Title: The Retrieval (6/?)
Series: The Summons Series
Author: Morgan R.
Email: [email protected]
Rating: PG-13
Summary: I won't even try. Portals. Stuff. Portals. Stuff...
Feedback: Sock it to me.
Spoilers: Not a one.
Author's Note: Now here- I know a lot of you have been becoming increasingly frustrated with me and the long waits, and I can't blame you because it sucks. A lot. But I beg of you to understand this- I hate Willow right now. I've hated her for about three seasons, so trying to remember a time when I adored her becomes increasingly difficult. So. Sorry. Blame her.
****
"Your name?" Willow snapped as they walked down the front steps of Burne's estate.
"Laine."
Angel laughed. "Charming."
In the carriage ride home, the silence was only broken once.
"Thank you so much ma'am, I don't know what I would have done-"
"Keep quiet," Willow snapped, her voice low in the dark interior of the carriage. "Not another word, do you understand me?"
Laine cast her eyes down to the floor, her lips shut tight. Outside the window, everything was grey.
****
Upon arrival, Laine found herself becoming increasingly terrified. For the moments at the ball when Willow had come to her rescue, the hope that one of the mine owners could be generous and compassionate had flared so bright it made her hands shake. Yet after everything, her new master and mistress had left her in a small room all alone without even a word as to what might be their plans for her new employment.
She kept remembering fragments of horror stories told by servants at Ruby's estate, tales of the atrocities done to girls like her, and the images rose up unbidden as her lungs closed down-
The door opened, and the dark-haired housekeeper with such sad eyes stood at the entrance. "Follow me, dear."
Laine was led into an elaborate sitting room covered in an absurdly luxurious shade of green. Willow and Angel were sitting at opposite ends of a plush sofa looking bored and angry, and Laine wished she could clutch at the housekeeper's skirt, run out after her. Anything but stay there with them, this pair even she had heard of, so infamous were their exploits. But she heard the door shut softly and knew that she was all alone.
"Are you trustworthy?"
The question was unexpected, at the very least.
"Beg pardon?"
Willow's embittered expression did not change. "Are you trustworthy?"
"I- yes, yes I am."
"Make her prove it," Angel suggested, watching the scene with narrowed eyes.
"Of course," Willow agreed. "Listen to me, Laine, because I will only ask this once. What did you think of Ruby? I want the truth, your honest opinion. Forget that she owns mines and you own nothing, forget that she has controlled every aspect of your existence until tonight. Just think about her and the way you saw her behave every day, and tell me- what did you think of her?"
To slander a mine owner was such a crime to commit that Laine could hardly stand to think of the potential consequences, but the chance to unburden herself was too tempting to resist. It was unnatural for her to stay silent, and the stress of doing it for so many years was nearly unendurable. In short- caution be damned. "She is the most childish, petty person I have ever known. Looking foolish is her greatest fear, which is rather sad if you consider what a laughingstock she makes herself. She hates computers even as she depends upon them, and the same could be said of her attitude towards her servants. And-" Here Laine hesitated, not sure whether going on would be appropriate.
"Keep going," Willow nodded.
"She is the most terribly unhappy person I have ever known."
"Unhappy?" Angel asked with a quizzical look.
"Oh, yes. She weeps sometimes when she thinks no one is near. I think she despises herself more than anyone else...um, could..."
It was like watching ice melt, really- all the anger and imperiousness seemed to dissolve from the manner of the two people sitting across from her, and at Willow's sweet smile Laine knew she had done something right.
"You see, Angel? I knew she would be perfect," she laughed as she jumped up from her seat and landed in his lap. "We're going to have an ally!"
"I'm your ally," he pointed out, running his hand through her cropped hair.
"But I need an ally I'm not in love with," she replied, leaning against him. "Oh, but Laine, no offense or anything. Obviously. I just didn't mean for that to come out sounding so blunt. Sorry."
Laine simply sat frozen, amazed that her mistress thought she had room for any state of mind outside of shock. This was the couple who hated each other?
"You might want to..." Angel murmured, a smile on his face.
"Oh! Right. Okay, so Laine, I guess you're wondering what on earth is going on."
"What on earth?" Angel laughed.
"Okay, fine, what on Gevaltiel then, wise guy. Whatever. So Laine- we're not quite what we were."
"Obviously."
"Mm. Right. We didn't have a change of heart so much as- um, a change of self, I guess?"
Laine's head was beginning to hurt.
"On second thought- stop," Angel said suddenly. "Don't even try. We hardly know what's going on ourselves. Laine- you know we aren't the same people this world thinks we are. Given that factor- we're here to help. If, despite how ridiculous this all sounds, you want to help, we'd welcome you and anything you can contribute."
Laine let out a surprised laugh. "What sort of help could I provide? I'm a servant!"
Willow leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. "Just wait till you see what we've got planned, Laine. They have no idea what's coming."
****