Willow's Time With The English Coven

[ILLYRIAN]

Timeline: When Willow told Giles that she had seen the Hellmouth’s teeth.
During the start of season 7


Willow’s Time with the English Coven Part 1


Giles knew what was about to become in Sunnydale, he knew the pressure that was about to fall on Buffy’s shoulders so he decided she needed the most powerful help he could give her, he allowed Willow to be released from the custody of the witches. He knew that Willow could aid Buffy, and after various misfortunes Willow returned to Buffy’s house, where once she was accepted she began to help Buffy.

During one of the times that Buffy gave some extra strength to Willow to help her heal her wounds Willow told Buffy of her adventures with one of the witches in the coven. She said about how the witch had spoken to her about the history of one of the more famous English warriors, the woman known as Boudicca. A historical fact was that she had risen great fame after she had married the King Prasutagus, the King of the Iceni was of the area known as Norfolk.

Their life together had begun as a prosperous happy one and after twenty years or so of marriage their union was blessed with the birth of a beautiful daughter, that daughter was given the name Alb. It was a year later that a second daughter was given to them and the name she was given would be Ion. Though the Roman forces in England were not pleased with those who held against them so the Romans sought to exact revenge on them.

Willow proudly smiled to Buffy when she proclaimed that Boudicca had long flowing red hair though her daughters had a mixture of her mothers red hair and her fathers hair to give them a darker shade of that luxurious red hair. That red hair was so well known that many of the accounts of her were portrayed as having her waving her glorious head of hair to all who would see her as she rode into battle.

In the early days of King Prastutagus the Roman leaders of the time would order him to do as they willed not as others would do. Despite his diplomatic intentions to broker a peace between Rome and the Iceni the Roman Leaders took a dismal view of him and ordered several Romans to search for him and kill him. Being set back at losing her husband she was given time for grief by the Roman leaders, Boudicca took the time to raise an army.

Giving her daughters the power to send a message to the Romans Alb and Ion effectively castrated the between the Roman fortresses. The girls led a force from the enclaves of the Iceni and destroyed the treasured holdings of the Romans. Many fields of crops, many fields of foods and countless fruit trees were wrestled from those Roman invaders, despite the knowingly false reports of the Italian writers word spread amongst their English supporters.

As she had now become well known for her support of the Iceni and villages, towns and folk from the English countryside. The medium sized garrison of just over a hundred men were plagued with the horror at the two thousand fully armed soldiers descending on their domain. Several Roman legionaries were told to contact the Romans leaders, to tell them they needed to take Queen Boudicca’s leadership skills much more seriously.

Despite having had a prior warning of Queen Boudicca’s army the Roman fortresses throughout the south of England did not react quick enough to send the many hundreds of men to save the garrisons surrounding St. Albans. Relying on her barrage of flaming arrows to burn down the fortress the Romans in the fortress spent their time trying to extinguish the flames though within the passage of time gaps were burnt onto the fortresses.

It was in the second week of the attack, each one of the fortresses surrounding the city of St. Albans had faced Queen Boudicca’s force being implemented to attack St. Albans. Much to the surprise of the Roman Legions Queen Boudicca and each of her daughters split to lead an army against the Legions of the Romans. While defending themselves from the forces of Alb and Ion Boudicca’s forced caused obliteration of all Romans fortifications.

Rather than take their armies to attack their next objective Boudicca had the forces return to their homes to celebrate with their friends and families. The time was also for their forces to replenish the attitude that England was ready to be honoured with the names of her daughters, Albion. Queen Boudicca gathered the wisest of her men and had been write the way the Romans Legions had almost destroyed her forces, that gave her the advantage for the next battle.

It also gave her the time to increase the size of her armies, telling her new force that they had fed the Romans with disinformation about the size and bewilderment of her armies. When they were ready her forces moved north towards the great wall that kept those from north of the great wall from joining here armies. Taking their time they obliterated the Roman fortifications as the forces of Queen Boudicca continued their sojourn south, further in Boudicca’s Albion.


To Be Continued

Information: Her name was written as Boudicca though it was spoken as Boudicea.

Though no name was reported as being known for Boudicca’s daughters I gave them names Alb and Ion. Giving the family the honour of making the history of England the wonder of being known as Albion.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

My thanks to those who gave their permission for the writers of Fan Fiction on this site to donate their tales (hopefully) for the enjoyment of other members here.

Willow’s Time With The English Coven Part 2


Buffy loved it when Willow accepted her offer to give her some extra strength, it enabled Willow to get better quicker. Plus! It made Buffy grateful as she was able to listen to Willow’s recounting of what the witch in the Cornish coven told her. What Willow had told Buffy was that the witch who told her of Queen Boudicca’s family was a cousin of Miss Harkness.

Buffy was told that the Queens family consisted of her husband, King Prasutagus the leader of the Iceni and of their two beautiful young daughters Alb and Ion. The tales given to Buffy gave her the impetus to continue the fight against the demonic vampires and the vast number of miscellaneous forces that often rose from the Hellmouth which Buffy had to face.

The inspiration stemmed from the gift Queen Boudicca gave to the people of England, to rid the peoples of the Roman Empire. The witch told Willow that in order for the invaders of Great Britain to make themselves feel more important their scholars wrote false accounts of the times the Roman Legions won skirmishes and battles against Queen Boudicca’s army.

The army of Queen Boudicca traveled unhindered through the lands of the English lakes then down and across to the valleys of the Tribes of the Iceni in What was Norfolk. Queen Boudicca led her contingent of the army down the west coast then along the River Thames before heading over the River Thames to get to the south of the city of Londinium.

Alb led her army down the east coast of England into the Welsh valleys and over the Welsh Mountains, gaining the respect from the people who lived in the coastal towns and fishing villages down the Welsh coast. They took the northern coast of Cornwall coast down to the edge of the land before heading across the south coast right up to the River Thames.

Passing up to the banks of the River Thames without any confrontation she took her army over the land to the south of Londinium where she had arranged to meet her daughters. Ion had led her growing band of warriors down through the central parts of the country, though they expected vast legions of the Roman Empire to confront them; none were found.

By the time the three armies of over well over 25,000 each met just south of Londinium their vast numbers were so many they were conservatively thought to be in excess of 100,000 strong.
Comprising of Gauls, Celts, Saxons and Vikings.

The Roman army had won many enemies.
Regardless of how the Roman Empire reported its own outcome from the battles in Brittania the word had spread amongst the armies of Queen Boudicca of the fleeing Roman Empire into France.

It was after the Great British forces had met that word and reports of what had transpired became apparent, the many Tribes that had gathered against the Roman Empire were able to pass amongst the masses of the word that the scholars of the Roman Empire had greatly exaggerated the invasion of Britain as being a success by the Roman Empire.

During the later years the towns and the great walls which had been promoted as being of Roman design and manufacture were found only to have been designed by the Romans. They were built by the skilled English hands, then those hands helped design and built the roads that traversed the country. After her successful campaign Queen Boudicca was happy that many of her army went to their homes.

That included the people of the armies led by Queen Boudicca and her daughters Alb and Ion. The warriors of their armies chose to names many places around England as an honour to the sisters: Albion. Buffy learnt the value of pride from Willow’s tales in her battles against the hellmouths forces, when they began to appear Buffy knew to honour each of the potentials.

Willow gave honour to each one known as a potential as did Buffy who accepted the once solid enemy of Faith to battle the First making it known that the slayer army had begun.
Willow's final gift to the potentials was using her power to have each one of them be a slayer.


The End

 

[ILLYRIAN]

My apology the words The End at the end of the previous post were correct at the time of going to print but a thought I had at 2:40 am this morning gave me the impetus to extend the story to include another legend of England's past.
So please - enjoy!

Willow’s Time with the English Coven - Leading into the second world, that of Alb and Ion. Part 3


“The witch in that coven also told me more of Boudicca’s daughters, Ion and Alb she said they would play a great role in the future of this country,” stated Willow. Giles faced Willow, knowing she had changed from the friend of Buffy into a woman in her own right. He quizzically asked her what she meant. Willow closed her eyes and thought of what she had been told by the witch.

“It was a decade after their mother had died that the sisters Alb and Ion traveled the land in search of finding a reason why each of their lives had happened the way it had. Their quest for an answer took them deep to Cornish coast ultimately they traveled to a land of Vere on the bank of the sea. On a stony beach just below a cavern the sisters sat to rest, presently they were joined by an elderly man who introduced himself as Myrrd. “I see you have found my cavern.” He turned and directed the sisters attention to the inners of the cavern.

“Those marks on the floor is that the path where a large creature walks?” asked Alb. Myrrd responded with the words that would cause the sisters to think on what he meant. “No they are there from where the waters of the sea wash the ground so the ground where the massive creatures footmarks should be are washed aside,” said Myrrd. “I see that there are two groups of footmarks,” said Ion.

Myrrd looked to Ion and smiled a sigh of great relief.
“So, it is you! When the waters rise the waves wash onto the caverns floor, it is they that make the marks spread over the floor. A friend of mine walks into here, her offspring always walks a few paces behind her,” said Myrrd.

“When I was young, a mere boy my mother told me that two women would present themselves to me, that I would know within myself that they were to be my sisters. Though your names are Alb and Ion you should know that my full name is Myrrd, Lord of Learning and that though your real name is Alb you will also come to be known by the many as Maab Goddess of the Land.” Myrrd turned to Ion, “You showed yourself to me with what you said,” said Myrrd.

“Your talk of the sea told me of you, your value to this nation is beyond compare, though your name is Ion you will be known to me as The Lady of The Lake. Long may you be and together we will help this country of yours be as it was intended to be, though it will not always be long may the combined names of the sisters Alb and Ion of this land and the waters around it. For the future when the land becomes Albion.”

(Next)
How the people of the lands grew to be


To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Willow’s Time with the English Coven part 4

Gwen’s Happy Home

Willow grinned as she faced Giles and Buffy, the witch also told me a tale of a time after then. About a leader of the people; Gwen. Willow continued to smile to her friends, “Gwen’s father was a reputable boat builder, he built all the boats for the village of Vere’s fishing fleet.” Gwen and her father Garien lived with his wife Sylvian in a house on the banks of the sea just outside the village of Vere.

Garien had built a large shed to build the boats in and a jetty to moor those he had finished for prospective customers to view his boats. Garien’s business had grown as he became better known, people traveled from many other coastal villages to buy his boats. That success gave him greater standing in the community. It also made other children of Gwen’s age want to be her friend though the one boy she had wanted to be her special friend, the Lords eldest son Ge-Reign, though had gone missing.

Realising she was still by the boatshed Gwen watched as her father wandered over the lawn towards the house where he greeted his wife Sylvian, at the back door. They went into the house together. Once inside they went to Gwen’s bedroom where they watched as Gwen stood beside her bed and put on her best dress. Garien told her that he had done as he had promised her, “I built you a boat and marked our name on it,” said Garien.

Gwen hugged her father. “Thank you,” she said to him. Gwen waited for her parents to leave her bedroom. Once they had gone Gwen changed into her outdoor clothes the clothes she preferred to wear them when being out with her friends, as they helped her to blend in with the environment. Her mother and father were stood by the door as Gwen attempted to leave, seeing her though they were not happy.

Garian told Gwen he did not like to see her dressed like that. “Father, you need not be concerned I only wear these clothes when I am going to be with my friends.” Her mother Sylvian was upset at her daughters choice of clothes, “Should a possible husband see you dressed like that he would ignore you.” Gwen laughed at her mother, “No mother, do not be worried, I do not need to wear clothes to attract a husband,” Gwen suddenly realised what she had said, her face became as red as could be.

“I am so sorry, I did not mean to say that the way I did,” admitted Gwen. Though Sylvian was not pleased that her daughter had chosen to wear the same type of clothes that a boy would wear she was pleased her lovely daughter knew what was right and what was wrong though her father had his doubts.
“Do you know who my friends are?” asked Gwen.

Her father appeared embarrassed. Gwen told him who they were, “Aldridge is the eldest son of the village leader of the fishing fleet. Rosanna is the daughter of the lady who makes our clothes. Then there is Elspeth, her father is the captain of the Lords Guards and the brothers Arthur and Ge-Reign.” Gwen looked saddened, “Although Ge-Reign has recently gone missing, he is thought to have to have been captured by his fathers enemies.

“Ge-Reign and I had become the best of friends,” said Gwen. Her father was amazed that she had become friends with the Lords son. Garien apologized to Gwen, “I had no idea that you have become friends of the children of such important people. Yet it works against you, I feel as though you should dress in your best clothes at all times,” said Garien. “That will not work as if I couldn’t play as I do they will not respect me,” said Gwen.

“Oh no, has the Lord ever seen you in those clothes?” asked Garien. “He has and he was impressed that you would let me wear clothes so different to other girls.” Sylvian asked Elspeth if she knew many other important people? “I have met many of the Lords and Ladies from other parts of the country when they visit Arthur’s father Lord Bossiney. I get asked to play and watch over their children.”

Elspeth breathed in with great pride, “There will be a great ball soon, I have been asked to watch over each of the Lords invited guests children.” Gwen looked to her parents. “You will be invited so you hope you have got the right sort of clothes to wear,” stated Gwen. Sylvian said their best clothes had been set aside for any special occasion. “Will the Lord and the Lady appreciate your good clothes Gwen?” asked Sylvian. “As long as I look after the children that is what they care about,” said Gwen.

Darien and Sylvian felt proud about their daughter, Gwen saw her opportunity she went to and hugged her father. He told her to go and play with her friends. As Gwen ran out of the house she smiled to her mother as she cuddled Garien and laid her head against his shoulder. Closing the door behind her Gwen ran to the end of their garden then ran along the lane towards the village square.

Gwen waved to the people who were going to see her father, she waved to the people in the village square and those who had been at the Lords house. Gwen headed towards the river, she saw the villagers animals grazing in the field. Gwen slowed down and stopped, silently she dropped to her knees and crawled around the animals so she wouldn’t disturb them. As she got close to the river, she looked back at the animals.

“Good to see you are still there, there was no need to disturb you was there?” Gwen crept closer to the river until she could hear the splashes in the rivers water then quietly went to stand behind her friends Rosanna and Elspeth. She watched what they were doing, surprised by what she saw.
“You are not still doing that are you, how much longer are you going to be throwing stones in the river?” They turned to face her. Rosanna told Gwen, “We will not be doing it for much longer.”

“What are you doing?” asked Gwen. Rosanna told Gwen to stand on the bank them pointed out that they were making a wide path across the river, “Should the village ever be attacked there will be an escape route,” said Rosanna. She added that they would need to be there to direct people, “Better than having the village people always laugh at us.”

Gwen agreed with Rosanna, she stated that it would be good. As she was stood beside her friend, Gwen pointed at the edge of the river. “Look at those stones they look as though they would be right for what you are doing.” Rosanna looked at where Gwen indicated but couldn’t see which stones she meant. Gwen had Rosanna look closer to see the stones then jumped with both feet into the shallows next to her; Rosanna became instantly saturated.

Gwen turned and ran from there, Rosanna chased after her and screamed to her. “I’ll get you for that!” Laughing, Gwen ran along the bank of the river towards where it joined the path from the village. Gwen stopped at the junction into the Forbidden Forest. Rosanna joined her. “You can’t go in to the forest there is a reason why it is called the Forbidden Forest,” said Rosanna. “Because it is haunted, I know but I want to see what haunts it,” said Gwen.



To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Willow’s time with the English Coven part 5

The joys of the Forbidden Forest.

Gwen stepped into the Forbidden Forest to keep out of sight as soon as she saw her other friends arriving. “Where is Gwen?” asked Elspeth. Rosanna pointed into the Forbidden Forest, “She has gone into there,” said Rosanna smiling at them. “She thought you would be too scared to follow her,” said Rosanna. Arthur grinned, “I never understood why the people of your village has called it the Forbidden Forest, even my father agreed with me,” said Arthur.

Rosanna stepped into the bounds of the forest, looking back she told each of them to stay within reach of the person in front. “It is said that the forest is haunted and that there are ghosts in here,” said Rosanna. “That cannot be right, there are no such things as ghosts,” said Aldridge. She waited until they had all walked into the forest, “Now that we have all walked straight forward into the forest, who can tell me why the path behind us does not allow us to see the river.”

Each of the others followed them. Rosanna slowed down as she couldn’t see her friend then saw her, Elspeth was hidden amongst the bushes at the side of the Forbidden Forest. Rosanna stopped and begged Gwen not to go in to the bushes, it was fortuitous that she had stopped there and watched as Gwen pointed into the forest. “I can see the path,” said Gwen stepping from the bush. Rosanna stayed where she was as the others caught up, she asked each of them what to do.

“Gwen wandered into that bush so we should follow,” said Elspeth. “Can you explain it to me you say it is haunted in here, is it the forest or are there others in here?” asked Arthur. Rosanna looked to Aldridge “Yes I know you say there are no such things as ghost, so can you tell me why the path behind us is not straight or why I can see movement in the trees ahead of us.” Arthur looked to the trees and saw the branches moved as if someone or something moved them.

Gwen stepped from the bush she had hid in, “It is said that the forest itself is haunted though it is our parents who tell us the forest is haunted and that no children ought to be in here. Well OI am no child nor are my friends, so it must be alright for us to be in here!” exclaimed Gwen. “I agree with you though I doubt our parents will,” said Aldridge. “So don’t follow the track to my father’s home,” said Arthur.

Aldridge faced him, “Why not.” When you go along the track the turn towards the house you will need to cross the bridge, well, under the bridge are two of my father’s guards. I know for a fact that they are both dead, killed in the last battle against the Welsh marauders not far along the coast from here.” Aldridge stepped back a few paces, “All I can say is that it was my father who said there are no such thing as ghosts,” said Aldridge.

Gwen had them all look to her saying that it is the forest that is the haunted here, she had them look the path behind them that didn’t go to the track. She had them look to the white rock at the edge of the path, “If we go in a straight line from here it will be as if we have gone in circles from here as we will keep going passed this white stone.” “My father has often said that there are no such thing as ghosts though he does not recommend we go into the forest, why,” stated Aldridge.

“Should no one believe what Gwen said about this forest being haunted.” Aldridge stepped aside, “Now I am not sure what to do, I should believe my father yet I know that Gwen is not one to tell lies,” said Aldridge. He faced all about him then began to climb up a tree, he swiftly returned to Gwen. “There are three dozen warrior coming over the far hills.” Gwen called Elspeth to come to her, to follow the track to the Lords house, to warn him of the intruders when I have been told.”

She asked Rosanna to go up the tree until she could see the intruders and for Aldridge to wait at the base of the tree. Arthur was confused, “What should I do?” “Let me know what Aldridge does,” said Gwen as she pointed to the trees then to the hills. “What was that for?” asked Arthur. “To let the ghost creatures of the forest know of the invaders,” replied Gwen. Arthur watched the up the tree to Rosanna, she made several hand motions to Aldridge.

Arthur whispered what Aldridge had done, “He pointed two fingers at his eyes then pointed to the east. He flashed both hands with fingers outstretched to me, what did he mean?” asked Arthur. Gwen smiled to him, two fingers pointed at the eyes meant she saw something. Then she held up her fingers to say how many.” “How many fingers did he show to you?” asked Gwen. “Thirty six,” said Arthur then he pointed to the east. Arthur stood amazed by what they knew.

She faced Elspeth, “Run to the Lords house, we will get out villagers up to the cave,” said Gwen. “It should be me who tells my father of them,” said Arthur. Gwen refused. “Elspeth is by far the fastest here plus your father will want to know you are safe plus he will be glad you are helping his people,” said Gwen. They ran along the path to the village where Gwen and Arthur split from them and headed to the river.

Gwen waited by the pathways as Arthur went across the river and up to the outer edge of the cave. Rosanna and Aldridge had run into the village and soon all the people came to where Gwen waited for them. As Gwen waited at the edge of the water a figure of water rose up from and of the rivers water, “Tell the people to keep to the middle of the path.” Gwen looked to see where the voice had come from but saw no one.

It was only a few minutes later before Gwen could see some people from the village running towards her, soon there was a steady flow of people and all the time Gwen tried to make note of how many of the villagers had passed her and who passed her. Even when the flow of people had gone and her friends had gone over the river Gwen wondered aloud where both the sons of the baker were, she suddenly span around as she could have sworn she heard a voice say, “I’ll look.”

Gwen knew no one was there yet she still looked to the deepest part of the river. She didn’t see the water in the shape of a top half of a woman’s body that rose from the river. The figure smiled to Gwen then silently sank. Arthur called to Gwen to get herself to the cave, yet she waited. Just before she was about to give up the wait both the boys ran to her. They said they saw that everyone had left but didn’t know where to go or which way they should go.

“By the river we heard a woman’s voice calling to us, she said you were here. Can you thank her for us.” Gwen looked to the village, “Whoever you are thank you.” Gwen wondered how the woman knew of her, Gwen turned and began to concentrate on what she should be doing, she directed the boys where to go and why they were going there. She crossed the river and ran up the hill to the cave, she was glad to see her mother and father then smiling to them she introduced them to her friend Arthur.

Silently Elspeth had moved through the forest towards the river’s edge. Following the edge of the river she ran as fast as she could to the bridge. As she crossed onto the bridge she faced the guards. “There is an army headed this way, I want to warn the Lord,” said Elspeth. The ghosts stood behind her, “They will not pass us,” said the ghosts. Elspeth ran along the track then over a field towards a drainage ditch.

Going under the house through a tunnel Elspeth rose up in one of the washrooms. Without being seen by any of the guards but a few times she had to keep quiet to avoid being detected by any of the Lords personal guards though she knew to impress her father. Quietly she went to be stood in front of him. Shocked he asked her why she was there. “There is an army headed this way please warn the Lord.” “Who told you this?” asked her father. Elspeth looked to her him, “Gwen.”

He knew to know better than question her further. He took her into the Lords room with him. The Lord looked to him then at Elspeth, Elspeth faced her father. “Gwen told me to warn you of an army heeded this way, your son Arthur is with us, the people of the village of Vere are being protected by him. The Lord faced Elspeth’s father. “Raise the alarm, I know of this Gwen she might be only a child herself but she knows more than many adults. I know my son benefits from her companionship and friendship.”



To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Willow’s time with the English Coven part 6

Befriending Myrrd


Buffy and Willow were stood in the doorway hoping to see Giles, “Hello you two I was just about to go out.” “Well, when you get back I have something important to tell you. I reckon you will like it,” said Willow. “So just make yourselves at home I will only be gone a few minutes,” said Giles. Willow and Buffy sat down and Buffy picked up a pack of playing cards. “How about a game of Gin Rummy?” She began to deal the cards. “What are the odds I win?” asked Buffy.

“That depends on if I use magic,” said Willow grinning to Buffy but she was not impressed, “Why would you want to use magic to beat me?” asked Buffy tucking an ace up her sleeve. Willow flashed her eyes to Buffy. “That will not do you any good in this game as all the cards from two to eight have been removed as there are two packs so now there are eight aces!” exclaimed Willow.

Buffy grimaced and removed the ace from up her sleeve putting it back in the pack and shuffling the cards. “What you should have done is look at your hand, if you had seven aces that one would have helped you, it may even have started a winning streak,” said Willow. Buffy did what Willow suggested and found she had seven aces and a king. “How did you know?” asked Buffy. “Witch!” stated Willow, “So now we can just play to pass the time until Giles gets back.”

After five minutes the door opened and Giles came in carrying a packet of tea, “Yes I know it is not that important really but I would have run out at about eleven tonight, then it would be important.” said Giles as he looked at Willow, “so what is so important.” Willow cleared her throat, “During the times when the coven was teaching me about magic and its connection and uses one of witches started to tell me of parts of England’s pre history. I came here to tell you that,” said Willow.

Giles smiled to Willow, “Well don’t let me stop you now.” “This really began when Gwen was stood outside the Forbidden Forest near the end of morning with her friends Rosanna and Elspeth. Gwen wanted to know more about who was in the forest. Aldridge and Arthur joined them at the entrance,” said Willow. Aldridge asked why do we have to go in there again, now don’t get me wrong I will follow you, but, in there, again?” asked Aldridge.

Gwen said, “There is something I need to see.” Aldridge looked to Gwen, “Don’t you mean someone.” Gwen returned his gaze, “I thought about that for many hours last night, I became sure it was not a person I saw,” said Gwen. “So who should it be who is the one to lead us into the forest this time. I think it should be the one who led us into the forest last time,” said Aldridge. They all faced Rosanna.

“Wonderful, and I thought today was going to be such a good day.” “Did you all hear that?” asked Gwen. “I was listening but I don’t think I heard it, what should I have been listening for?” asked Aldridge. “Rosanna volunteered to lead the way,” said Gwen. “No I didn’t but I am not afraid to lead the way.” Gwen smiled. Rosanna asked if she had just dropped herself in it, Gwen grinned to her. “As of today Rosanna just declared that Monday is not a good day,” said Elspeth.

Aldridge stood facing the entrance to the forest, “When?” “Any time now but I think she’ll make an excuse to leave,” said Gwen. “I am not scared to lead the way in,” said Rosanna. Gwen whispered to Arthur, “I bet she is.” Arthur replied, loud enough for Rosanna to hear. “Even with her best friends here she will still back out of who will lead the way.” Gwen led them deep into the forest to a tree that she had pointed to where she had seen the branches move the day before,

Rosanna kept looking behind them. She said she wanted to know where the middle was as that was where Gwen saw them before when Rosanna had said about the path changing though then they had been on the path for ten minutes before Rosanna asked if they had been heading towards the middle long enough. “What makes you think that?” asked Gwen. “This white rock by my foot we have passed it three times. The first time it was on the path and the last two times

it has been in the grass next to the path. “I don’t want to make you two worry, but I should let you know there is something moving in the bushes,” said Elspeth. Gwen called out to who or whatever was in the bushes, “Why don’t you come out here and meet us!” “Because I might scare you, and if you run away it could be a long time before you get the courage to come back here again.” “So tell us what you look like and we won’t be scared,” responded Elspeth.

“That sounds good in theory, but you will probably still be scared,” said the voice. “I see what you mean,” said Gwen. Her friends looked to her, “So tell us?” they asked. Gwen looked to them, “What I see is like a stag with an impressive head of antlers. “How many of you is there?” asked Gwen. “One,” came the reply, “Several beings of one.” Gwen smiled to him, “I see, several lots of one,” said Gwen.

“Have others ever referred to you by name,” asked Gwen. “Yes I have heard people who have referred to me as Herne, Herne The Hunter.” Gwen’s attention was directed to a bush that was closer to her. “There is another in the bush, he has been seen more often than me though your people pretend not to have seen him though I suspect that has something to do with the horns on his head,” said Herne.

“Horns, what does this one look like?” asked Gwen. “A man.” Gwen was contemplating keeping her thoughts to herself. “Does that mean he is a demon?” asked Gwen. “No, quite the opposite, he is who you human people know as the God Pan,” said Herne. “There are others near here who you should meet first Gwen, your father wishes that you will meet a prospective customer for him,” said Herne.

“Later then,” replied Gwen as she walked away, going to her home. Her father though surprised at seeing her asked her to take a message to an old man for him. Knowing that it might be the one that Herne spoke of she called on all her friends to be with her. They walked along the beach of stones to where her father had said. As they approached the cavern Gwen’s father had wanted her to go to the man wandered from the cavern he was more than just a bit amazed she was there.

As she stood there considering the cliff wall the man wandered onto the beach towards them. Gwen handed him the drawing of a boat but before she could say it was from her father. “Ahh yes thank you, the boat. I take it your name is Gwen I am so glad to meet you I have heard a lot about you,” he said. Gwen looked about then at her friends, from who?” asked Gwen. The man said his sister had seen her guiding the people of your village away from the invaders.

Gwen thought about what he had just said, “But the only people who saw me were from the village and there was no one there when I was there.” The old man smiled to her, “I’m sorry did I say she is a person, my sister did see you just because you did not know how to see her does not mean she was not there.” Gwen thought of when she watched the people of her village crossing the river.

“I think I saw some movement in the water but that was not a person, oh?” said Gwen. “Well done now you are starting to remember seeing what wasn’t there.” said the man. Gwen felt puzzled by his remark and was about to speak to him. “It will help you to know who I am, my name is Myrrd, I am known as the Lord of Learning. My sister who you heard and saw even though you did not know you saw her is the Lady of the Lake, you are one of the few to know her as Ion.

My other sister wanders the land, you should know her as Queen Ab and like her sister she has another name that you know, it is Alb. Myrrd faced Arthur and smiled to him, “One day your friend and I will be great friends,” said Myrrd. Elspeth who was looking at the floor of the cavern spoke, “There appears to be a pathway on the bottom of the cavern where one or two creatures with very large feet have trodden.” Myrrd smiled to her,

“You are right the mother and her offspring go through there to get to the upper reaches of the caverns they like the warmth and comfort plus there is a spring of fresh water up there.” Arthur faced Myrrd, “What happens when there is a storm or the water levels rise too much for the caverns entrance to be used?” “They use the tunnel near the top of the cliff they can climb up to where the water forms a pond on the surface.

Myrrd smiled to himself, “Knowing parts of the future can make one feel good.” Gwen looked to her friends, then to Myrdd, “You know our future, can you tell us what it is?” asked Gwen. Myrrd looked to her and nodded then shook his head, “Sometimes the living of life is more fun than knowing what life will bring and I would not want to spoil the enjoyment of it for you, I advise you to go home and begin living your life,” stated Myrrd.



To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Willow’s time with the English Coven part 7

Meeting a Nun


Gwen and Rosanna had been sat on a log near the river where they could see the cave, they were happy to be sat discussing if they could improve the cave. Rosanna noticed a woman walking from the village towards them. She motioned Gwen to face her, “What do you think?” asked Rosanna. Gwen looked to the woman. “Hard to say, but just in case,” replied Gwen. Not attracting the woman’s attention the girls slipped behind the log to watch the woman.

“I’d like my mother and father to see her, they are always having a go at me for not wearing clothes that would cause no boy to think of me as attractive. From the way that woman is dressed I doubt if she wants to attract a man either,” said Gwen. Rosanna looked to the woman, “I do not know what it is about her but I doubt that seeking a man is something she is interested in, just look at the colours of her clothes,” said Rosanna,

As the woman drew closer nothing about her indicated that she posed a threat to them so they stood up and greeted her. “Good morning where are you going, my friend and I live near here so maybe one of us can help you,” said Gwen. The woman bowed her head to the girls. “Thank you, I have traveled here for the last eight days from a small village by the name of Dunchurch where even now others and I had a small farm to grow our produce on to help the local people.”

“Why are you here?” asked Rosanna. The nun smiled. “My sisters and I seek a new residence for our order, the farm must be large enough for us to grow our produce on yet have enough space my six sister and I to start a hospital for us to look after.” Gwen whispered to Rosanna about going to see the Lord, Rosanna agreed with her. As per usual Gwen and Rosanna were able to reach inside the Lords room without being detected.

As they stood in the room waiting for the Lord to acknowledge them Rosanna asked Gwen, “Do you think he knows we are here?” Surprised to hear a voice in his room the Lord faced Gwen and Rosanna. “You are going to have to tell me how you do that, in the event I get intruders it would be most welcome if I could escape this room with no one knowing I have gone,” the Lord looked for them but could not see them, “Yes just like that.”

“Rosanna and I met a nun on our travels this morning, “When we had decided it was safe to meet her we presented ourselves to her. She has come this way looking for somewhere to move the order she is a part of. After hearing about her order we thought it would be suitable and that if you heard of how valuable we think her order could be here you might like to help them. Lord Bossiney listened to the reasons why Gwen and Rosanna thought they would be good.

It wasn’t until Rosanna said about the nuns wanting to make a hospital that Lord Bossiney paid greater attention. He agreed about them and suggested they could move into an empty farmhouse with land that had an enclosed for horses or any type of livestock. When the nun saw the offered land that she realized how suitable the place would be to them, the Lord promised he would help the nuns to begin making ointment for the people on his land.

Lord Bossiney also said he would give the nuns a nearby church that was empty. The nun with Gwen and Rosanna expressed her pleasure at the place as she did not have to do too much work establish the houses and the grounds. When the nun returned to her sisters is was on a horse provided by the Lord and after a further week the other nuns arrived, they immediately began to make the place suitable for them.

Without disclosing or telling anyone of what she was doing Gwen asked Herne the Hunter for anyone he knew of that lived nearby to help her. Herne’s acquaintances agreed to help the nuns to begin growing the plants to make the ointments. The nuns never new how many non-humans worked to grow the plants that helped the injured. Aldridge had his father gave the nuns a wagon to help people being transferred from the waters of the sea.

The Lady of the Lake caused a stream of fresh water to flow near to where the nuns could use the water, her sister Queen Ab sent a cool breeze to help the plants grow strong. A month after the nun’s had arrived their hospital was opened to help people, unknown to her the nuns had begun to refer the Gwen as Gwen of the Vere. Farmers, builders and soldiers were able to present themselves to the hospital.

The word had begun to spread of the good work of the nuns amongst neighbouring areas. So much so that the King of England heard word of the help Lord Bossiney was doing for his people. Requesting that Lord Bossiney go to his palace too meet with him in a month. Doing so the Lord was nervous that he was called before the King though he needn’t have been. The King had ordered that many others gave reports of Lord Bossineys attitude to the people.

Hearing reports the King had gathered he was impressed as no one had a bad word to say about the Lord. The King was able to do what he wanted in a way that would help his people. Two months later the King of England visited the house of the Lord Bossiney and was given a tour of Vere. Visiting the boat builder, the hospital and the lands where produce was grown. The King was impressed that the people in the lands far from his palace supported him and Lord Bossiney.

The King made a declaration of monies to be paid for the Lord to build a castle, that he would be King of all England he willed that Lord Bossiney to be known as the King of Cornwall. Myrrd directed Lord Bossiney to be ready to receive rocks of high quality from the mountains in the land of Pembroke. Myrrd even arranged for people to make rocks ready to begin building the castle. A watering well was built to allow water to be taken from the dragons pools.

Whilst Myrrd wanted to keep his Welsh heritage Myrrd knew it was right given that that the castle for the King of Cornwall was built over his home, he decided that he should become known by everyone by a another name: Merlin. Several times the nuns saw the mother and her young dragon sat on the walls near their crops and protected them from the birds and animals that would eat their fill of the plants.

It was when the girls were wandering through the forests between the fields of where the nun’s plantings were that Elspeth noticed several men in battle dress though she did not recognize the emblem on the soldiers shields. While she was there a couple of men loyal to her father recognize her, “Be careful in the trees near here it is said that part of a Welsh tribe has sent its warriors to this area, no one I know has any idea why they are here,” said Elspeth.

Trying to keep to the darkness of the shade from the trees they were eventually discovered by the Welsh invaders. The leader of the invaders soon felt dismayed that his soldiers felt proud though they had only caught the girls. “I doubt we would even trade you for someone we wanted,” the leader of the invaders, he asked Rosanna if she knew of Merlin’s friend. “I am unsure who you mean is it the dragons or maybe it is the new King of Cornwall?”

The leader of the Welsh confronted Rosanna, we were told the one we want is making herself known here. We were told this young woman is from near here, while we will not go out of our way to start a fight here if others do then we will defend ourselves. We have heard this man’s father is due to be proclaimed the King of Cornwall soon. Gwen stood before them and the tears started to flow down her cheeks, “Is Ge-Reign here, I am a friend to Merlin, my name is Gwen.”



To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

(After 20 Years Had Passed By)

Willow’s time with the English Coven part 8

Visiting the Tavern


Several months after Gwen had gone missing Garien and Sylvian still felt distraught at the loss of Gwen. They decided to have another child to honour their memory of Gwen. They hoped the baby would be a girl: luckily she was.

When they considered what to name their baby they were told of the Nun’s name for Gwen, as she who is Gwen had been honoured with the name Gwenivere. It seemed only right that the baby be given the name Gwenivere.

Growing up the baby Gwenivere rose to be a beautiful child. Five years after Gwen had disappeared Lord Bossiney died. A solemn service was held and Arthur replaced him as Lord, when the castle was at last finished the Lord Arthur became King Arthur King of Cornwall.

At the naming ceremony an announcement was announced that a birthday party would be held in the castle for the sister of Gwen, named as Gwenivere for her 19th birthday party, kept secret by King Arthur and Merlin was King Arthur asking for Gwenivere’s hand in marriage.

The court magician for King Arthur, Merlin welcomed Lady Gwenivere to the castle. He saw Gwen in her sisters eyes. After King Arthur and Gwenivere were married they traveled over the kingdom’s land.

King Arthur and Lady Gwenivere spent time at Arthur’s father’s grave in the graveyard just outside the village where the castle was, The King and his lady agreed to stop for a drink and a meal in a tavern at the outer realm of Tintagel.

Once the guards had confirmed it was safe for the King and his wife to relax in the tavern Arthur became awe struck when he recognised his long missing brother De-Reign was sat at the table by the fire, going to embraced him King Arthur became awestruck.

And then he recognized who his brother was sat with, Gwen. Arthur embraced his brother then with Gwen’s favour he greeted her. Ge-Reign and Gwen introduced the King and Lady Gwenivere to the Goddess Ry-ana, their leader.

Gwen and Ge-Reign declared much information to King Arthur and Merlin, that they were there to protect Cornwall from vampiric enemies. Willow told Buffy that was what was being kept secret.

The witch from the coven asked Willow to pass on the knowledge that it was the Goddess Ry-ana that had always directed them where to go and that it was Ge-Reign who gave Gwen the knowledge of how to kill the vampires.

Buffy suddenly realised that Gwen must have been a Vampire Slayer and that Ge-Reign had been her watcher. Buffy’s sense of pride began to increase with the knowledge that Gwen had been one of a long line of vampire slayers.




The End

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Willow’s time with the English Coven part 9

Some of the Facts of the Fan Fiction

King Prasutagus was King of the Iceni, he married a woman who became Queen Boudicca (said Boudicea) although his daughters names were not known, I wrote them as Alb and Ion which when combined are written as Albion. It is a name of England.
I first read of the name Albion in the book Ghosts of Albion, Accursed by Amber Benson (Tara from the series).

Myrrd was one of the names Merlin was known by, though as far as I know he did not have any sisters. Queen Ab (Alb) was derived from Queen Maab, Merlin’s other sister was not the lady of the Lake. I named her Ion for the benefit of the story.

Herne The Hunter is a mythological being ( a stag ) his acquaintance is the God Pan, who looked like a man except for small pair of horns at the side of his head at the temples. Plus his legs were the same as a donkey.

In Cornwall the village of Vere is near a place now known of YHA Tintagel, the nun’s lived near their hospital which is now as Saint Materiana’s.
In the fan fiction Lord Bossiney house was on the outskirts of Trevillick.

King Arthur’s Castle was finished being built in the village of Tintagel over the cave now named Merlin’s cave. It is about a mile west of the Cornish village named Bossiney.