REPOST FIC: Dance of Light II: Lifting the Veil (Chapters 4-5)
Title: Lifting the Veil
Series: Dance of Light
Rating: R
Universe: Xover Merry Gentry / Angel
Spoilers: AtS:3-11 (Birthday), MG:2 (Caress of Twilight), my story Through a Glass Darkly
Disclaimer: Cordy and the AI crew belong to Joss and David Greenwalt, Mutant Enemy Productions. Merry Gentry and the Sidhe belong to Laurel K. Hamilton.
Summary: Following the directions from the Powers That Be, Cordelia leaps into Doyle’s world, learning all about the world of the sidhe and the role she has to play to save the Fey.
Chapters 1-3
~~~Chapter 4: Making an Entrance~~~
Feeling considerably refreshed after her nap, Cordelia was ready to face her new life. First thing to do, of course, was a shower. After all, there was nothing worse then making the ever important second impression rumpled from a two-hour nap. The bathroom was every bit as luxurious, if impersonal, as the rest of the guest suite, but she paid it no mind; she’d fix it soon enough. As soon as she had some funds, she’d add a series of mirrors over the towel rack, maybe a candle or six in several sizes, and of course a radio. After all, what’s a luxury bath without soothing tunes? It wouldn’t be her bath from the apartment back in her LA, but it would do.
For now though, the water was pleasantly hot, the soaps expensive and perfectly scented, and the towels fluffy and clean. She could soak the trauma of portal travel off her skin, the sweat of kill-the-bad-guy out of her hair, and generally steam to her heart’s content.
As far as she was concerned, this beat the ever-living-socks off her first day in Pylea.
Not that she wasn’t feeling a bit maudlin deep down inside, but there was no point dwelling on the brood, when there were people to charm, connections to make, and the possibility of a paying job to pursue. She hadn’t forgotten Doyle’s mention of working for that detective, Jeremy Grey, and while she adored Angel and the rest of the gang, the pay was the pits.
While she was busy in the shower, Dennis had taken it upon himself to sort out her belongings, arranging them as closely as possible to how she’d decorated her old apartment. The clothes were in the armoire and dresser, the photos in frames were on the vanity with her jewelry boxes, the weapons were laid out on the window seat, freshly cleaned, and her shoes were neatly lined up. He’d even gone so far as to fetch out one of his favorite outfits and lay it out on the bed.
For whatever reason, whenever he felt the need to dress her, he always picked the slim charcoal pants and a pale rose shirt with a wide collar. She never asked, but the wistful way he flapped the sleeves at her made her think it reminded him of his lost fiancé. They’d never openly discussed the events that led to Dennis’ residence in her home, but the hints and suggestions of a life before never failed to make Cordelia sad on his behalf.
Humming a bit to herself, she redressed and brushed out her hair. “So, Dennis, do any more recon while I was asleep?”
He grabbed up a pen and began to scribble on the pad of paper she kept on the desk for that very purpose. “They seem nice.”
She sighed. “Yeah. I don’t think the Powers would have sent me to protect jerks, do you?”
He wiggled the pen from side to side like a teeter totter.
“What about our situation? Are we going to continue living here with them? Is there room enough? It seems like there are an awful lot of them here.” She thought she sounded sure and full of confidence, but the way that Dennis gently floated a Kleenex her way clued her in to the fact that her brave front wasn’t fooling everyone. She took the tissue, looked at it for a moment, and ripped it into tiny shreds.
Looking up into the mirror, she whispered. “I will not cry. The great Queen C, or Princess Cordelia, or whatever, does not cry. Not about things she cannot change. You hear that self? You’re stuck. Suck it up and get over it.”
She wasn’t sure that helped all that much, but at least Dennis didn’t offer her another tissue. She just had to hold on until things settled down here, or at least until she could talk through the mirror sometime. It helped to know that the gang was only a magical phone-home away.
When it looked like she wasn’t going to elaborate on her mental space anymore, Dennis picked up the pencil again and added, “Permanent.”
Cordy nodded and fastened a charm bracelet around her wrist covered with various tiny crosses. Just because Nicca said there were no vampires here didn’t mean she wasn’t going to be cautious.
“So who’s likely to help us out? It’s nice to know factions before I get in there wading around.”
The pencil paused a moment before tapping on the desk a moment. Finally, he scribbled out, “Hard to say...”
Cordy nodded slowly, “He could see you, couldn’t he? That Rhys guy? So no recon around him then, eh?”
Sad drooping of the pen.
Cordy contemplated rigging some way to wear the pair of daggers Wesley had given her, but she couldn’t find a way to stuff them into the outfit without wrinkling it. Deciding that fashion was more important than weaponry, at least for now, she left the long daggers and fished a small silver one from her duffle, sliding it into the top of her boot. “Well, this is a new twist, but we’ll work around it. So, it’s about, what, dinner time? Early dinner? Do you think they’d be up for filling us in?”
A cool waif of air as Dennis urged her to the door. She laughed. “Okay, I’m going.”
Cordelia made her way out of the rooms she’d been assigned and wandered down the hallway. The décor was similar to the sitting room and her private quarters in the parts of the ‘cottage’ she could see, but few of the doors were open. A series of obviously antique Japanese etchings lined the hallway depicting cranes picking their way delicately around picturesque lakes floating in mist. The former cheerleader nodded her head in appreciation. “This Maeve person must have made a killing in the movie industry. If this is the guest house, the main mansion must rock.”
She wondered if the closed rooms belonged to the guards, and which, if any were romantically attached to Meredith. Not that she had any intentions, but with that many men floating about, it was hard to believe that none of them were pursuing Meredith. Frost certainly seemed to be interested, but she got weird vibes from the rest of them, the tiny flying guy included.
Now wasn’t he interesting? Not that she had a thing against little people, but she’d never met anyone like Sage before. She found she kinda liked his attitude. And the wings were to die for, if she had to have wings. Though, yellow really wasn’t her color. Yuck.
The door to the sitting room was open at the end of the hall and she cautiously peered around the corner. Resisting the urge to holler out, ‘Yoohoo?’, as it would seriously damage the entrance she wanted to make, she took a deep breath and sauntered into the room.
It was empty.
Annoyed that her suave entrance was thwarted she huffed, “Dennis? So where are they already?”
A ghostly tugging at her elbow directed her to the door through to the kitchen. Sitting around an oval table were Rhys and Nicca with Sage laying negligently on a Peace Lily. When they noticed her, both larger guards stood.
“Princess Cordelia, have a seat. Are you thirsty?” Nicca pulled out a chair for her.
The brunette slid into it with a bright smile. “The princess thing really is unnecessary. Cordelia, or Cordy, is perfect. The other sort of reminds me of tiaras and decapitating my friends.” She sighed and rolled her eyes a bit at the unintended trip down memory lane. “Sure, water would be great. Cold, no ice, lemon if you have it.” Nicca nodded and turned to search out the requested beverage. Rhys sat across from her with a grin.
“You’re looking better. Not that I don’t like the look of a lady wielding a sword, but napping becomes you.”
Cordy let loose a bit of inviting laughter. “Yeah, napping does wonders. Most of my work is nocturnal these days so I nap when I can get it. Angel let me keep a room at the Hyperion.” She dimmed a bit. “I wonder what will happen to it now.”
“I’m sure he’ll keep it open for you.” Rhys lost a fraction of his cocky attitude. “It really is admirable of you to come to Meredith’s aid. She needs all the help she can get.”
“It’s not Meredith per se that the Powers want protected, it’s all of you Fey types. Whatever needs to happen, she’s got to do it, and she can’t do it if she’s dead.” Cordy shrugged. “So what’s so special about Meredith anyway?”
Nicca set the glass of water at Cordy’s elbow taking his own seat. Sage fluttered out of his plant to drift in front of the seer. She held her hand up and he settled onto her palm. In his sharp voice he said, “Sex.”
Her eyebrows shot up and Cordy said, “Excuse me?”
Nicca blushed but Sage went on in a singsong voice, “If Merry gets pregnant she becomes queen of the Unseelie Fey. Her Aunt, Andais, has set up a contest between her son Cel and her niece, Merry, and whichever impregnates or gets pregnant first ends up on the throne.”
Intrigued, Cordy answered, “So what happens to the other one, the not so fertile one?”
Sage drew his tiny hand across his throat and made a harsh ‘shhrrrrkk’ noise.
“Whoa. So, you’re all here to protect her then?”
Now Sage burst out into nasty laughter. “No, that’s the kicker. They’re the breeding pool.”
Cordelia was stunned. She looked to Nicca for confirmation, but he averted his eyes. Rhys cleared his throat and moved his fingers around on the table a bit.
“Yes, Prin-Cordelia, we’re all potential matches, but we also serve to protect Meredith. If she were to say, have an untimely accident, then Cel would win the race by default. That was most likely the reason for the attack today. It’s about time for Cel to be released from his punishment and his supporters are getting nervous.”
At Cordelia’s look of incredulity, Nicca continued the story. “Cel was put to punishment for several reasons, but one of which was trying to kill Merry as soon as he heard the conditions of the contest.” He paused for a moment, unsure of how to continue.
Sage took the opportunity to jump in with undisguised glee. “And what do you know: they’ve left out the best part. Merry’s the only woman they’re allowed to sleep with. They’re all part of the Queen’s Ravens, her guard, and they’re allowed to sleep with the queen or no one, and it’s been that way for, oh, a few thousand years. Except the queen won’t sleep with them.” Sage snickered. He extended his wings and gave a flutter or two, gently caressing Cordelia’s fingertips with his hands. Cordy raised her eyebrows at this, but made no move to stop him.
Obviously on a roll, Sage continued, “So all these poor lost boys have been trapped in a life of servitude to their queen, unable to have release by their own hand much less that of a partner. Such a sad fate,” he purred. “And when Queen Andais announced it was open season on Merry, it caused quite a stir, not only with these Ravens, but also the ones that hated her and tried to have her assassinated.”
The seer held up her unoccupied hand, palm out. “So let me get this straight. You’re all ridiculously old without getting all wrinkly, but you’ve been celibate for like, ever, and now you’re banging your princess with abandon to save her life.” She burst out into mildly cynical laughter. “I’ve been magicked away into a freaking romance novel. This is too much. You’ve all got that Fabio hair gone to hell and there’s wooage at ever turn.”
“Well…” Rhys tried to look serious, but broke out into another infectious grin.
“So what, you draw straws?”
A feminine voice from the doorway sounded amused. “Actually, there’s a schedule.” Merry was dressed sharply in royal blue silk, flanked on either side by Frost and Kitto. Though small of stature, she commanded a presence that Cordy admired; something in the way she held herself reminded Cordelia a bit of Buffy on her less psychotic days.
The brunette smiled wryly in response, still overwhelmed by the situation. “What a life you lead. Fairy princess gets to choose from all these delicious boys.”
Warmth flickered in Merry’s eyes as she joined them at the table, leaving Frost to stand behind her chair. Kitto nodded shyly to Cordy, but said nothing, moving to crawl into a giant sized padded dog kennel. Cordy raised her eyebrow in question but said nothing. There were too many quirks with this bunch to even begin to comment on the weirdness of child-sized man-creatures sitting in dog houses.
“Well, I did have a job till recently. Unfortunately I kept nearly getting killed so my aunt insisted I take a few months off. We’re lucky to have found Maeve.”
Cordy was almost about to ask about that situation, but something about the closed way Merry referred to Maeve made her hold her tongue. Who said she couldn’t learn tact when she needed to?
“It looks like you’ve gotten some rest, Princess, so perhaps you’d like to take a tour of the grounds?” Frost murmurred, and while the offer was warmly given, he seemed reserved. The way his hands held his lady’s shoulders indicated a great deal more was invested in her wellbeing than protector or paterfamilias.
“As I said before, a whole world of yes. And I’d love to see the grounds. I know you weren’t expecting me, so I don’t want to disrupt your schedule too much.”
“Oh, it’s not a problem, really. The boys patrol the grounds regularly, and it looks like you can take care of yourself.”
“You can thank Angel for that one, Wes and Gunn too. Believe me, a few years ago all I was good for was screaming and running. That and breaking lots of nails.” She thought for a second. “Or maybe throwing a shoe.”
“Sounds fascinating,” Nicca said, a small smile curling his lips.
“Well, most of the time it was pretty boring. The rest of the time it was…not. Remind me to tell you about the demon I had erupting out of the back of my head sometime; talk about a headache from hell, literally.” At the looks of shock and disbelief on the faces around her Cordy knew she’d be in for quite a few questions. She smiled wryly and added, “But I’m better now.”
“Er, quite. With stories like that you’ll probably fit in just fine here.” Merry laid her hand on Frost’s forearm. Looking up at him she said, “Do you think Nicca and Rhys can take her on their patrol?”
Frost looked thoughtful, running his grey gaze over Cordy’s form. “She did prove her ability earlier. It’s unlikely there’ll be another attempt so close after the last one. Even Cel’s resources aren’t unlimited, and for all we know, he’s unaware his attempt was unsuccessful.”
“I’m not sure it was Cel. There are other options,” Rhys added darkly.
Merry glared at him as if to communicate this wasn’t the time or place to discuss whatever was on his mind. The ruby haired princess sighed. “I know, Rhys, I know. If you’re interested, Cordelia, then go ahead. It’ll be a good idea for you to know what’s logistically vulnerable anyway.”
Cordy wasn’t sure about what exactly she was here to do. Security work wasn’t really her thing, she was more the work on assignment kind of girl, but it couldn’t hurt.
Meredith continued, “Make sure you’re back in time to see Doyle.”
“Why, what’s he bringing?” Rhys stood to gather up a light coat of pale cashmere from the chair back.
“I believe that Doyle mentioned Jeremy Grey to you before, Cordelia. Merry called him this afternoon and he’s very interested to meet you. He’ll be over for dinner.” Frost pulled Merry’s chair back so she could stand as well.
Cordy perked right up at this. “The guy with the job? Oh, excellent. Cause, job means money, and money means shopping.” A look of horror crossed her face. “You do have shopping here, right?”
~~~Chapter 5: Politicking~~~
Maeve’s house and grounds were immaculate. Cordy trailed along behind Rhys and Nicca, Sage perched on her shoulder. They wove their way through a thicket of hibiscus plants around a low stone wall to the pool side. It was spectacular. Maeve had obviously paid her architect well because the pool was like something out of a fairy tale. Then again, everything around here seemed to be fairy tale-tinged.
Rhys turned to regard her with his good eye. “You know, this is the first time we’ve had people here that weren’t approved by Maeve ahead of time. Merry went to talk with her while you napped, and she says it’s fine, but you’ll probably have to go and pay homage one of these days.”
What a peculiar turn of phrase, Cordy thought, but out loud she said, “Oh? Why is that?”
Sage tugged his hands through her hair to get her attention. “Because she was the goddess of springtime, and she’ll never let us forget it.”
Nicca stopped to glare at Sage and shook his head. “Many of us are less than we were, but Maeve has found it hard to adjust. Perhaps that is why she ended up in Hollywood,” he mused
“Why is that?” Cordy shivered as Sage snuggled up closer to her neck, his tiny wings feathering against her skin.
“All the fey have been diminished- it is part of the deal we made to live among the humans. We’ve given up much to live in their world, but it’s better than fading away completely or being hunted out of existence,” Rhys said. He brushed a branch out of his way as he turned left to follow a ten foot stone wall.
Sage whispered softly, “But now some of them are getting things back.”
Cordy almost asked him what he meant, but the closed look on Rhys’ face made her think better of it. These fey were obviously undergoing something profoundly life-altering, not the least because the Powers had intervened to send her there. If they’d had to give things up before, what could possibly cause them to regain lost abilities?
The afternoon was cooling down, an ocean breeze blowing in from the coast. She wondered where exactly she was, or even if there would be enough common frames of reference to know. It looked like L.A., even down to the smog tinged sunset and dry grass outside the watered area. But it felt different, a peculiar artificiality that made her want to run her hands through lush grass and smell wildflowers fresh from the fields.
She followed Nicca and Rhys along a well-worn path beside the wall. It was obvious that the guards took patrolling seriously, leaving no area uninvestigated. This was a good thing, Cordy thought, though she wasn’t sure she wanted to be on ‘crawl through the bushes’ detail forever. When they reached a small clearing set with a few benches, Rhys stopped and motioned her to sit down.
She did so, shaking her hair back. Sage gave a startled cry and Cordelia cringed. “I’m sorry! I just…well, I’ve never had a demi-fey around before. I forgot…I just…” She trailed off when Nicca sat next to her.
He smoothed the wrinkles out of his pants and said, “No one lets them sit on their shoulders. No sidhe anyway. You would be well entitled to make him leave.”
Behind her ear, Sage hissed, little body trembling on her shoulder. “She shows me courtesy and all you want is for her to get rid of me.”
Cordelia raised her hand to stop any argument. “Let’s just say I don’t know the rules. I don’t give a rat’s ass whether you think butterfly-boy should sit on my shoulder or not: it should be my decision. Honestly, I don’t know what you have against him. If I decide he’s a menace I’ll swat him- otherwise, let him be.”
Both Nicca and Rhys frowned at this, but Sage laughed. “She is a fiery one, isn’t she? Well, boys, looks like you’re outvoted.” He began humming to himself and ran hand down the outside of Cordelia’s ear. It was a disconcerting feeling, but not a bad one.
“Princess, you don’t know what the demi-fey can do. Before we came to Los Angeles, a flock of them wounded Galen badly- very nearly permanently. They’re vicious creatures.” The darker sidhe scowled as he spoke, lines marring the perfection of his features.
Cordelia wondered if being gorgeous was sort of a fey prerequisite. Not that she felt ugly or anything, but the competition here was fierce. Dragging her mind back to the issue at hand- and perched on her shoulder- she said, “How could they wound Galen? Isn’t he…you know, bigger than they are?”
Sage started laughing, but it was Rhys who responded. He pulled a knife from his belt and ran a forefinger down the edge. “They look pretty, Cordy, but they feast on blood and flesh. Those tiny mouths are wicked and can reduce a man to ruin in mere minutes, if he is unable to fight back.” He turned a serious blue eye her way. “Galen was being punished so he could not defend himself. They swarmed over him like locusts, like the insects they are.”
“If I’m so insignificant, why am I here? The Queen would be nothing without my Niceven, and Merry is not so stupid to overlook our skills,” Sage hissed.
Shivering a bit at the open hostility swirling through the air- almost tangible, she realized- Cordy raised a hand. “Wait, you said blood and flesh? You’re a blood drinker?”
Sage flitted from his perch on her shoulder, flying around to face her directly. “The blood of the sidhe is delicious indeed, full of power and life. It doesn’t have to hurt, little princess. I could make it feel wonderful, just a touch of glamour, and you’d be crying out my name in gratitude-and other things.”
His little face was hungry, bright black eyes shining in the dusk. For a moment Cordy thought she could see his true face, like Angel’s game face, burning through the thin skin. He looked like a wild thing, something from a nightmare, but she couldn’t find it in her to be afraid. Whatever he was, he could not compete with the horrors in her head.
She wondered what her life would be like here, forever deciphering old rules and new cruelties. What she would become, this version of the Queen C, and how she would cope? There was a freedom to it all, to reinvent, to be reborn, but she would have to make her own way. If the Powers wanted someone to play by the old rules, they wouldn’t have recruited her now would they?
“You know guys, I appreciate the concern. But one of my closest friends is a blood drinker, remember? Vampires aren’t exactly known for their dainty eating habits. Besides, I’ve gone down that road before, and while it was profoundly gross, at the time I don’t remember thinking it was so bad.” Wishing she hadn’t recalled that particular memory of demon pregnancy and horrid cravings, she gave Sage a gimlet eye. “But just because I’m cool with the iron-rich diet doesn’t mean I want to play donor any time soon, and certainly not without permission.”
Sage fluttered forward, laying a hand on her cheek; his wings beat a staccato rhythm on her eyelashes causing her to blink. “You say that now, but ask Merry what it can be like sometime- you may just change your mind.” Something in his gaze made her breath hitch, just a tiny flutter in time with the beating of his wings, a twinge of carnal curiosity that she quickly squashed.
“I doubt it,” Rhys ground out, his voice full of distain. He ignored Cordy’s faint blush. “I’m sure Cordelia will find that conversation with Merry enlightening, and not at all to your advantage.”
“So you say,” Sage muttered, resuming his place by her ear.
Cordy looked the small clearing, very ready to change the subject. “So what’s with the stopping point? Is there some significance to this little slice of bucolic glory?”
Nicca gestured to a low stone structure, just hidden by low hanging foliage. “You heard about the Lord and Lady earlier? This is one of the altars to them here on the property. The sidhe- all fey, really- have a close relationship with nature. It’s hard to find true wilderness in a city filled with iron and asphalt like Los Angeles, so Maeve built a shrine in as secluded a place as she could find on her property.”
Cordy could just make out the granite step with a bowl and some dried flowers laid atop it. She stood and walked closer, trying with those new found senses to feel the area. She still felt restless and incomplete, but there was a sense of peace here, a bit of tranquility in an overwhelming time.
“It’s lovely here. I guess I didn’t notice it before, but I’m kind of…itchy. Like my skin is on too tight. Do the rest of you feel that?”
“Most of us. Meredith has it easier since she’s part human and brownie- they aren’t as affected by the metal and modern progress as we are. We’re an old race, and we flourished long before humans and their obsession with technology. They would be rare sidhe indeed that could survive in a city like this one for long without renewing themselves.” Rhys sounded sad, as if it cost him something to live here with his spun-ruby princess.
After a moment of silence, the guards readied themselves to move on, Cordelia tromping along between them. They talked as they walked, the bird calls of the late afternoon surrounding them. They moved briskly; Nicca seemed very concerned that she wouldn’t get a chance to meet with Jeremy Gray before sunset. Maeve’s estate was larger than Cordelia had first imagined, but well cared for. Eventually they returned to the guest house, skirting along beside a cabana and gazebo complex. The lights were on and music sounded from a series of inset speakers throughout the building.
Cordy followed her escorts back to the sitting room she’d first arrived in, taking note of the newcomer. The rest of the gang was all there, and the way Rhys glanced at the corner of the room near the potted fichus indicated that Dennis was present as well. A small, neat, grey man sat on a settee. And he really was grey, skin hair and clothing, except for an elegant pink tie. He looked at her with mild curiosity when she entered, and stood, bowing slightly.
“Jeremy Gray at your service.”
Blushing slightly at his look of obvious appreciation, and hoping she didn’t have too many leaves in her hair, Cordy smiled. “Cordelia Chase. It’s lovely to meet you.”
Meredith waved Cordy to sit from her push me-pull me position between Galen and Frost on the couch. Cordy wondered if they would always sit like that. Eventually she’d want to scream- get over it!- or some such. Sliding into the plush upholstery Cordy squashed the urge with difficulty. Less than twelve hours around here and she already wanted to sort out their problems.
“So Meredith says you’re interested in working for us? I hear you’ve had some experience with supernatural investigations in the past?” Even his speech was neat and precise. Cordy was impressed.
She took a deep breath and began to spin her story. “I did. I did some work for a private firm that doesn’t advertise up in the Bay area. You’ve probably never heard of it, but we did good work: some of it security but mostly investigations for wealthy human clients when they didn’t want their business publicly known.”
“So, discretion then? That’s good. We do some security detail, though I doubt that’s where you would be utilized, despite Doyle’s assurances that you’d fare well. We’re not usually comfortable placing humans as bodyguards- and that’s not what our patrons pay for.”
Behind him, Meredith winked. Evidently their rather hastily constructed ruse was working. While she patrolled with Rhys and Nicca earlier, they told her the track Meredith wanted to take with Jeremy. Meredith would fill her former employer in on a basic new back-story then Cordy would appear in her ‘human’ face. They’d see if Jeremy could pick up on her true nature, and if he couldn’t then that would give her a natural ‘in’ for undercover work. So far, all seemed to be going well.
It was tricky, though, because the fey are not supposed to lie to each other. The problem of Cordelia’s origin was bound to pop up, and Doyle was working on a phrasing that would allow her access to the areas she needed. He told Rhys that he was going to ask a sidhe named Barinthus for advice, and that seemed to settle the situation for the one-eyed former God of Death. Cordelia wasn’t quite so sure, but she’d go with the bare bones account of her history until they heard from this infamous Barinthus.
Showtime. Cordy smiled and said, “No, I can well imagine that. Besides, Rhys seemed to think it wasn’t so much bodyguard duty as eye candy detail. But I think you may be a bit surprised with how well I’d do. I’m not exactly your average…human.”
With that she began to slowly glow. She had been afraid she wouldn’t be able to pull this off effectively, but it seemed her inner thwarted-dramatist was finally getting the chance to show off. The glow started slowly, hands first, spreading up her arms until her torso and face shown with a clear, bright light. She felt a bit ridiculous looking like sunrise incarnate, but the way Jeremy’s mouth dropped open made it worth it.
“You…you’re…but how?”
“I never thought I’d see you speechless, Jeremy,” Meredith chuckled. “It doesn’t look good on you. But despite the dramatic presentation, I feel I owe you an apology. With the boys and me out of commission, I felt I should find a replacement of sorts. I know you have more work than you know what to do with and I hated to leave you in the lurch.”
Jeremy nodded slowly, his eyes still on an increasingly disconcerted Cordelia. His stare was intense, but not erotic. He seemed to be trying to peel back her skin with his gaze, trying to figure out what made her tick. Annoyed, Cordy let the glow fade away to her newly standard slight-but-not-really-there look. Youthful glow, she called it.
“Er, quite.” The grey man dragged his attention back to Merry. “This is…”
“Impossible, I know. But here she is, and she’s more than willing to do a bit of detective work. She’s actually here as part of Meredith’s staff, but we’re happy to part with her for a portion of time to help you out,” Doyle rumbled, crossing his arms across his chest.
While Cordy hadn’t been thrilled about that aspect of their little plan, Meredith thought that giving Cordelia an official position with her ‘court’ here in LA would raise fewer eyebrows. The Sunnydale refugee wasn’t all that sure public relations was her forte, but she was happy to give it a go. It seemed that any royal sidhe of note had a publicist. Who knew?
“I think I could find a few uses for you immediately, if you’re interested, Cordelia. I’m not sure how familiar you are with Los Angeles, but I have some people that would work with you to begin with. In fact, if you’re free tomorrow, I would be interested on briefing you on a case dealing with a possible possession. It’s messy, but I’m not convinced it’s real.” He smiled encouragingly, “It would be an honor.”
Grinning, Cordy responded, “That would be fantastic! Possessions were a specialty of mine back with Angel Investigations.” Across the room, she could see the fichus wobble dangerously. Apparently Dennis had quite a bit to say about that claim. Cordy hoped he’d wait until Jeremy was gone.
“It’s all settled then. Have one of the guards drop you off at nine and we’ll get the paperwork started. Have a lovely evening, Meredith, Cordelia.” The small man nodded to the guards and followed Nicca back to the front door.
Cordy let out a huge sigh. “That went well, I guess.”
“I thought so. Jeremy’s a good man to work for- or should I say trow,” Meredith mused.
“Is that why he’s rather spectacularly mono-chrome? Another fey type?”
“There are many types of fey, Princess,” Doyle added, relaxing his stance a bit. “Maybe we should find you a book on them all. If you are supposed to be a native of this land, then we can’t have you making elementary mistakes and misunderstandings. It would incontrovertibly undermine our efforts.”
Softly groaning, Cordy held her hand up for Sage to hop from her shoulder to her palm. “So now there’s homework. Sometimes I wish I’d gone to college- not that I minded the starving actress routine, really- but it was more for the partying and less for the studying.”
The demi-fey gave her fingers a caress and fluttered his wings flirtatiously. He felt strangely heavy against her hand, like he weighed more than he should.
“Are there many different types of fey?” she wondered.
Sage chirped, “Many indeed. And we’re all complicated and difficult in our own way. And just wait until you read the rules.”
“There are rules?”
“Sage is being a bit…literal. The fey exist within a very structured society- and those informal rules are there for a very good reason,” Meredith said.
Rhys chimed in, “Mostly to keep us from killing each other. Blood really is a currency here, whether it’s consumed or spilled. The treaties are complex but necessary. The last war of note was a few centuries ago, though.”
Cordy crossed her unoccupied arm across her waist. She scanned the faces around her and realized something interesting. Most of the sidhe regarded her with a sense of trepidation. While she had done nothing overtly hostile, she was still an unknown. Even Doyle, who knew her far better than the others- which still wasn’t saying much- looked nervous.
And then she understood why: they were afraid she’d leave. That she’d decide this adventure wasn’t worth the bother and take her divinely-sanctioned, completely untested powers and go away. It was reassuring that they were as unsure of this arrangement as she was, and were probably just as afraid for the future. Their lives were wrapped up in their princess, and she was going to alter their future, for good or for ill.
Cordelia decided if she were them she’d be rather nervous too.
She managed a smile, even if it was a few watts dimmer than usual. “Things will work out fine. Yay Team Optimism, right?”
Sage flitted from her palm and she dropped her hand. The yellow haired demi-fey gave her a look she couldn’t decipher and flew off to perch on Dennis’ expressive fichus. Some of the guards smiled back at her, and Meredith looked hopeful.
Cordelia took a breath and decided to just get on with her new life. Brooding was for vampires, after all. She rubbed her hands together. “Might as well get started then, right? How about I get a primer over dinner? It smells divine.”
~~~End Chapter 5~~~
To be continued...
Series: Dance of Light
Rating: R
Universe: Xover Merry Gentry / Angel
Spoilers: AtS:3-11 (Birthday), MG:2 (Caress of Twilight), my story Through a Glass Darkly
Disclaimer: Cordy and the AI crew belong to Joss and David Greenwalt, Mutant Enemy Productions. Merry Gentry and the Sidhe belong to Laurel K. Hamilton.
Summary: Following the directions from the Powers That Be, Cordelia leaps into Doyle’s world, learning all about the world of the sidhe and the role she has to play to save the Fey.
Chapters 1-3
~~~Chapter 4: Making an Entrance~~~
Feeling considerably refreshed after her nap, Cordelia was ready to face her new life. First thing to do, of course, was a shower. After all, there was nothing worse then making the ever important second impression rumpled from a two-hour nap. The bathroom was every bit as luxurious, if impersonal, as the rest of the guest suite, but she paid it no mind; she’d fix it soon enough. As soon as she had some funds, she’d add a series of mirrors over the towel rack, maybe a candle or six in several sizes, and of course a radio. After all, what’s a luxury bath without soothing tunes? It wouldn’t be her bath from the apartment back in her LA, but it would do.
For now though, the water was pleasantly hot, the soaps expensive and perfectly scented, and the towels fluffy and clean. She could soak the trauma of portal travel off her skin, the sweat of kill-the-bad-guy out of her hair, and generally steam to her heart’s content.
As far as she was concerned, this beat the ever-living-socks off her first day in Pylea.
Not that she wasn’t feeling a bit maudlin deep down inside, but there was no point dwelling on the brood, when there were people to charm, connections to make, and the possibility of a paying job to pursue. She hadn’t forgotten Doyle’s mention of working for that detective, Jeremy Grey, and while she adored Angel and the rest of the gang, the pay was the pits.
While she was busy in the shower, Dennis had taken it upon himself to sort out her belongings, arranging them as closely as possible to how she’d decorated her old apartment. The clothes were in the armoire and dresser, the photos in frames were on the vanity with her jewelry boxes, the weapons were laid out on the window seat, freshly cleaned, and her shoes were neatly lined up. He’d even gone so far as to fetch out one of his favorite outfits and lay it out on the bed.
For whatever reason, whenever he felt the need to dress her, he always picked the slim charcoal pants and a pale rose shirt with a wide collar. She never asked, but the wistful way he flapped the sleeves at her made her think it reminded him of his lost fiancé. They’d never openly discussed the events that led to Dennis’ residence in her home, but the hints and suggestions of a life before never failed to make Cordelia sad on his behalf.
Humming a bit to herself, she redressed and brushed out her hair. “So, Dennis, do any more recon while I was asleep?”
He grabbed up a pen and began to scribble on the pad of paper she kept on the desk for that very purpose. “They seem nice.”
She sighed. “Yeah. I don’t think the Powers would have sent me to protect jerks, do you?”
He wiggled the pen from side to side like a teeter totter.
“What about our situation? Are we going to continue living here with them? Is there room enough? It seems like there are an awful lot of them here.” She thought she sounded sure and full of confidence, but the way that Dennis gently floated a Kleenex her way clued her in to the fact that her brave front wasn’t fooling everyone. She took the tissue, looked at it for a moment, and ripped it into tiny shreds.
Looking up into the mirror, she whispered. “I will not cry. The great Queen C, or Princess Cordelia, or whatever, does not cry. Not about things she cannot change. You hear that self? You’re stuck. Suck it up and get over it.”
She wasn’t sure that helped all that much, but at least Dennis didn’t offer her another tissue. She just had to hold on until things settled down here, or at least until she could talk through the mirror sometime. It helped to know that the gang was only a magical phone-home away.
When it looked like she wasn’t going to elaborate on her mental space anymore, Dennis picked up the pencil again and added, “Permanent.”
Cordy nodded and fastened a charm bracelet around her wrist covered with various tiny crosses. Just because Nicca said there were no vampires here didn’t mean she wasn’t going to be cautious.
“So who’s likely to help us out? It’s nice to know factions before I get in there wading around.”
The pencil paused a moment before tapping on the desk a moment. Finally, he scribbled out, “Hard to say...”
Cordy nodded slowly, “He could see you, couldn’t he? That Rhys guy? So no recon around him then, eh?”
Sad drooping of the pen.
Cordy contemplated rigging some way to wear the pair of daggers Wesley had given her, but she couldn’t find a way to stuff them into the outfit without wrinkling it. Deciding that fashion was more important than weaponry, at least for now, she left the long daggers and fished a small silver one from her duffle, sliding it into the top of her boot. “Well, this is a new twist, but we’ll work around it. So, it’s about, what, dinner time? Early dinner? Do you think they’d be up for filling us in?”
A cool waif of air as Dennis urged her to the door. She laughed. “Okay, I’m going.”
Cordelia made her way out of the rooms she’d been assigned and wandered down the hallway. The décor was similar to the sitting room and her private quarters in the parts of the ‘cottage’ she could see, but few of the doors were open. A series of obviously antique Japanese etchings lined the hallway depicting cranes picking their way delicately around picturesque lakes floating in mist. The former cheerleader nodded her head in appreciation. “This Maeve person must have made a killing in the movie industry. If this is the guest house, the main mansion must rock.”
She wondered if the closed rooms belonged to the guards, and which, if any were romantically attached to Meredith. Not that she had any intentions, but with that many men floating about, it was hard to believe that none of them were pursuing Meredith. Frost certainly seemed to be interested, but she got weird vibes from the rest of them, the tiny flying guy included.
Now wasn’t he interesting? Not that she had a thing against little people, but she’d never met anyone like Sage before. She found she kinda liked his attitude. And the wings were to die for, if she had to have wings. Though, yellow really wasn’t her color. Yuck.
The door to the sitting room was open at the end of the hall and she cautiously peered around the corner. Resisting the urge to holler out, ‘Yoohoo?’, as it would seriously damage the entrance she wanted to make, she took a deep breath and sauntered into the room.
It was empty.
Annoyed that her suave entrance was thwarted she huffed, “Dennis? So where are they already?”
A ghostly tugging at her elbow directed her to the door through to the kitchen. Sitting around an oval table were Rhys and Nicca with Sage laying negligently on a Peace Lily. When they noticed her, both larger guards stood.
“Princess Cordelia, have a seat. Are you thirsty?” Nicca pulled out a chair for her.
The brunette slid into it with a bright smile. “The princess thing really is unnecessary. Cordelia, or Cordy, is perfect. The other sort of reminds me of tiaras and decapitating my friends.” She sighed and rolled her eyes a bit at the unintended trip down memory lane. “Sure, water would be great. Cold, no ice, lemon if you have it.” Nicca nodded and turned to search out the requested beverage. Rhys sat across from her with a grin.
“You’re looking better. Not that I don’t like the look of a lady wielding a sword, but napping becomes you.”
Cordy let loose a bit of inviting laughter. “Yeah, napping does wonders. Most of my work is nocturnal these days so I nap when I can get it. Angel let me keep a room at the Hyperion.” She dimmed a bit. “I wonder what will happen to it now.”
“I’m sure he’ll keep it open for you.” Rhys lost a fraction of his cocky attitude. “It really is admirable of you to come to Meredith’s aid. She needs all the help she can get.”
“It’s not Meredith per se that the Powers want protected, it’s all of you Fey types. Whatever needs to happen, she’s got to do it, and she can’t do it if she’s dead.” Cordy shrugged. “So what’s so special about Meredith anyway?”
Nicca set the glass of water at Cordy’s elbow taking his own seat. Sage fluttered out of his plant to drift in front of the seer. She held her hand up and he settled onto her palm. In his sharp voice he said, “Sex.”
Her eyebrows shot up and Cordy said, “Excuse me?”
Nicca blushed but Sage went on in a singsong voice, “If Merry gets pregnant she becomes queen of the Unseelie Fey. Her Aunt, Andais, has set up a contest between her son Cel and her niece, Merry, and whichever impregnates or gets pregnant first ends up on the throne.”
Intrigued, Cordy answered, “So what happens to the other one, the not so fertile one?”
Sage drew his tiny hand across his throat and made a harsh ‘shhrrrrkk’ noise.
“Whoa. So, you’re all here to protect her then?”
Now Sage burst out into nasty laughter. “No, that’s the kicker. They’re the breeding pool.”
Cordelia was stunned. She looked to Nicca for confirmation, but he averted his eyes. Rhys cleared his throat and moved his fingers around on the table a bit.
“Yes, Prin-Cordelia, we’re all potential matches, but we also serve to protect Meredith. If she were to say, have an untimely accident, then Cel would win the race by default. That was most likely the reason for the attack today. It’s about time for Cel to be released from his punishment and his supporters are getting nervous.”
At Cordelia’s look of incredulity, Nicca continued the story. “Cel was put to punishment for several reasons, but one of which was trying to kill Merry as soon as he heard the conditions of the contest.” He paused for a moment, unsure of how to continue.
Sage took the opportunity to jump in with undisguised glee. “And what do you know: they’ve left out the best part. Merry’s the only woman they’re allowed to sleep with. They’re all part of the Queen’s Ravens, her guard, and they’re allowed to sleep with the queen or no one, and it’s been that way for, oh, a few thousand years. Except the queen won’t sleep with them.” Sage snickered. He extended his wings and gave a flutter or two, gently caressing Cordelia’s fingertips with his hands. Cordy raised her eyebrows at this, but made no move to stop him.
Obviously on a roll, Sage continued, “So all these poor lost boys have been trapped in a life of servitude to their queen, unable to have release by their own hand much less that of a partner. Such a sad fate,” he purred. “And when Queen Andais announced it was open season on Merry, it caused quite a stir, not only with these Ravens, but also the ones that hated her and tried to have her assassinated.”
The seer held up her unoccupied hand, palm out. “So let me get this straight. You’re all ridiculously old without getting all wrinkly, but you’ve been celibate for like, ever, and now you’re banging your princess with abandon to save her life.” She burst out into mildly cynical laughter. “I’ve been magicked away into a freaking romance novel. This is too much. You’ve all got that Fabio hair gone to hell and there’s wooage at ever turn.”
“Well…” Rhys tried to look serious, but broke out into another infectious grin.
“So what, you draw straws?”
A feminine voice from the doorway sounded amused. “Actually, there’s a schedule.” Merry was dressed sharply in royal blue silk, flanked on either side by Frost and Kitto. Though small of stature, she commanded a presence that Cordy admired; something in the way she held herself reminded Cordelia a bit of Buffy on her less psychotic days.
The brunette smiled wryly in response, still overwhelmed by the situation. “What a life you lead. Fairy princess gets to choose from all these delicious boys.”
Warmth flickered in Merry’s eyes as she joined them at the table, leaving Frost to stand behind her chair. Kitto nodded shyly to Cordy, but said nothing, moving to crawl into a giant sized padded dog kennel. Cordy raised her eyebrow in question but said nothing. There were too many quirks with this bunch to even begin to comment on the weirdness of child-sized man-creatures sitting in dog houses.
“Well, I did have a job till recently. Unfortunately I kept nearly getting killed so my aunt insisted I take a few months off. We’re lucky to have found Maeve.”
Cordy was almost about to ask about that situation, but something about the closed way Merry referred to Maeve made her hold her tongue. Who said she couldn’t learn tact when she needed to?
“It looks like you’ve gotten some rest, Princess, so perhaps you’d like to take a tour of the grounds?” Frost murmurred, and while the offer was warmly given, he seemed reserved. The way his hands held his lady’s shoulders indicated a great deal more was invested in her wellbeing than protector or paterfamilias.
“As I said before, a whole world of yes. And I’d love to see the grounds. I know you weren’t expecting me, so I don’t want to disrupt your schedule too much.”
“Oh, it’s not a problem, really. The boys patrol the grounds regularly, and it looks like you can take care of yourself.”
“You can thank Angel for that one, Wes and Gunn too. Believe me, a few years ago all I was good for was screaming and running. That and breaking lots of nails.” She thought for a second. “Or maybe throwing a shoe.”
“Sounds fascinating,” Nicca said, a small smile curling his lips.
“Well, most of the time it was pretty boring. The rest of the time it was…not. Remind me to tell you about the demon I had erupting out of the back of my head sometime; talk about a headache from hell, literally.” At the looks of shock and disbelief on the faces around her Cordy knew she’d be in for quite a few questions. She smiled wryly and added, “But I’m better now.”
“Er, quite. With stories like that you’ll probably fit in just fine here.” Merry laid her hand on Frost’s forearm. Looking up at him she said, “Do you think Nicca and Rhys can take her on their patrol?”
Frost looked thoughtful, running his grey gaze over Cordy’s form. “She did prove her ability earlier. It’s unlikely there’ll be another attempt so close after the last one. Even Cel’s resources aren’t unlimited, and for all we know, he’s unaware his attempt was unsuccessful.”
“I’m not sure it was Cel. There are other options,” Rhys added darkly.
Merry glared at him as if to communicate this wasn’t the time or place to discuss whatever was on his mind. The ruby haired princess sighed. “I know, Rhys, I know. If you’re interested, Cordelia, then go ahead. It’ll be a good idea for you to know what’s logistically vulnerable anyway.”
Cordy wasn’t sure about what exactly she was here to do. Security work wasn’t really her thing, she was more the work on assignment kind of girl, but it couldn’t hurt.
Meredith continued, “Make sure you’re back in time to see Doyle.”
“Why, what’s he bringing?” Rhys stood to gather up a light coat of pale cashmere from the chair back.
“I believe that Doyle mentioned Jeremy Grey to you before, Cordelia. Merry called him this afternoon and he’s very interested to meet you. He’ll be over for dinner.” Frost pulled Merry’s chair back so she could stand as well.
Cordy perked right up at this. “The guy with the job? Oh, excellent. Cause, job means money, and money means shopping.” A look of horror crossed her face. “You do have shopping here, right?”
~~~Chapter 5: Politicking~~~
Maeve’s house and grounds were immaculate. Cordy trailed along behind Rhys and Nicca, Sage perched on her shoulder. They wove their way through a thicket of hibiscus plants around a low stone wall to the pool side. It was spectacular. Maeve had obviously paid her architect well because the pool was like something out of a fairy tale. Then again, everything around here seemed to be fairy tale-tinged.
Rhys turned to regard her with his good eye. “You know, this is the first time we’ve had people here that weren’t approved by Maeve ahead of time. Merry went to talk with her while you napped, and she says it’s fine, but you’ll probably have to go and pay homage one of these days.”
What a peculiar turn of phrase, Cordy thought, but out loud she said, “Oh? Why is that?”
Sage tugged his hands through her hair to get her attention. “Because she was the goddess of springtime, and she’ll never let us forget it.”
Nicca stopped to glare at Sage and shook his head. “Many of us are less than we were, but Maeve has found it hard to adjust. Perhaps that is why she ended up in Hollywood,” he mused
“Why is that?” Cordy shivered as Sage snuggled up closer to her neck, his tiny wings feathering against her skin.
“All the fey have been diminished- it is part of the deal we made to live among the humans. We’ve given up much to live in their world, but it’s better than fading away completely or being hunted out of existence,” Rhys said. He brushed a branch out of his way as he turned left to follow a ten foot stone wall.
Sage whispered softly, “But now some of them are getting things back.”
Cordy almost asked him what he meant, but the closed look on Rhys’ face made her think better of it. These fey were obviously undergoing something profoundly life-altering, not the least because the Powers had intervened to send her there. If they’d had to give things up before, what could possibly cause them to regain lost abilities?
The afternoon was cooling down, an ocean breeze blowing in from the coast. She wondered where exactly she was, or even if there would be enough common frames of reference to know. It looked like L.A., even down to the smog tinged sunset and dry grass outside the watered area. But it felt different, a peculiar artificiality that made her want to run her hands through lush grass and smell wildflowers fresh from the fields.
She followed Nicca and Rhys along a well-worn path beside the wall. It was obvious that the guards took patrolling seriously, leaving no area uninvestigated. This was a good thing, Cordy thought, though she wasn’t sure she wanted to be on ‘crawl through the bushes’ detail forever. When they reached a small clearing set with a few benches, Rhys stopped and motioned her to sit down.
She did so, shaking her hair back. Sage gave a startled cry and Cordelia cringed. “I’m sorry! I just…well, I’ve never had a demi-fey around before. I forgot…I just…” She trailed off when Nicca sat next to her.
He smoothed the wrinkles out of his pants and said, “No one lets them sit on their shoulders. No sidhe anyway. You would be well entitled to make him leave.”
Behind her ear, Sage hissed, little body trembling on her shoulder. “She shows me courtesy and all you want is for her to get rid of me.”
Cordelia raised her hand to stop any argument. “Let’s just say I don’t know the rules. I don’t give a rat’s ass whether you think butterfly-boy should sit on my shoulder or not: it should be my decision. Honestly, I don’t know what you have against him. If I decide he’s a menace I’ll swat him- otherwise, let him be.”
Both Nicca and Rhys frowned at this, but Sage laughed. “She is a fiery one, isn’t she? Well, boys, looks like you’re outvoted.” He began humming to himself and ran hand down the outside of Cordelia’s ear. It was a disconcerting feeling, but not a bad one.
“Princess, you don’t know what the demi-fey can do. Before we came to Los Angeles, a flock of them wounded Galen badly- very nearly permanently. They’re vicious creatures.” The darker sidhe scowled as he spoke, lines marring the perfection of his features.
Cordelia wondered if being gorgeous was sort of a fey prerequisite. Not that she felt ugly or anything, but the competition here was fierce. Dragging her mind back to the issue at hand- and perched on her shoulder- she said, “How could they wound Galen? Isn’t he…you know, bigger than they are?”
Sage started laughing, but it was Rhys who responded. He pulled a knife from his belt and ran a forefinger down the edge. “They look pretty, Cordy, but they feast on blood and flesh. Those tiny mouths are wicked and can reduce a man to ruin in mere minutes, if he is unable to fight back.” He turned a serious blue eye her way. “Galen was being punished so he could not defend himself. They swarmed over him like locusts, like the insects they are.”
“If I’m so insignificant, why am I here? The Queen would be nothing without my Niceven, and Merry is not so stupid to overlook our skills,” Sage hissed.
Shivering a bit at the open hostility swirling through the air- almost tangible, she realized- Cordy raised a hand. “Wait, you said blood and flesh? You’re a blood drinker?”
Sage flitted from his perch on her shoulder, flying around to face her directly. “The blood of the sidhe is delicious indeed, full of power and life. It doesn’t have to hurt, little princess. I could make it feel wonderful, just a touch of glamour, and you’d be crying out my name in gratitude-and other things.”
His little face was hungry, bright black eyes shining in the dusk. For a moment Cordy thought she could see his true face, like Angel’s game face, burning through the thin skin. He looked like a wild thing, something from a nightmare, but she couldn’t find it in her to be afraid. Whatever he was, he could not compete with the horrors in her head.
She wondered what her life would be like here, forever deciphering old rules and new cruelties. What she would become, this version of the Queen C, and how she would cope? There was a freedom to it all, to reinvent, to be reborn, but she would have to make her own way. If the Powers wanted someone to play by the old rules, they wouldn’t have recruited her now would they?
“You know guys, I appreciate the concern. But one of my closest friends is a blood drinker, remember? Vampires aren’t exactly known for their dainty eating habits. Besides, I’ve gone down that road before, and while it was profoundly gross, at the time I don’t remember thinking it was so bad.” Wishing she hadn’t recalled that particular memory of demon pregnancy and horrid cravings, she gave Sage a gimlet eye. “But just because I’m cool with the iron-rich diet doesn’t mean I want to play donor any time soon, and certainly not without permission.”
Sage fluttered forward, laying a hand on her cheek; his wings beat a staccato rhythm on her eyelashes causing her to blink. “You say that now, but ask Merry what it can be like sometime- you may just change your mind.” Something in his gaze made her breath hitch, just a tiny flutter in time with the beating of his wings, a twinge of carnal curiosity that she quickly squashed.
“I doubt it,” Rhys ground out, his voice full of distain. He ignored Cordy’s faint blush. “I’m sure Cordelia will find that conversation with Merry enlightening, and not at all to your advantage.”
“So you say,” Sage muttered, resuming his place by her ear.
Cordy looked the small clearing, very ready to change the subject. “So what’s with the stopping point? Is there some significance to this little slice of bucolic glory?”
Nicca gestured to a low stone structure, just hidden by low hanging foliage. “You heard about the Lord and Lady earlier? This is one of the altars to them here on the property. The sidhe- all fey, really- have a close relationship with nature. It’s hard to find true wilderness in a city filled with iron and asphalt like Los Angeles, so Maeve built a shrine in as secluded a place as she could find on her property.”
Cordy could just make out the granite step with a bowl and some dried flowers laid atop it. She stood and walked closer, trying with those new found senses to feel the area. She still felt restless and incomplete, but there was a sense of peace here, a bit of tranquility in an overwhelming time.
“It’s lovely here. I guess I didn’t notice it before, but I’m kind of…itchy. Like my skin is on too tight. Do the rest of you feel that?”
“Most of us. Meredith has it easier since she’s part human and brownie- they aren’t as affected by the metal and modern progress as we are. We’re an old race, and we flourished long before humans and their obsession with technology. They would be rare sidhe indeed that could survive in a city like this one for long without renewing themselves.” Rhys sounded sad, as if it cost him something to live here with his spun-ruby princess.
After a moment of silence, the guards readied themselves to move on, Cordelia tromping along between them. They talked as they walked, the bird calls of the late afternoon surrounding them. They moved briskly; Nicca seemed very concerned that she wouldn’t get a chance to meet with Jeremy Gray before sunset. Maeve’s estate was larger than Cordelia had first imagined, but well cared for. Eventually they returned to the guest house, skirting along beside a cabana and gazebo complex. The lights were on and music sounded from a series of inset speakers throughout the building.
Cordy followed her escorts back to the sitting room she’d first arrived in, taking note of the newcomer. The rest of the gang was all there, and the way Rhys glanced at the corner of the room near the potted fichus indicated that Dennis was present as well. A small, neat, grey man sat on a settee. And he really was grey, skin hair and clothing, except for an elegant pink tie. He looked at her with mild curiosity when she entered, and stood, bowing slightly.
“Jeremy Gray at your service.”
Blushing slightly at his look of obvious appreciation, and hoping she didn’t have too many leaves in her hair, Cordy smiled. “Cordelia Chase. It’s lovely to meet you.”
Meredith waved Cordy to sit from her push me-pull me position between Galen and Frost on the couch. Cordy wondered if they would always sit like that. Eventually she’d want to scream- get over it!- or some such. Sliding into the plush upholstery Cordy squashed the urge with difficulty. Less than twelve hours around here and she already wanted to sort out their problems.
“So Meredith says you’re interested in working for us? I hear you’ve had some experience with supernatural investigations in the past?” Even his speech was neat and precise. Cordy was impressed.
She took a deep breath and began to spin her story. “I did. I did some work for a private firm that doesn’t advertise up in the Bay area. You’ve probably never heard of it, but we did good work: some of it security but mostly investigations for wealthy human clients when they didn’t want their business publicly known.”
“So, discretion then? That’s good. We do some security detail, though I doubt that’s where you would be utilized, despite Doyle’s assurances that you’d fare well. We’re not usually comfortable placing humans as bodyguards- and that’s not what our patrons pay for.”
Behind him, Meredith winked. Evidently their rather hastily constructed ruse was working. While she patrolled with Rhys and Nicca earlier, they told her the track Meredith wanted to take with Jeremy. Meredith would fill her former employer in on a basic new back-story then Cordy would appear in her ‘human’ face. They’d see if Jeremy could pick up on her true nature, and if he couldn’t then that would give her a natural ‘in’ for undercover work. So far, all seemed to be going well.
It was tricky, though, because the fey are not supposed to lie to each other. The problem of Cordelia’s origin was bound to pop up, and Doyle was working on a phrasing that would allow her access to the areas she needed. He told Rhys that he was going to ask a sidhe named Barinthus for advice, and that seemed to settle the situation for the one-eyed former God of Death. Cordelia wasn’t quite so sure, but she’d go with the bare bones account of her history until they heard from this infamous Barinthus.
Showtime. Cordy smiled and said, “No, I can well imagine that. Besides, Rhys seemed to think it wasn’t so much bodyguard duty as eye candy detail. But I think you may be a bit surprised with how well I’d do. I’m not exactly your average…human.”
With that she began to slowly glow. She had been afraid she wouldn’t be able to pull this off effectively, but it seemed her inner thwarted-dramatist was finally getting the chance to show off. The glow started slowly, hands first, spreading up her arms until her torso and face shown with a clear, bright light. She felt a bit ridiculous looking like sunrise incarnate, but the way Jeremy’s mouth dropped open made it worth it.
“You…you’re…but how?”
“I never thought I’d see you speechless, Jeremy,” Meredith chuckled. “It doesn’t look good on you. But despite the dramatic presentation, I feel I owe you an apology. With the boys and me out of commission, I felt I should find a replacement of sorts. I know you have more work than you know what to do with and I hated to leave you in the lurch.”
Jeremy nodded slowly, his eyes still on an increasingly disconcerted Cordelia. His stare was intense, but not erotic. He seemed to be trying to peel back her skin with his gaze, trying to figure out what made her tick. Annoyed, Cordy let the glow fade away to her newly standard slight-but-not-really-there look. Youthful glow, she called it.
“Er, quite.” The grey man dragged his attention back to Merry. “This is…”
“Impossible, I know. But here she is, and she’s more than willing to do a bit of detective work. She’s actually here as part of Meredith’s staff, but we’re happy to part with her for a portion of time to help you out,” Doyle rumbled, crossing his arms across his chest.
While Cordy hadn’t been thrilled about that aspect of their little plan, Meredith thought that giving Cordelia an official position with her ‘court’ here in LA would raise fewer eyebrows. The Sunnydale refugee wasn’t all that sure public relations was her forte, but she was happy to give it a go. It seemed that any royal sidhe of note had a publicist. Who knew?
“I think I could find a few uses for you immediately, if you’re interested, Cordelia. I’m not sure how familiar you are with Los Angeles, but I have some people that would work with you to begin with. In fact, if you’re free tomorrow, I would be interested on briefing you on a case dealing with a possible possession. It’s messy, but I’m not convinced it’s real.” He smiled encouragingly, “It would be an honor.”
Grinning, Cordy responded, “That would be fantastic! Possessions were a specialty of mine back with Angel Investigations.” Across the room, she could see the fichus wobble dangerously. Apparently Dennis had quite a bit to say about that claim. Cordy hoped he’d wait until Jeremy was gone.
“It’s all settled then. Have one of the guards drop you off at nine and we’ll get the paperwork started. Have a lovely evening, Meredith, Cordelia.” The small man nodded to the guards and followed Nicca back to the front door.
Cordy let out a huge sigh. “That went well, I guess.”
“I thought so. Jeremy’s a good man to work for- or should I say trow,” Meredith mused.
“Is that why he’s rather spectacularly mono-chrome? Another fey type?”
“There are many types of fey, Princess,” Doyle added, relaxing his stance a bit. “Maybe we should find you a book on them all. If you are supposed to be a native of this land, then we can’t have you making elementary mistakes and misunderstandings. It would incontrovertibly undermine our efforts.”
Softly groaning, Cordy held her hand up for Sage to hop from her shoulder to her palm. “So now there’s homework. Sometimes I wish I’d gone to college- not that I minded the starving actress routine, really- but it was more for the partying and less for the studying.”
The demi-fey gave her fingers a caress and fluttered his wings flirtatiously. He felt strangely heavy against her hand, like he weighed more than he should.
“Are there many different types of fey?” she wondered.
Sage chirped, “Many indeed. And we’re all complicated and difficult in our own way. And just wait until you read the rules.”
“There are rules?”
“Sage is being a bit…literal. The fey exist within a very structured society- and those informal rules are there for a very good reason,” Meredith said.
Rhys chimed in, “Mostly to keep us from killing each other. Blood really is a currency here, whether it’s consumed or spilled. The treaties are complex but necessary. The last war of note was a few centuries ago, though.”
Cordy crossed her unoccupied arm across her waist. She scanned the faces around her and realized something interesting. Most of the sidhe regarded her with a sense of trepidation. While she had done nothing overtly hostile, she was still an unknown. Even Doyle, who knew her far better than the others- which still wasn’t saying much- looked nervous.
And then she understood why: they were afraid she’d leave. That she’d decide this adventure wasn’t worth the bother and take her divinely-sanctioned, completely untested powers and go away. It was reassuring that they were as unsure of this arrangement as she was, and were probably just as afraid for the future. Their lives were wrapped up in their princess, and she was going to alter their future, for good or for ill.
Cordelia decided if she were them she’d be rather nervous too.
She managed a smile, even if it was a few watts dimmer than usual. “Things will work out fine. Yay Team Optimism, right?”
Sage flitted from her palm and she dropped her hand. The yellow haired demi-fey gave her a look she couldn’t decipher and flew off to perch on Dennis’ expressive fichus. Some of the guards smiled back at her, and Meredith looked hopeful.
Cordelia took a breath and decided to just get on with her new life. Brooding was for vampires, after all. She rubbed her hands together. “Might as well get started then, right? How about I get a primer over dinner? It smells divine.”
~~~End Chapter 5~~~
To be continued...