnydale? And how did you get here? You have no horses.”
Too angry to think before speaking Buffy retorted, “I told you, by a magic portal.” She realized her mistake too late when everyone gasped.
“You are hereby sentenced to die by burning, at dawn tomorrow. Take them to the dungeon!”
Neither spoke as the cell door slammed behind them. But both had the same thought. I wish Giles were here. He’d find a way out of this.
Meanwhile, back in present day Sunnydale, a very agitated Rupert Giles gathered magical ingredients together. Xander, for once, remained silent while Anya assisted her boss. “Giles, are you sure you don’t need me in the circle?”
The Watcher shook his head. “Thank you, Anya. But if this doesn’t work, you are the only other person who can bring them back.” He smiled reassuringly at her, although neither felt particularly reassured. He took several deep breaths to focus and stepped into the circle. The air inside the Magic Box became statically charged from all the magical energies. A wind rustled papers on the table and a thrumming sound gained in intensity as Giles recited something in Sumerian. There was a clap of thunder as he shouted the last phrase of the spell and then a flash of light. The Watcher collapsed to the floor. Blood streamed from his nose.
A startled Slayer and Witch picked themselves off the floor. “What happened?” Willow asked.
“Giles!” Buffy rushed to her Watcher’s side and carefully turned him onto his back. She flinched when she saw all the blood. “Giles?”
“Well at least you found the sword,” Xander said as he pointed to the sword with all the markings on it.
“Uh, that wasn’t us.”
Merlin hoped the dragon wouldn’t be too upset. Originally he’d planned to toss Excalibur into a deep lake far from Camelot. But what could be further than a distant land far into the future?
