Post by Betty on Sept 8, 2012 22:38:38 GMT -7
“I know he loves you Buffy. Just, for reasons I have no idea, he’s fighting it. You’re just gonna have to tell him.”
“I’m action girl, remember? I’m not good with the talking.”
“You might have been warrior Barbie in another life, Buffy. But there’s also a highly intelligent, exponentially powerful Istari in there as well. If you can’t tell him, then show him. Make him see what’s right in front of his face.”
“You know?” Buffy sniffled and swiped at her nose. “You really should take your own advice sometime.”
“What do you mean?”
“What do I mean?” She flicked the tip of his ear harshly. “Uh, hello!”
Angel immediately reached for the sore spot. “Ow. What was that for?”
“I’m talking about the six-foot-tall, brown haired, blue eyed, goes by the Elvish word for Lady, sister to your best friends who also happens to be the object of my soul mate’s infatuation and the Elleth you’re completely gaga for.”
Angel shook his head, chuckling softly. He then wrapped his arm around Buffy’s shoulders, holding her back against his side where he tucked her head under his chin. “Tell ya what? How about we both stop playing scared and defensive and go after what we really want for a change, huh? I mean that is one of the reasons we’re here, isn’t it; to finally have that chance at real happiness?”
Buffy shrugged. “That’s what they keep telling me.”
“So,” Angel pushed Buffy back and grasped her shoulders tenderly, holding her at half an arm’s length. “No more running?”
Buffy nodded her head, then looked confused before settling on shaking her head as the proper response, “No more running.”
The old friends and former lovers then shook hands as if to seal the agreement. They exchanged one final comforting embrace before turning back towards Imladris where a dwindling crowd was still gathered in the banquet hall.
Buffy was on a mission and to her delight, she didn’t have long to wait before her quarry made himself known. In fact, he seemed to have been seeking them out.
“Buffy! Ainan! I’m so glad you’ve returned. I have the most wonderful news. Come!” Buffy grinned at his excitement. He was very rarely so openly cheerful and it made her smile to see him so happy. Angel was right. She had to tell him how she really felt, no more waiting for him to come around.
As Aragorn took her by the hand, Buffy’s heart fluttered at the touch and she let him lead her over to a table where Elrond’s children were still sitting and talking adamantly. Aragorn helped Buffy to sit then walked to the other side of the table where he’d previously been sitting and grabbed his goblet. He then raised his knife and tinged the glass to catch the attention of the remaining crowd in the hall.
“My lords and ladies, if I might steal your attention a moment. You will have to forgive my demeanor, for I am a very happy man. For today the woman I love is here and my heart is full.” His eyes moved over the crowd and when they met Buffy’s, he gave her a soft smile, and for the briefest instant Buffy felt like she was floating... Only to come crashing harshly back to Earth when his gaze continued past her and fell upon Arwen, sitting to her left. “I have asked Arwen Undomiel if she would be my wife, and she has accepted. We are trothed.”
Aragorn’s hand extended towards the elleth and Arwen stood to join him. Buffy’s heart plummeted to her feet and for several moments she couldn’t breath. This wasn’t happening. She glanced over to Angel, wanting him to assure her this wasn’t happening, but when she saw in his gaze the very same panic and heart break that she was sure reflected in her own, she knew she hoped in vain.
The world suddenly faded around her. Aragorn’s mouth was moving but she didn’t hear his words. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening. A halo of light appeared in her vision, silhouetted around Aragorn’s frame and for the briefest of moments she saw him as he truly was. She was standing next to him and he was holding her hand, announcing their own engagement to a room full of different Elves and the entire Istari order.
“The wedding takes place in a fortnight and if I don’t see you all there I will be personally insulted.” Buffy gazed up into Eonwe/Aragorn’s eyes and felt true happiness stir in her soul. His hands moved to cup her face and her eyes closed as he leaned in to kiss her.
The vision left her suddenly and as she opened her eyes she was greeted with the visage of her lover kissing another woman. But he wasn’t her lover... Not in this life... Aragorn son of Arathorn was not bound to her in any sense of the word and was free to love whom he would... Even so, that didn’t make her broken heart hurt any less.
When Aragorn’s mouth stopped moving, the sound of congratulatory applause broke Buffy’s musings. She quickly brought her hand up and swiped at her eyes, wiping away the tears she hadn’t meant to cry. Angel had done a remarkably better job at hiding his inner turmoil. Damn that inherent Elvish stoicism.
When the twins stood, Angel followed but whereas the gwenyn moved to congratulate their sister, Angel stood back and just gazed at the happy couple. Well, glared was more like it. Buffy could see his jaw muscles clenching and working under his skin. Buffy knew what was coming but that didn’t stop her from silently pleading with him not to do it; not to leave her to face this alone. Her pleas fell on a closed mind and deaf ears, though, because before Buffy could say anything, Angel turned and stormed off; easily disappearing in the gathering crowd of well wishers.
So much for not running...
She couldn’t blame him, though. Buffy sure as hell felt like high-tailing it out of there, herself, at that moment. But she would do as she has when facing difficulty and strife; she fell back on her duty. It was her duty to be strong in the face of turmoil; her duty to be happy for friends who had inadvertently found happiness with no way of knowing of her sorrow.
By the time the crowd had dispersed back to their respective merry-making, Buffy had managed to compose herself. Even still, when Buffy approached the couple, she couldn’t hold the tears swimming in her eyes, though she hid them well behind a pleasant smile. “I’m so happy for you both!” Liar...
Buffy gave Aragorn a strong hug, and desperately fought back a fresh wave of emotions and tears at the friendly embrace that she remembered could so easily turn into so much more. When she pulled back, Buffy deliberately avoided looking him in the face and immediately turned to Arwen where she wrapped the elleth up in an equally strong hug.
When Arwen pulled back, she looked at Buffy quizzically. “Why do you cry, mellon?”
Buffy was deliberately shielding herself from the foresighted gaze that ran rampant in Arwen’s family. “Please, Arwen, these are happy tears of joy.” Buffy sniffled and swiped at her eyes, managing a smile that looked almost genuine. “Two of my best friends are tying the knot.” She took Arwen’s hands in hers and squeezed. “What’s not to be happy about?” Everything... Buffy grinned and let out a joyous bubble of laughter, though to anyone who might know better it actually sounded more like the near hysteric laughter of a woman close to her breaking point.
There was a sudden loud knocking and Buffy turned to look at the back table with the rest of the dining hall occupants. Angel was standing, holding a large glass of whatever ale they’d been serving. “A toast!” He said as he raised his glass, the rest of the room following suit. Buffy took a goblet from a passing server and lifted her glass, though her stomach was tying in knots. “May the Valar be with you and bless you.” He spoke as he placed his free hand over his heart. Buffy seemed to be the only one who could recognize the sarcasm in the gesture.
As he continued, Angel’s old Irish accent was bleeding into his Westron. “May you see your children's children. May you be poor in misfortunes and rich in blessings. And may you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.” A majority of the guests, mostly male, lightly pounded their own fists on the table in acknowledgment and support of Angel’s words. Despite appearances, this was not a happy Angel. The look in his eyes... It was almost reminiscent of what Buffy could remember of Angelus. Angel was anything but happy for the couple. “To the happy couple!” He finished.
“Huzzah!” Echoed from the small crowd, as everyone accepted the toast and drank.
Buffy pounded back her drink in one shot, then placed the empty goblet on a passing servant’s tray as she reached for another. Just as she was guzzling down her second, there was a sudden shout. “Sing!” Elledan cried, directing the command at Buffy.
“Yes, Buffy! Sing!” This came from Elrohir.
Buffy finished her drink as she adamantly shook her head in the negative. “Huh-uh. No way!”
“Oh, come on, Buffy! If any occasion calls for the skills of a minstrel bard, it is this one!” Elledan finished.
Buffy wiped her sleeve over her chin where a drop of her drink had accidently slipped from her cup in her surprise. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Oh, please, Buffy!” Elledan and Elrohir moved to kneel in front of her, each taking her hand and giving her their best puppy-dog eyes.
“Oh, Valar, not the eyes.” Buffy tried to look away. “Anything but the eyes!”
“Please?” They even went so far as elongating the “eee” and adding a little pout to their pleas.
Buffy groaned and wrenched her hand from their grip. “Fine! Sweet Varda, why did I ever teach you that?”
The twins shared equal grins of triumph, chuckling at her question. “Ah, Buffy, you may have opened the lesson book,” Elrohir started.
“However, it is we who wrote the manuscript.” Elledan finished, smugly.
Buffy rolled her eyes and waved them off like they were annoying her, which was fairly close to the truth. Then, as if that had been their cue, Elledan stood and left to retrieve Buffy’s mandolin. Elrohir moved to draw the curtain over the back wall where there was a small raised stage reserved specifically for the use of musicians. Elrohir placed a small stool in the center.
Buffy chanced a glance towards Angel, pleading with him to save her, however, the vampire turned elf was well into what looked like his 6th tankard of ale; he was obviously trying to get as drunk as possibl. Only problem there was he now had that amazing Elven metabolism to contend with. Buffy on the other hand was just a little half Istari, and had never been good at holding her liquor, even as a slayer. Four small goblets of wine in and Buffy was feeling pleasantly warm and tingly. So much so, that when Elledan returned with her mandolin, Buffy smiled as she took it from him.
“Thank you, Danny.” As she stood, she brushed a kiss over his cheek, making Elledan grin and Elrohir pout. That is until she brushed a kiss on his cheek as she walked by him as well.
After settling herself as comfortably on the small bench as she could, she crossed her legs and propped her mandolin upon her thigh. Buffy tuned the instrument as she strummed a few chords, until she was satisfied with its harmony. She didn’t have the foggiest idea of what she would sing. A few elven songs came to mind, however, as she began to play, her fingers seemed to have a mind of their own as they started playing a very old song. One she hadn’t heard in a long time. It wasn’t Elvish, or Rohirric, or even Westron. It was a song from her most recent past life and there was no way her fingers and her heart were going to let her out of playing it now that they’d started. Even if she could only count on one hand the number of people in this room who would understand it.
“When I look into your eyes,
It’s like watching the night sky,
Or a beautiful sunrise.
Well, there’s so much they hold.
And just like them old stars,
I see that you’ve come so far,
To be right where you are.
How old is your soul?
Well, I won’t give up on us,
Even if the skies get rough.
I’m giving you all my love.
I’m still lookin’ up.
And when you’re needing your space,
To do some navigating,
I’ll be here patiently waiting,
To see what you find.
‘Cause even the stars they burn,
Some even fall to the Earth.
We got a lot to learn.
Gods know we’re worth it.
No, I won’t give up!
I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily.
I'm here to stay and make the differences that I can make.
Our differences, they do a lot to teach us how to use the tools and gifts we got.
Yeah, we got a lot at stake.
And in the end, you're still my friend.
At least, we did intend for us to work.
We didn't break.
We didn't burn.
We had to learn, how to bend, without the world, caving in.
I had to learn, what I got, and what I'm not, and who I am.
I won't give up on us,
Even if the skies get rough.
I'm givin’ you all my love.
I'm still lookin’ up... Still lookin’ up.
Well, I won't give up on us.
Gods know I'm tough enough.
We've got a lot to learn.
Gods know we're worth it.
I won't give up on us,
Even if the skies get rough.
I'm givin’ you all my love.
I'm still lookin’ up.”
“I’m action girl, remember? I’m not good with the talking.”
“You might have been warrior Barbie in another life, Buffy. But there’s also a highly intelligent, exponentially powerful Istari in there as well. If you can’t tell him, then show him. Make him see what’s right in front of his face.”
“You know?” Buffy sniffled and swiped at her nose. “You really should take your own advice sometime.”
“What do you mean?”
“What do I mean?” She flicked the tip of his ear harshly. “Uh, hello!”
Angel immediately reached for the sore spot. “Ow. What was that for?”
“I’m talking about the six-foot-tall, brown haired, blue eyed, goes by the Elvish word for Lady, sister to your best friends who also happens to be the object of my soul mate’s infatuation and the Elleth you’re completely gaga for.”
Angel shook his head, chuckling softly. He then wrapped his arm around Buffy’s shoulders, holding her back against his side where he tucked her head under his chin. “Tell ya what? How about we both stop playing scared and defensive and go after what we really want for a change, huh? I mean that is one of the reasons we’re here, isn’t it; to finally have that chance at real happiness?”
Buffy shrugged. “That’s what they keep telling me.”
“So,” Angel pushed Buffy back and grasped her shoulders tenderly, holding her at half an arm’s length. “No more running?”
Buffy nodded her head, then looked confused before settling on shaking her head as the proper response, “No more running.”
The old friends and former lovers then shook hands as if to seal the agreement. They exchanged one final comforting embrace before turning back towards Imladris where a dwindling crowd was still gathered in the banquet hall.
Buffy was on a mission and to her delight, she didn’t have long to wait before her quarry made himself known. In fact, he seemed to have been seeking them out.
“Buffy! Ainan! I’m so glad you’ve returned. I have the most wonderful news. Come!” Buffy grinned at his excitement. He was very rarely so openly cheerful and it made her smile to see him so happy. Angel was right. She had to tell him how she really felt, no more waiting for him to come around.
As Aragorn took her by the hand, Buffy’s heart fluttered at the touch and she let him lead her over to a table where Elrond’s children were still sitting and talking adamantly. Aragorn helped Buffy to sit then walked to the other side of the table where he’d previously been sitting and grabbed his goblet. He then raised his knife and tinged the glass to catch the attention of the remaining crowd in the hall.
“My lords and ladies, if I might steal your attention a moment. You will have to forgive my demeanor, for I am a very happy man. For today the woman I love is here and my heart is full.” His eyes moved over the crowd and when they met Buffy’s, he gave her a soft smile, and for the briefest instant Buffy felt like she was floating... Only to come crashing harshly back to Earth when his gaze continued past her and fell upon Arwen, sitting to her left. “I have asked Arwen Undomiel if she would be my wife, and she has accepted. We are trothed.”
Aragorn’s hand extended towards the elleth and Arwen stood to join him. Buffy’s heart plummeted to her feet and for several moments she couldn’t breath. This wasn’t happening. She glanced over to Angel, wanting him to assure her this wasn’t happening, but when she saw in his gaze the very same panic and heart break that she was sure reflected in her own, she knew she hoped in vain.
The world suddenly faded around her. Aragorn’s mouth was moving but she didn’t hear his words. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening. A halo of light appeared in her vision, silhouetted around Aragorn’s frame and for the briefest of moments she saw him as he truly was. She was standing next to him and he was holding her hand, announcing their own engagement to a room full of different Elves and the entire Istari order.
“The wedding takes place in a fortnight and if I don’t see you all there I will be personally insulted.” Buffy gazed up into Eonwe/Aragorn’s eyes and felt true happiness stir in her soul. His hands moved to cup her face and her eyes closed as he leaned in to kiss her.
The vision left her suddenly and as she opened her eyes she was greeted with the visage of her lover kissing another woman. But he wasn’t her lover... Not in this life... Aragorn son of Arathorn was not bound to her in any sense of the word and was free to love whom he would... Even so, that didn’t make her broken heart hurt any less.
When Aragorn’s mouth stopped moving, the sound of congratulatory applause broke Buffy’s musings. She quickly brought her hand up and swiped at her eyes, wiping away the tears she hadn’t meant to cry. Angel had done a remarkably better job at hiding his inner turmoil. Damn that inherent Elvish stoicism.
When the twins stood, Angel followed but whereas the gwenyn moved to congratulate their sister, Angel stood back and just gazed at the happy couple. Well, glared was more like it. Buffy could see his jaw muscles clenching and working under his skin. Buffy knew what was coming but that didn’t stop her from silently pleading with him not to do it; not to leave her to face this alone. Her pleas fell on a closed mind and deaf ears, though, because before Buffy could say anything, Angel turned and stormed off; easily disappearing in the gathering crowd of well wishers.
So much for not running...
She couldn’t blame him, though. Buffy sure as hell felt like high-tailing it out of there, herself, at that moment. But she would do as she has when facing difficulty and strife; she fell back on her duty. It was her duty to be strong in the face of turmoil; her duty to be happy for friends who had inadvertently found happiness with no way of knowing of her sorrow.
By the time the crowd had dispersed back to their respective merry-making, Buffy had managed to compose herself. Even still, when Buffy approached the couple, she couldn’t hold the tears swimming in her eyes, though she hid them well behind a pleasant smile. “I’m so happy for you both!” Liar...
Buffy gave Aragorn a strong hug, and desperately fought back a fresh wave of emotions and tears at the friendly embrace that she remembered could so easily turn into so much more. When she pulled back, Buffy deliberately avoided looking him in the face and immediately turned to Arwen where she wrapped the elleth up in an equally strong hug.
When Arwen pulled back, she looked at Buffy quizzically. “Why do you cry, mellon?”
Buffy was deliberately shielding herself from the foresighted gaze that ran rampant in Arwen’s family. “Please, Arwen, these are happy tears of joy.” Buffy sniffled and swiped at her eyes, managing a smile that looked almost genuine. “Two of my best friends are tying the knot.” She took Arwen’s hands in hers and squeezed. “What’s not to be happy about?” Everything... Buffy grinned and let out a joyous bubble of laughter, though to anyone who might know better it actually sounded more like the near hysteric laughter of a woman close to her breaking point.
There was a sudden loud knocking and Buffy turned to look at the back table with the rest of the dining hall occupants. Angel was standing, holding a large glass of whatever ale they’d been serving. “A toast!” He said as he raised his glass, the rest of the room following suit. Buffy took a goblet from a passing server and lifted her glass, though her stomach was tying in knots. “May the Valar be with you and bless you.” He spoke as he placed his free hand over his heart. Buffy seemed to be the only one who could recognize the sarcasm in the gesture.
As he continued, Angel’s old Irish accent was bleeding into his Westron. “May you see your children's children. May you be poor in misfortunes and rich in blessings. And may you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.” A majority of the guests, mostly male, lightly pounded their own fists on the table in acknowledgment and support of Angel’s words. Despite appearances, this was not a happy Angel. The look in his eyes... It was almost reminiscent of what Buffy could remember of Angelus. Angel was anything but happy for the couple. “To the happy couple!” He finished.
“Huzzah!” Echoed from the small crowd, as everyone accepted the toast and drank.
Buffy pounded back her drink in one shot, then placed the empty goblet on a passing servant’s tray as she reached for another. Just as she was guzzling down her second, there was a sudden shout. “Sing!” Elledan cried, directing the command at Buffy.
“Yes, Buffy! Sing!” This came from Elrohir.
Buffy finished her drink as she adamantly shook her head in the negative. “Huh-uh. No way!”
“Oh, come on, Buffy! If any occasion calls for the skills of a minstrel bard, it is this one!” Elledan finished.
Buffy wiped her sleeve over her chin where a drop of her drink had accidently slipped from her cup in her surprise. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Oh, please, Buffy!” Elledan and Elrohir moved to kneel in front of her, each taking her hand and giving her their best puppy-dog eyes.
“Oh, Valar, not the eyes.” Buffy tried to look away. “Anything but the eyes!”
“Please?” They even went so far as elongating the “eee” and adding a little pout to their pleas.
Buffy groaned and wrenched her hand from their grip. “Fine! Sweet Varda, why did I ever teach you that?”
The twins shared equal grins of triumph, chuckling at her question. “Ah, Buffy, you may have opened the lesson book,” Elrohir started.
“However, it is we who wrote the manuscript.” Elledan finished, smugly.
Buffy rolled her eyes and waved them off like they were annoying her, which was fairly close to the truth. Then, as if that had been their cue, Elledan stood and left to retrieve Buffy’s mandolin. Elrohir moved to draw the curtain over the back wall where there was a small raised stage reserved specifically for the use of musicians. Elrohir placed a small stool in the center.
Buffy chanced a glance towards Angel, pleading with him to save her, however, the vampire turned elf was well into what looked like his 6th tankard of ale; he was obviously trying to get as drunk as possibl. Only problem there was he now had that amazing Elven metabolism to contend with. Buffy on the other hand was just a little half Istari, and had never been good at holding her liquor, even as a slayer. Four small goblets of wine in and Buffy was feeling pleasantly warm and tingly. So much so, that when Elledan returned with her mandolin, Buffy smiled as she took it from him.
“Thank you, Danny.” As she stood, she brushed a kiss over his cheek, making Elledan grin and Elrohir pout. That is until she brushed a kiss on his cheek as she walked by him as well.
After settling herself as comfortably on the small bench as she could, she crossed her legs and propped her mandolin upon her thigh. Buffy tuned the instrument as she strummed a few chords, until she was satisfied with its harmony. She didn’t have the foggiest idea of what she would sing. A few elven songs came to mind, however, as she began to play, her fingers seemed to have a mind of their own as they started playing a very old song. One she hadn’t heard in a long time. It wasn’t Elvish, or Rohirric, or even Westron. It was a song from her most recent past life and there was no way her fingers and her heart were going to let her out of playing it now that they’d started. Even if she could only count on one hand the number of people in this room who would understand it.
“When I look into your eyes,
It’s like watching the night sky,
Or a beautiful sunrise.
Well, there’s so much they hold.
And just like them old stars,
I see that you’ve come so far,
To be right where you are.
How old is your soul?
Well, I won’t give up on us,
Even if the skies get rough.
I’m giving you all my love.
I’m still lookin’ up.
And when you’re needing your space,
To do some navigating,
I’ll be here patiently waiting,
To see what you find.
‘Cause even the stars they burn,
Some even fall to the Earth.
We got a lot to learn.
Gods know we’re worth it.
No, I won’t give up!
I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily.
I'm here to stay and make the differences that I can make.
Our differences, they do a lot to teach us how to use the tools and gifts we got.
Yeah, we got a lot at stake.
And in the end, you're still my friend.
At least, we did intend for us to work.
We didn't break.
We didn't burn.
We had to learn, how to bend, without the world, caving in.
I had to learn, what I got, and what I'm not, and who I am.
I won't give up on us,
Even if the skies get rough.
I'm givin’ you all my love.
I'm still lookin’ up... Still lookin’ up.
Well, I won't give up on us.
Gods know I'm tough enough.
We've got a lot to learn.
Gods know we're worth it.
I won't give up on us,
Even if the skies get rough.
I'm givin’ you all my love.
I'm still lookin’ up.”