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Madalene wandered slowly into the kitchen reading as she made her way on autopilot towards the cupboard. After a few hours of meditation and then the sudden worry over Willow’s latest nightmare she’d decided that maybe what she and Dawn needed most was some nice herbal tea.
“Oh!” Madalene looked up from her book when she realized someone was already in the kitchen.
“Sorry I didn’t mean to scare you.” Giles apologised softly pulling his gaze away from the window he glanced quickly at Madalene.
“No, I’m sorry. I was going to get some tea for Dawn and I while we watch Willow.” Madalene pointed to the counter.
“How is she?” Giles turned and took two cups placing them along side the one he had already got out.
“Frail. Buffy gave her a sedative, apparently they help calm her.” Madalene carefully placed her book on the island.
“I would imagine they would.” The Englishman assessed honestly.
“Yes, by design.” The spellcaster nodded softly.
“Yes quite.” Giles looked down as the kettle flicked off.
“I brought some special mixture herbal with me.” She looked to the cupboard. “Dawn told me you enjoyed tea so if you wanted to try it.”
“Actually I…” Giles reached for the usual teapot but then stopped. “I would love to.” He changed his sentence as Buffy’s words earlier that he should at least for some kind of bound with the young spellcaster came back to him
“It’s a mixture of chamomile, hops, lemon balm, margoram, motherwort, poppy and valerian root.” She offered an explanation.
“So how are you feeling?” Giles made three of the teas before pausing. “Should I make Tara and Buffy one?” He glanced again over his shoulder to the window.
“Buffy hates it.” She looked over to the window. “I’m not sure if Tara is in the mood.”
“Just the three then.” Giles picked up a cup and held it out to Madalene.
“Thank you.” She accepted it gratefully.
“Don’t mention it.” Giles glanced at the two remaining cups. “I suppose I should take this up to Dawn.” He picked up one.
“Mr. Giles, I’m sorry about last night.” Madalene looked up her voice soft. “I was completely out of line and I had no right to say what I did.”
For a long moment Giles just looked into the dark liquid in his cup and then he looked up at the spellcaster.
“Thank you.” He said softly. “And I too behaved quite inappropriately.” He offered his own apology.
“This is your home, defending anyone here is by far your right more than mine.” She graciously declined though she smiled a little.
“Have you studied magic in great detail?” Giles seemed to forget his quest to take Dawn’s tea to her and instead sipped it himself as he leaned not the wall.
“I think I have.” Madalene knew it was an insane answer but it was the best she could give.
“I mean more that you could remember.” Giles smiled softly
“Well it’s odd really, it’s like reading this.” She motioned to the book. “I began reading it and now as I’m near the middle the words are so familiar to me, as if I have not only studied the book but know it by heart.”
“So are you saying that like Tara your memory loss is not complete.” Giles questioned curious.
“I guess I am. In a purely factual magical knowledge basis.” Madalene nodded. “Topics like Willow and the holes come up and words are coming out of me before I even realise I know what I’m talking about.” She looked down at the book. “My grandmother’s letter, it mentioned how magic would guide me through this.”
“I see.” Giles sipped his tea again. “How long ago did you, err, experience your return?”
“Three years, I died just after my seventeen birthday and rose just after my eighteenth.” She answered succulently.
“And do you mind me asking what you have done during those last three years, I mean magic specific, not personal.” He smiled gently.
“I’ve primarily spent my time travelling to study with or around those who have power.” Madalene summed up her last years. “When I was well enough after rising, on the suggestion of my grandmother’s letter I spent a year in Nutavut with a small tribe of Inuit.” She thought back to those first days. “After that I went anywhere that legends of my ancestry existed trying to learn more.”
“I see and are you a practising witch?” Giles asked putting his cup down.
“I am.” She nodded sipping at her drink slowly now that it was cooled.
“But as I assured Dawn, I don’t have any desire nor need to use the dark magicks.”
“I merely ask as Buffy seemed to suggest that when attacked you didn’t seem to know how to defend yourself. I was thinking that this was mainly due to the surprise. Taking it that living amongst vampires is not the normal route of your life.” The watcher actually smiled.
“No, I attempt to stay away from the undead and various other demons in this world.” Madalene gave him the information freely. “My heritage hasn’t given me powers to protect myself and even though I heal from most injuries it is not a pleasant process.”
“Yes, I was going to ask about that. I noticed yesterday when I spent some time with Tara, she is very slightly feverish.” He noted his observation.
“Our bodies use heat as a healing mechanism.” Madalene relaxed as their conversation became more about information sharing. “Apparently from examining the legends it is a function of the original demon coming from a burning hell dimension.”
“I see.” Giles nodded again. “Quite logical.”
“Interestingly enough there is no legend which is able to name what dimension or who the original demon was.” She put the fact forward to him.
“No, I too found that.” Giles agreed. “The Council tried very hard to find out all they can.” He explained his comment more.
“I’m sure that with your background you’ve been able to find out much more than I have.” Madalene conceded. “Did they find the third dynasty legend?” She queried interested.
“We found some but feel free to tell me more.” Giles encouraged her.
“Well from what I can discover all of us, well who have made any historical mark have been great magic users of some sort.” Madalene leaned slightly and slipped onto a stool knowing to a certain test he was farming her for information but maybe if she was open about what she did know it would put his mind more at ease. “A great sorceress named Jing Jin tried to hide her long life by keeping herself in relative solitude so that she could simply re-emerge as her own daughter when necessary.” She played with her tea. “Legend says that during a great war near her palace she would stop time in order to tend to the wounded warriors on the field and then would let the battle continue.”
“She was a noble woman as well as everything else then.” Giles commented having not received this type of detail in the email forwarded to him.
“Great wealth and stature yes. The monks I spoke with hypothesised that her great legend mostly stemmed from her benevolence in the community.” She sipped at her drink.
“And what is it about her particular story that inspires you?” The Watcher asked seeing the living reverence she seemed to have for the words.
“The lesser known part of her legend.” Madalene looked up. “A concubine name Zhen Huo who Jing Jin was drawn to rescue her from an overlord. Those who still speak of them say that though they were more different then the land and the sea they brought balance.” She looked into her tea. “I spoke to everyone I could and every time a display of power was mentioned Zhen Huo was also noted. It’s as if one could not truly fulfil her gifts without the other.”
“Is this the only time such a match is to be found in your clans history?” Giles asked his on mind now working a little faster.
“No, there are scattering of stories where there is always too. Always a pair with their own separate but equal gifts.” She looked up at him. “Always one drawn to protect the other.” She waited for a moment when he said nothing. “Have you found anything like that?”
“To be honest we looked more for roots of the legend and for understanding exactly what happens rather than looking for details in specific legends.” Giles admitted their mistake of sorts.
“Oh, that would make sense.” Madalene nodded.
“I’m afraid we’re rather good and looking for facts instead of people.” He smiled genuinely.
“I’ve been trying to piece my way backward through the ancestry as best as I can. The earliest references seems to be a brief reference to a demon witch who could manipulate peoples memories.” She tried to think of something useful for him. “But that is speculation on my part mostly from a few Grecian carvings.”
“To be honest your ancestry isn’t what concerns me now. The Council wanted me to take Tara back with me when I returned so they could continue their research but I can’t see myself doing that in the near future. “Giles explained the situation. “What truly concerns me now is your knowledge in magic.”
“They want to study her?” Madalene stiffened a bit.
“Well they...” Giles frowned. “Yes” He looked down and rubbed his temple.
“Understandable.” Madalene nodded accepting the statement but not in any way accepting the realisation of it. “So what about me concerns you?”
“Not concerns me as in I worry about the safety of those around you.” Giles affirmed.
“You’re worried that I’m a danger?” Madalene studied him trying not to overreact.
“Possibly.” Giles nodded softly. “At least while you are here in Sunnydale.” He added the disclaimer.
“Why exactly?” She tried to keep her hand from shaking as she put her cup back down.
“Because magic forces tend to draw unwanted attention.” Giles soothed a little.
“So this is more a question of the things that will be interested in me rather than that I will bring death and destruction?” Madalene clarified what he meant.
“Madalene you might be a spellcaster and at first appearances a strong willed independent young woman but I do not view you as a life threatening power of darkness.” Giles pulled off his glasses and looked at the spellcaster.
“I take that as a compliment.” She smiled at him.
“Yes, well it was meant as one.” Giles looked up glasses in hand and smiled back. “To be honest with you we’re going to need all the help we can get with Willow and you magical knowledge even if it is some how subconscious within you, might just give us the advantage we need.”
“Well I want to help as much as I can.” The spellcaster tried to convey her willingness.
“Thank you.” Giles pushed up and moved closer to the young woman, reaching out to patted the back of her hand, “And thank you for all your help and support of Tara.” He added sipping his glasses back into place.
“I know I have no history with her but she is my family.” Madalene reminded him softly.
“And that in turn makes you ours.” Giles tapped her hand again. “Should you want us.” He added moving away again to put his cup in the sink.
“Thank you.” She whispered watching as he moved.
******
"I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine."
To The Land of The RainbowWriters