Thanks Xaphania fo the lovely banner!


Chapter 5


Buffy mindlessly went about crushing what looked like seeds with the mortar and pestle. Her mind was lost in thoughts of Groma, and Spike, and Willow. Kaia was there, but wasn’t offering any solutions. The girl seemed concerned about Groma’s statement as well, but knew better than to follow her when she said she needed to speak with Kahn.

Groma returned, visibly still upset. She went straight to her work, saying nothing to Buffy until she was seated opposite her.

“Kahn was requesting that the Elders banish you from the cave when I arrived at their hearth. He thinks that there is something wrong with you—that you’re not right in the head—and you will become a burden on the clan. I argued that you worked out in the sun today, that you were ill when we returned.” Groma fell silent and busied herself with her plants.

Buffy watched the woman who was clearly hiding something from her. Groma’s statement of when I’m gone had Kaia very concerned, and the latter kept was prodding Buffy to ask her to ask more questions. “Groma,” she started hesitantly, “why did you say when you’re gone’? Where are you going? Are you leaving? Are you sick?” Buffy could feel Kaia’s anxiety increase, as Groma didn’t answer right away.

The Slayer patiently waited to see if Groma would answer. The medicine woman finally stopped working and looked at her child. Buffy could tell Groma was struggling to find the exact words she wanted to use before she finally spoke.

“Kaia, my dear child, the sun has set many times since I was born. I feel that I have few
sunsets left. Your training is not yet complete and I fear that the elders will not find you a valuable member of the clan.” She hung her head.

Buffy could feel Kaia’s heartbreak. The girl knew she had not committed to her studies, as Groma had wanted her to. She knew that some clan people didn’t even live as long as Groma had already. Buffy couldn’t think of what to say; Groma and Kaia both were so distraught. “Groma, I will work harder, I promise. And, you look healthy, so it may not be your time. Please, Groma, don’t be sad.” Buffy realized life was much shorter in this time—and the older woman was probably right–but she had to keep these thoughts out of her head, so that Kaia wouldn’t become more upset. Onto the next subject. “What do you want me to do about Kahn?”

Groma didn’t lift her head, and she began to quietly sob, her body shaking as grief overtook her.

Buffy got up and went to her. “Please don’t cry. I will do whatever you tell me.” She knew it had to be bad, but she was ready. She was ready to deal with Kahn so that Kaia wouldn’t have to.

Groma’s tears slowed as she allowed her child to comfort her. She wasn’t sure how to tell Kaia—the girl was so young and scared by Kahn already—but Kahn had given her a deadline. The woman sat up and dried her eyes. It was time to tell her child she had a choice, and neither option was pleasant.

Groma took her daughter’s hands in hers, took a deep breath and spoke. “Kaia, you have angered Kahn on many occasions. He has requested you be exiled from the clan, forced to live on your own.” At this Groma began to sob again. Her daughter, not by birth but by choice, was being discarded. To the elders of her clan, the girl was nothing but a nuisance they had allowed their medicine woman to keep, like a pet. Unfortunately, Kahn was a respected Elder who had proven on more than one occasion that Kaia was disobedient and useless.

Buffy started to speak, unaware of what she would say. Kaia was a young girl, scared and afraid. How would she make it on her own? She started to ask these questions as Groma spoke once more. Only this time, she didn’t look Kaia in the eyes.

“I begged for him not to send you out, pleaded that you were too young; you’d never be able to take care of yourself. I offered to go with you.” Groma took a deep breath; she was struggling to get the last part out. “But I was denied my request. However, he has given you a choice. You may be a second wife to him—he would expect you to move to his hearth with the next sunrise. It would mean you could stay here, continue your training, and it would raise your status within the clan.” Groma paused once more, her emotions taking over. Looked into Kaia’s eyes, sighed, then she finished what she had to say. “This choice is yours. If your choice is to stay, I will try to get him to allow you to stay by my hearth till you are fully woman and ready to breed. If you choose to leave, I will attempt to go with you, I don’t know if they will let me. The Elders for suggesting that I abandon my status threatened me. But you are my child, I will do everything I can to protect you. You must announce your choice at the end of the evening meal. I’m sorry, my child, I knew Kahn would do something like this. I see the way he looks at you, and I know he has touched you. I informed the elders you were not woman yet and he was warned, but he has now seen a way to try again, by forcing you to accept him as husband. These are not the choices for a young child to make, but they are the only ones you have. You may do as you please until it’s time for the meal. Take time to think about your decision. If you fail to make one, he will choose for you.”

Buffy was in shock. She searched her head for a solution, for an idea, for Kaia. She found Kaia, scared and hiding. Buffy would have to make this decision on her own. “Groma, I would like very much to go for a walk to think this over. I will be back soon for the meal.”