The next few days were rather strange. Anton, Spike and Xander fell back easily into their usual patterns of rising late then working through until late evening on their various interests.
The others were in half ‘vacation’ mode, spending leisurely mornings riding and enjoying their beautiful venue. Willow and Buffy sometimes ventured into the town to revel in a market day or concert at the spectacular venue.
Anton arranged a private study for Giles to work in, along with a cell phone and an internet line – the latter Willow inevitably used.
Giles worked tirelessly, researching carefully, then contacting the various sympathetic watchers and their charges. After the first few days he began to draw on Willow and Buffy to hold the conversations with slayers as the required ‘chit chat’ with the relatively young girls involved, was simply not his forte.
By the end of the first week, there were eleven watchers and nineteen slayers heading for St Petersburg. By the end of day ten, there were close to forty five watcher/slayer individuals due to visit Mistress Minna’s summer estate… They had yet to establish the vampire numbers likely to attend.
Xander, Spike, Giles and Willow were picked up by helicopter and flown to Zurich for their late night flight to St Petersburg, this time on a commercial plane. It was a Monday evening, two weeks exactly after the Court gathering.
They were collected from the plane by one of Mistress Minna’s staff. The attractive dark driver, a vampire originally from Siberia, all but prostrated himself in the middle of a public airport as the High Master and his Consort walked up the exit ramp toward him. He had never felt such power. It rolled off them both as they strode confidently into the terminus. There was a darkly powerful witch and an old watcher behind them, but they were of little consequence in comparison to the ruling couple.
Spike was used to minions showing respect and was comfortable with the courtly actions of other Masters, so took the deep bowing, the lowered eyes and proffered neck in his stride. He simply lifted the vampire by grasping his upper arms, and in an act that would have been interpreted as a brotherly kiss to the neck to any observing, pierced the skin but did not draw more than a teaspoon of fluid, then laved the wound shut, and thanked the newly made Childe for the courtesy.
Both master and consort worried a little as it appeared the driver might collapse with the emotion of the moment since he swayed seemingly overcome by the supreme ruler showing him such respect. Xander moved quickly, held the driver and kissed Spike’s puncture marks, then waited as the young vampire regained his senses.
After that, the rather overwhelmed fledge stuttered his greetings and thanks, and as he led them toward an ancient black Mercedes limousine Xander queried, “You hardly had a mouthful?” Spike whispered to Xan, “No need to take the lad’s blood, ate well on the plane didn’t I.” Xander grinned at just what had been eaten… the ‘mile high club’ had new members on their St Petersburg route, and Xander was thankful for the full length beds in first class, the low lighting and discrete attendants on the night flight.
Even though Willow and Giles had witnessed the deference the various delegations had shown to Spike and Xander at the court, they were *utterly* unprepared for the royal treatment the lesser vampires of the northern clans displayed to the ruling couple as they arrived at Mistress Minna’s abode.
Xander and Spike had changed into their customary matching leather coats before the car made its way up a wide paved driveway to the extraordinarily elegant, three hundred year old… castle. Staff and visiting vampires were lined up either side of a broad dark green carpet that extended from the ornate entrance to where the car stopped.
As Xander and Spike alighted, without exception the staff and all present prostrated themselves in a low kneel and tipped their necks to the side as was custom, offering their life force to the High Master. Spike was gracious, as was his Consort. He thanked each in turn, lifting faces to say a kind word; engaging them in simple conversation; or when the minion or fledge was too overwhelmed to speak, simply stroking their turning mark. Xander followed Spike’s example.
The two humans followed along behind in awe of the scene, Willow not failing to notice that several of the vampires were in tears after royal couple passed. One smaller female minion even needing assistance as she collapsed following Spike’s touch. Mistress Minna waited at the top of the stairs and dropped to a kneel as Spike approached. The beautiful vampiress tilted her head to the side in the same motion in the same action as all her staff and court. She shifted her obviously meticulously coiffed hair to the other side and waited.
Spike leaned down, stroked her mark then shifted visage and bit down in a reassuring act. He did not lick the wound closed, instead Xander also partook of a mouthful before Spike opened his wrist to the Mistress as Xander licked the now healing bite. Mistress Minna was lifted quietly to her feet and they paused for a moment. Minna gathered her thoughts then welcomed them in the ancient Vampire tongue and as Spike simply offered his thanks on behalf of the clans.
Giles was utterly stunned. Nothing in any of the Watcher’s books had ever mentioned this type of thing, the procession, the reverence paid a High Master, the ceremony in this situation. But then a Mated Consort and High Master were so rare, and a Watcher’s attendance to the Northern Court so unique that there was no precedent.
It was nearing dawn, and all parties were led to their rooms as the ‘help’ was debriefed. For all those who except perhaps the Mistress herself, the staff and younger vampires were utterly unprepared for the ‘feel’ of the High Master and his partner… his Consort. Not only were they impressed by the look, the gracious gestures, and magnanimous comments, but the sheer magical power of the High Master was like nothing they had ever experienced. They had all heard of both Master and Consort’s deadly acts and their acts of bravery, and now to see them in the flesh and feel the power was confirmation of all the rumors. Several of the young female minions swooned as the others spoke and they remembered their own experience of the High Master’s touch. He and the Consort were so beautiful, black leather head to foot and obvious access to their mutual claiming points. They were all so proud that their Mistress was the one chosen to assist the High Master… so very, very proud.
Mistress Minna did not stay for the ensuing conversation, but walked slowly to her quarters deep in thought. The were certainly challenges ahead.
………………..
Willow and Giles retired quickly to adjoining rooms, both rather relieved to find an evening drink, pre warmed beds and an access doors between suites. They changed quickly into comfort clothes then Willow, brandy in hand, knocked quietly on the door.
Giles opened the door and was about to speak but the Wiccan jumped in first. “They really are a royal couple aren’t they?”
Giles picked up his own glass, downed it in one then refilled from the provided carafe, “Indeed it would seem so.”
“But Xander with the blood drinking and the bowing and…”
“….Is entirely consistent with the traditions it seems. Willow I am in no way proposing that I have insight into at least ninety percent of all this.” He took a solid swig of the newly poured drink. “Indeed I am quite out of my league. The Watchers have always treated these creatures… as just that… lesser beings! Not realizing that they have structures and traditions and are protective of their ‘food sources’ albeit humans… but Willow I am at a loss! I heard it and acknowledged it but had no clue how complex this all was. And yet Spike *and* Xander do… and are making it work in the modern day context.
“Oh Willow.” The older man slumped. His own dismay with the Council, travel, fatigue, illness, and the effects of the alcohol in his hand all taking their toll. “How can I face them tomorrow, when we both know that these clans are saving the humans around them while we try to kill the minders!
“We will face them with barely trained Watchers and Slayers who don’t represent the central opinion of the Council while we try to explain the current divide and what we have seen… and… My God Willow, did you feel the power?! Xander… and Spike… ? I have been around for a long time and done things I’d prefer not to remember, but they *are* the rulers of Europe. Responsible, discerning and powerful rulers. If we fail… if the Council declares war… what will happen?!”
Willow moved quickly and grabbed the free hand of her exhausted companion“The wiccan community, a fair number of the demon community and the entire vampire world with come together and fight for balance. It will be bloody and violent and horrid. Or we can do that earlier… Giles we just need to stay focused. Come on sweetie let me do something for you.”
She took the old man’s now empty glass and placed it on a side table then led him to the large four poster bed, helped him out of his shirt, let him remove his own pants then tucked him under the richly brocaded covers. He was asleep almost before she switched off the light.
She left the door open. Their dear friend was as dedicated as ever but she feared, not well. She worried.