Chapter Four
The Man of the Hour

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It was a surreal experience, truly, and one that left all of them save one feeling more than a bit off-balance. Spike wasn’t bothered by it because he lived it many times over, but to the others…it was new…and different…and very unexpected.

The shouts from the crowd continued to grow in volume until the crescendo broke and a sudden silence fell as their group stopped in front of the people gathered outside the little city. And although the Scoobies realized immediately how out of place they were and how odd they must look to these people, no one seemed to even notice the strangers before them. All eyes were trained on Spike as he turned and reached into the cart. It was as if everyone was holding his or her collective breath until he pulled out the two severed troll heads and held them up for all to see. No cheers at this action, and the Scoobies might have thought that odd, but as it was, they were all trying to go along with the flow and quietly looked on as the crowd seemed to appraise the grotesque aberrations presented before them. After several moments, four men walked forward and Spike handed over the heads to them. Now there were four men holding up the two heads, which were apparently heavy judging by the way they had staggered before finding their footing. And then two more men walked forward, each carrying a short pole with a viciously jagged point at one end of it. Spike walked around each pole, looked it over and nodded his approval to the men who held the poles steadfastly upright.

And although the crowd was solemn and quiet throughout this proceeding, an air of anticipation seemed to wash over them at this point. Spike had turned back to the crowd and was motioning some people forward – a young couple and a woman who appeared to be in her early forties. The couple went to stand in front of one pole and the lady in front of the other. With bated breath and deeply fascinated, the gang watched what appeared to be some kind of ritual unfolding in front of them. By this time, one last man had walked forward and if pressed, one would have guessed him to be some kind of religious leader or town elder. He was carrying a long knife with an intricately carved handle on a red pillow. He approached the couple on the right first and bowed before them holding out the pillow. Spike reached for the knife and presented it to them as the man and woman each wrapped a hand around the grip. Two of the men stepped up now with one of the troll heads and lowered it slightly for better reach. And then, the man and woman together used the knife to gouge out the eyes of the troll – the man gouging out the right eye and the woman gouging out the left. When they handed the knife back to Spike, he took it and stepped forward to score the troll’s face with some sigils that none of them recognized, but which highly intrigued Giles. Then he handed the knife back toward the elder who wiped it off with a cloth, and placed it back on the pillow. He and Spike walked together back toward the woman standing by the other pole and the entire process was repeated, the only difference being that instead of gouging out both eyes herself, the woman offered the knife to Spike who gladly assisted her.

During this entire process, it was as if no one was breathing…it was that quiet. The woman and the couple stepped back and stood beside Spike and the elder. The men holding the troll heads raised them higher before slamming them down on the spiked poles that the younger men had now positioned under them. There was a horrible squelching sound as the sharp tips broke through the skulls of the trolls, and Dawn was glad she had eaten very little earlier or that sound alone might have caused her to lose her lunch. Together the men – three to each troll head – marched through the parting crowd toward the city gates with Spike and the others following closely behind them. The men began to fiddle with something that the Scoobies couldn’t quite see from their spot, but were reluctant to move any closer and interrupt. However, it quickly became clear that it was some type of mounting device as the two troll heads were soon suspended at a slight angle above the gated entrance to the town. Only after the heads were mounted and the men standing back with the others did anyone speak. Before that there was only the sound of metal striking metal as the poles were secured. Turning to the crowd, Spike spoke several words in a language that none of the Scoobies knew, and then made a one-quarter turn and spoke the same words again. He repeated this process twice more and then turned back to the crowd.

“My friends, you have been visited by an evil that stalked your community and stole your most precious property. Today I make restitution for the physical theft you experienced. I am sorrowfully unable to compensate for the loss of three most precious children – Jack, Hammy and Rosie. Let us take care to remember the fallen, taken before their time, and may they forever rest in peace knowing that their enemies are slain and their deaths avenged. May we honor their memories by being vigilant and pledging to guard over and protect each other.” The woman and the couple in front had tears streaming down their faces by now, as did many of the crowd, including the Scoobies. Several people nodded their heads and a few shouted out a fervent ‘Aye.’ After a moment, Spike continued. “Today you are avenged for the terror you have experienced at the hands of these two vicious creatures. Let all enemies be warned by this visible sign of triumph that we are a force to be reckoned with and take care not to darken our borders. But let us not rest our vigilance, for there is much more evil in this world. However, no evil can ever triumph over a true heart and nowhere are hearts more true than here, with you, my friends. Go forth with peace and safe passage.”

Apparently that was the signal for the ceremony to come to an end as everyone suddenly began talking. There were people milling all over the place – some heading back inside the gates, a crowd surrounding the grieving parents, some just talking in little groups, and several crowding around Spike which included the men who had taken part in the ceremony. Although it would have been easy to feel ignored by this point, the Scoobies were all a bit overwhelmed by the solemnity of what they had just witnessed. The girls had all openly cried and both Xander and Giles were dabbing at the corners of their eyes before it was over. None of them knew exactly what to say or what they should do at this point. Spike was talking to several people and looked to be very busy at the moment, and though they were loath to interrupt him, everyone was tired and hungry and emotionally drained by the day’s events.

However, Spike and a few men began walking their way, drawing attention to the misplaced travelers who were now noticed by the same townspeople who had not paid them the slightest bit of attention up until that point. The people were staring, but in an open curious manner, not a hostile one. That might not have been the case had they not been with Spike upon arrival, but that was a moot point. Spike apologized for leaving them standing so long and made brief introductions all around. He explained that he would need to tend to some business right away and put them in the very capable hands of the local innkeeper, Barnaby. And although it was a tired and bedraggled group that followed Barnaby toward food and a hot bath, none of them could have said that they were unhappy at that moment. That was something that it would take them a while to understand and grasp the significance of, but it would come in due time.

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It was several hours later before the entire group was together again. They had been shown to their rooms – two largish ones with several small beds, one for girls and one for guys. Unlike modern hotels, there was no adjoining common room, but rather a sitting area in each room. The girls had the larger room with the fireplace and a sturdy writing desk. There were several comfy couches that were lower than they were used to, but very plush with wide backs and arms. Barnaby had told them he would send up some food and other necessities and made certain they were comfortable before leaving. Only moments later, two servants showed up with platters of food – dried meat, cheese, bread, fresh fruit, and some pastries – and drink – pitchers of water and what they guessed was the local version of cider, but which was really quite tasty. The man-servant and the woman-servant made several trips back and forth filling basins with hot water and showing them where everything was, as well as dropping off some generic clothing for them – long skirts and blouses for the girls, tunics and breeches for the guys. And although the material looked to be quite scratchy, it was surprisingly soft. After eating and cleaning up, they were all a bit drowsy and while they all wanted to talk about what they’d seen and learned, it wasn’t long before everyone was sleeping soundly on a couch or bed. It was there that Spike found them a little while later, and smiled at the sight before him. He scribbled a note inviting them to dinner downstairs when they woke and let them be.

So it was that later on in the evening, a rested and refreshed group made their way down to the dining room to join Spike. If anyone had expected a quiet dinner to catch up, they were quickly corrected on that matter. There was a party in full swing when they entered what could only be described as the pub. The room was a little bit smoky, everyone had a stein filled with some kind of beverage, and a band was playing a jaunty tune. People were dancing merrily about or clapping in time to the music, and in the middle of it all was Spike, smiling and looking flushed as he whirled his partner about. And as she got a glimpse of the brunette beauty he was dancing with, Buffy felt a flash of jealousy that was so strong it startled her. She didn’t get a chance to examine it too closely as the song came to an end and the men all bowed to their partners before people started walking off the floor. Buffy could see that the brunette was trying to invite Spike back to sit with her, but he had looked up and caught her eye just then. And she felt her heart expand and relax, both at the smile that graced his face and at the fact that he made his excuses to the brunette immediately and walked over to join them.

They were soon seated at a large table along the wall with the food being served almost right away. Apparently one didn’t order here, one was just served. Then again, it wasn’t like there was a menu in sight. The food smelled wonderful and everyone realized just how hungry he or she was despite the earlier snack. They tucked in eagerly, deciding that they could wait a bit to learn more. It was only after their bellies were full and everyone was feeling highly relaxed and satisfied, that they got any explanations out of Spike. He had joined them in the meal, eating with the same fervor he had devoted to the blooming onion and spicy wings the Bronze carried. As the plates were cleared away and drinks were refilled, Spike pulled out a wooden pipe and a pouch of tobacco. Noticing Giles’s longing look, he grinned and produced a second pipe that the Watcher gratefully accepted. After the two men were settled in and puffing away, Spike finally looked at them with a twinkle in his eye and asked if they had any more questions. Tara laughed outright at that – a full belly laugh – which got the others chuckling and it was a full minute before any of them could put question to form. Giles was the first to speak up, asking for some clarification on the earlier ceremony outside the city.

“Well, you lot got the gist of it, I’m sure, so I’ll just fill in the blanks, and you speak up if I overlook anything. The ceremony serves a variety of purposes – acknowledges victory, posts a warning to other enemies to beware, gives the most grievously wronged – in this case the parents of the slain children – a chance to vent their wrath, and honors those who were slain. When I repeated the same phrase in different directions, it was to address the four winds and ask them to carry the children’s spirits to their eternal resting place. The people here believe that if you die a violent and untimely death, your spirit may be trapped to wander the earth unless otherwise directed. Whereas when you die from natural causes, the spirit guide is waiting to lead you home; in the case of unnatural deaths, the guide may not be present. Hence the request for the intervention of the wind spirits to bless and protect the children’s souls as they move on. As you can imagine, that aspect alone is one of the most important parts of the ceremony, to give the loved ones left behind some peace. In this case especially…for any parent to lose a child, particularly a young one is a grievous hurt. But on this occasion, the families both lost everything. The couple you saw – Lanny and Reena – had two sons, ages three and five. They might eventually have more children, but Sanje…well, she’s a widow, and she’s almost past childbearing age completely. Little Rosie was nine last month, and Sanje only lost her husband two winters back. The odds that she’ll ever get another chance at having a child are slim. And none of them can ever be the same again after this.”

Everyone was quiet for a moment, appreciating the loss these people had experienced. After a moment to collect himself, Spike continued. “The troll heads were brought back for two reasons. One was to be mounted as a warning to other enemies. That sort of visual tends to discourage others from causing trouble. And the more important reason is to give the townspeople real proof that the threat is gone. These are a simple people for the most part, and sometimes the visual evidence is worth its weight in gold. These people were terrorized for weeks before I got word and arrived here. Their grains and stores were depleted, cattle and sheep slaughtered and eaten, and their protective barrier wall was practically destroyed in several areas. And that was all before the kids were taken. Even now, the breached wall is still a weakness that could be exploited by wolves or any number of nasty creatures before we get it fixed. Speaking of which, Harris, if you’re still up on construction, we could really use your help on this matter. There are several things we’d like to do to strengthen the walls, but aren’t sure how. And, Giles, I’m sure you could give some tactical advice on how they’ve got their protection structured right now.” Two quick nods confirmed cooperation and Spike was pleased to have gotten their assistance secured so easily, when in the past it would have been like pulling teeth even to have them consider it. It brought home for him the reality of how their working relationships had changed already, and he wondered what else was different.

Shaking himself back to the present as their drinks were topped off one last time, he continued. “All the treasure we brought back will be divvied up by the town leaders. They’ve got a neat system set up for that – everyone gets a fair share. If you’re caring for an elderly parent or relative, are a widow or have more than three children, then you get a double portion. The remainder – which is sizable in this case – goes into the town coffers to pay for all manner of things like fixing the wall, maintaining the street lanterns, putting on the Fall Harvest Festival, etc. The town leaders draw five random names each time they go through this process and those individuals oversee the accounting of everything so that there’s no questions about anyone getting greedy. The town leaders have a monthly meeting where they give a full reporting of the finances and expenses, so everyone will know where the money is being spent. Politics don’t really play into things much at all, as safety and survival are the two most important considerations for everyone in the town. It’s actually a very progressive system, and I’ve not seen them ever have problems with it since I’ve known them, which is more than I can say for any other governmental structure I’ve ever observed.”

“Changing subjects here, tomorrow morning you girls are going to be met by Dorena who will fix you up with clothes and toiletries. Depending what she has in stock, you might have to get by with just a couple of outfits for now, but she’ll get you straight once she has your sizes and measurements. She’ll also likely talk your ears off, but she’s a genial soul and you’ll get a good look at how things work around here if you listen to her for an hour or so. I figured Giles and Xander and I could take a look at that wall in the morning and see what’s to be done about it. And now if you don’t mind, I’d like to suggest we retire to the girls’ room for the next leg of our conversation. But before we do…” And he proceeded to puff deeply on his pipe before blowing out several rings of smoke that changed colors before their eyes. Dawn squealed and the others were mesmerized as the smoke rings didn’t dissipate, but rather looped through and around each other as they rose to the ceiling. Spike grinned and then started blowing shapes for their amusement – triangles, diamonds, an arrow, a flower and even a swan. Giles looked down at his little puffs and was awash in jealousy when he tried to imitate Spike and only managed to produce a shapeless blob. He privately decided that he would learn to master the art of blowing smoke rings no matter how long it took…once he could wheedle Spike into teaching him how, that was. It was a relaxed group that finally made their way up to their rooms, each wondering why Spike had wanted to speak privately. However, none could seem to muster the energy to care much at the moment, as that would require effort better directed at sleeping off that most excellent meal.

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TBC

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