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"We've been walking forever." Cordelia's voice rose, once more, over
the crunching footsteps of the travellers. "And, look at this, I have
icky tree blood all over my dress. Oh, and did I mention that this
is now my only dress?" Xander opened his mouth to say something, but stopped as Willow pointed
through the trees. "Look!" A long, grey wall cut its way through the forest. They made their
way along the wall until they came to a small gate. Xander motioned for Willow and Cordelia to gather around him. "Alright.
While we're here the two of you must avoid drawing attention to yourselves.
I'll find some transport and we can continue east. It's probably
best that nobody knows you're here. This city is renowned as being
the home of some rather…" He paused, eyes flickering as he recalled
his last visit to this city. "…unsavoury types" Willow glanced through the gate. Not much was visible; a cobble-stoned
alleyway led between two houses. Beyond the houses Willow could make
out a wide and bustling street. As she looked through into the city she realised that this was a
perfect opportunity. "I'm not going." Xander and Cordelia both stared at Willow, hardly comprehending what
she had said. "I'm not going east with you," Willow clarified. "I… I have to find
Buffy," she added, more to herself than them. Xander placed a hand on Willow's shoulder. "Princess, I know you're
worried about Buffy—we're all worried about her—but the best thing
you can do is to follow your father's orders." "What?" Willow frowned. "Worried about her?" "You won't be a lot of good to anyone if you go and get yourself
captured too," Cordelia continued, "Besides, it's not like you were
best friends; you haven't even seen her in, like, ten years." "She was captured?" Willow stared at her companions. Cordelia flicked her hair in annoyance; choosing to ignore Willow.
"Xander, I don't care where we go as long as we can find a
respectable inn where I can wash beforehand. I smell of forest
and walking and all sorts of ewwy things." "You're not wrong," Xander answered wryly. Willow was deep in thought as her companions quarrelled. If Buffy
had been captured by this big bad, then she would just have to go
rescue her. "I'm going to rescue Buffy!" she announced. "You're going to just wander up to the necromancer's lair, ask nicely,
and hope they give her back?" Cordelia asked with contempt. "Necromancers!?" Xander demanded. "Where did you hear that." "I have my sources," the maid answered, flicking her hair over her
shoulder. "Ahh, the local gossips. How could I ever doubt their words," Xander
responded sarcastically. "Necromancers?" Willow asked. "Do you have any idea how to find them?" "Of course. Just go north until you get to the black mountains. Or…
or maybe west to the Boiling Sea…" "Not that we're going anywhere." Xander added, shooting Cordelia
a death glare. "Yes we are!" Willow glared at the two of them. "And, I don't need
you two anyway. If you won't come with me, I'll go on my own!" "Willow, you can't be serious. This isn't princess work, it's something
knights or princes should be doing." Cordelia looked pleadingly at
the seemingly-insane girl. "Well, knights and princes aren't doing it, are they?" Willow
looked determinedly at Cordelia and Xander. "So I'll have to do it" …………………… "Sent away?" Oz was shocked. "Yes, I sent my daughter east only three days ago," the king explained.
"I felt it was the best thing to do. You know the way things have
been of late. It's best she's safely out of harm's way." "Sire!" Tucker burst into the room. "What is it!?" The king demanded, outraged by the groom's lack of
courtesy. "Pascal and Pixie, the carriage horses sent out with your daughter.
They've just been found!" …………………… Cordelia admired herself in the mirror, turning to the princess.
"Shall I brush your hair?" she asked while looking disdainfully at
Willow's long hair. "It looks like you haven't brushed it in a month." Willow stood up. "No, I don't want my hair brushed, I don't want
to be dressed, or to be called princess. I don't want any of
that. I just want my life to be normal again!" Casting her eyes around
she spotted Xander's dagger, lying in its sheath on the table. She
pulled the knife angrily from the sheath. Cordelia stared at the girl, eyes wide. "Willow…" Willow gathered her hair together. Holding it firmly she sliced straight
through; piles of coppery hair falling to the floor. Cordelia shrieked and dropped to her knees, grabbing at the hair
that lay there. "Cordelia." Willow placed a hand on the other girl's shoulder. Cordelia
looked up, her eyes brimming with tears. "It's not like it's a big
deal. It's just hair." Cordelia stared at the princess whose hair now fell jaggedly to just
above her shoulders. "Besides, there's less there for you to have to brush now." Willow
added. The door burst open. "Princess!" Xander stood in the doorway, sword
drawn. "I heard screaming!" He glanced, confused around the room.
"What's wrong?" He demanded. "Look!" Cordelia pointed at Willow, eyes wide. "What is it?" Xander sheathed his sword, running to Willow's side.
"Are you hurt?" "Just look at her." Cordelia shrieked. "Look at what?" Xander stared at Willow. "She cut off all her hair!" Cordelia hit Xander with her brush as
she spoke. "Oh?" Xander did a double-take. "Oh!" His eyes widened and he jumped
back. "You cut off all your hair!" "Yeah." Willow nudged the pile of hair with her toe. "I was going
for a new look." "Your father's going to kill you," Xander said before turning to
Cordelia. "Her father's going to kill you." "I tried to stop her; she had a knife!" Cordelia's lip trembled as
she spoke. "Everyone!" Willow raised her voice, and the pair turned to stare
at her. "It's no big deal! Anyway, did you get the information?" Xander, unwillingly, handed her a small piece of parchment. Willow examined the map. "And, we just go here to get information
on these necromancer guys?" "So I'm told." Xander answered. "Listen, are you sure you want to
do this? It's not too late to get a carriage east. Or, home," he suggested.
"You could go home if you wanted. Is that why you're doing all this?" "Xander, how you can you even think about just sitting around while
the princesses are in danger?" Willow demanded. "You're supposed to
be a hero!" "I know, but, the first princess I'm concerned with protecting is
you, Willow," he answered. "Well then, you'd better come with me." She turned to Cordelia. "You
don't have to come along, you can go home if you'd like." "And let you wander around looking like a common ruffian!?" Cordelia
shook her head. "I could never forgive myself." "Well then, let's get going!" …………………… The Enchanted Forest? Anything could have happened to Willow.
She could have been captured, or worse… Oz tried to block out
the images as he urged his horse into a gallop. ** The Polydian palace gardens were quite a sight. Exotic flowers
bloomed at every turn, the ground was blanketed in lush, green grass
and brightly coloured parrots winged their way between the trees.
A scream sounded, piercing the peaceful silence of the garden. Oz
raced around the corner. Willow's hand-maiden was standing at the edge of the fountain, frantically
calling to the princess. As Oz watched a delicate white hand reached
up, grasping Cordelia by the arm and pulling her into the water. An indignant shriek was followed by frenzied splashing and in a moment
two heads appeared over the rim of the fountain. Oz couldn't help
but smile as the princess emerged from the water; cheeks flushed and
face beaming with joy. Is that really how it happened? ** Oz frowned slightly, it was as if there were something else. A strange
memory flashed through his mind; a different fountain in a different
garden. Princess Willow beaming up at him. Sunnydale? The strange thoughts played across his mind as he rode into the evening
and the enchanted forest appeared on the horizon. …………………… "Well, well, what do we have here?" the speaker pondered with a smirk.
Nestled in the rooftops he was almost invisible; a lithe, fierce shape
clad in fitted black clothes and shrouded by a heavy black cape. "Sire?" A skinny young man approached. An ugly scar ran down his
cheek, twisting his mouth into a permanent sneer. A small group trudged quietly through the grimy, dusty alley below.
The leader of the group held a rough, hand-drawn map. "Captain of the royal guard." The scarred man stared at the Prince of Thieves. "So then they…" "Belong to the Polydian monarch." The Prince eyed the group- brilliant
blue eyes glimmering with anticipation at what he saw. "The dark-haired one, she looks like she's well-bred," Scar-face
pointed out. "Get the rest of the boys." The Prince ordered. "This is our lucky
day." …………………… Willow couldn't help but marvel at Cordelia as they walked. She had
never known anyone to give off such an aura of sheer disgust as the
uppity hand-maiden was giving off then. "Not far to go." Xander assured them. "Now, whatever you do, make
sure you…" His words were cut off as a man quite literally fell out
of the sky in front of them, landing expertly on his feet. "Uh… is this the guy?" Willow asked, looking up at Xander. Cordelia let out a shriek as several men landed behind her. They're jumping from the buildings! Willow realised. In a matter of seconds they were surrounded; a good forty men - at
least, stood in the dusty alley, eyeing the small group with an unmistakably
predatory air. In front of them there seemed to be a small commotion amongst the
men. They parted and a figure stepped forward. The first thing Willow noticed about him was the regal air he gave
off. The second was the feeling of fierce power and danger. He wore expensive black leather and a small black mask. Like Zorro,
Willow thought. He smirked as he stepped forward and the realisation hit her. "How did you…" She was cut off as Xander stepped forward protectively.
"We have nothing of value. Leave us in peace, fiend." "What if I don't want to?" he purred, eyeing Cordelia and Willow "They're none of your concern!" Xander responded fiercely as Cordelia
clung to his arm- brown eyes wide with terror. "I'm wondering what two young ladies and the king's lapdog are doing
skulking around my city." The Prince mused. "What do you want?" Xander demanded. "What do I want?" He fixed Xander with an amused, yet fierce look.
"Your riches, your money… and her."
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