| Summer Series 2002: The Journey of the Fool Story the 4th ~ The Emperor By Kuzibah |
| Disclaimer: Spike is not mine, more's the pity. Spoilers: For "Grave." Archive- Please email request. Feedback- Absolutely. ******************* -On board the ship "L'Imperatore," off the coast of Africa Spike closed the door to their cabin, a windowless cell in the belly of "L'Imperatore," a ship that supposedly carried fruit from Africa to Italy, but which Spike suspected, judging from the noisome m�lange he'd taken in on his way to their quarters, had a much more colorful career off the official logs. The tribute, which had not made a sound since leaving the Hroonta stronghold, stood perfectly still in its traditional Islamic robes and veil. Spike ignored it while he stripped out of his own robes and head-scarf, glad to be free of them at last. He fished in the small bag he�d gotten from Peprine for one of the packets of cigarettes he'd bought in Dakar. Finding it, he immediately lit one and took a deep drag. He turned to the tribute. "You don't have to stay in that," he said. "As long as you stay in the cabin, that is." The shrouded demon didn't move, and Spike stepped closer. "Do you speak English?" he asked. Nothing. Holding his cig in his teeth, Spike reached out and lifted the tribute's head covering away. Still the demon didn't move, only watched him with wide, midnight-blue eyes. "Parlez-vous fran�ais?" Spike said. The demon blinked. Spike proceeded to try all the languages he knew, including several that were demonic, all to no avail, as he helped the creature out of the rest of its clothing. When he was done he regarded the tribute thoughtfully. Something about it stirred the protective urge inside him, the same thing that had kept him caring for Dru for a hundred years, and looking after Dawn the past two. Maybe it was the liquid quality of its eyes, as though they were about to spill over with tears, or the way it looked so vulnerable, standing half-naked and still as he appraised it. "Come on," Spike said, laying one hand on its arm and guiding it to the bed to sit down. The demon sat stiffly, its hands folded in its lap, watching Spike avidly. Spike sat down beside it with a sigh. "You're going to have to relax," he told it. "We're on board this barge for four days, and you've got to sleep sometime." He reached for his bag. "Are you hungry?" he asked, pulling out a plastic container full of grapes. The creature shifted its gaze from Spike's face to the fruit, and Spike smiled. He opened the container and handed it to the demon, who hesitantly took it and held it a few moments before tearing into the grapes. Spike noticed it trembled slightly as it ate, casting sidelong glances at the vampire as it did so, as though it expected him to snatch the grapes back. "Easy... whatever your name is," Spike said, putting out a hand to stroke the line of fur on its back. The demon gave a start, then began to relax as Spike petted it over and over. Quietly, the demon began to make a little trilling noise, a bit like what a dove would sound like if it purred, and finished its grapes. Spike put the empty container aside and continued to stroke his hand slowly down its back. When it was clear Spike was content to do this, the demon climbed fully onto the bed and crouched, sphinx-like, exposing the stripe of fur completely and purring happily. Oddly, Spike found the action soothing. The demon's fur was silky and warm, and the sound it was producing was pleasant and relaxing. Spike patted the creature in what he hoped was a re-assuring manner, then quickly removed his boots and re-arranged the pillows on the bed so he could lie alongside the demon propped on one elbow and resume petting it. The whole time it continued to purr, and Spike was strangely pleased. At some point he drifted into sleep, listening to the pretty sounds the demon made. For the first time since leaving the cave, he was untroubled by bad dreams. ~:~:~:~:~ When he awoke, the demon was crouching on the floor beside their bag. It had taken out a melon, had somehow managed to break it into pieces, and was eating the green flesh. Spike didn't move, just watched its bird-like movements. He would miss this creature when they reached Tangier, but he had to concede the Hroonta had chosen a worthy tribute. The Demonic See would be pleased with such a beautiful creature. Spike's musings were cut short as he noticed the demon had realized he was awake and was now watching him keenly. "It's okay," he said. "You can eat if you want to." The demon responded by finishing its meal as quickly as possible, watching Spike the whole time for some sign that the vampire would stop it. When it finished, it discarded the rinds in the trash bin, then stood in the center of the room passively, waiting for Spike to make some move. "I should give you a name if I'm going to keep talking to you," Spike said. "I don't even know if you're smart enough to comprehend language, but I have to call you something." He stood up from the bed, and the demon flinched, a tiny movement, instantly quelled, but Spike felt a sudden rush of pain that this beautiful creature should be so frightened of everything around it. "The sun's gone down," he announced. "Put your clothes on and we'll go get some fresh air, what do you say?" The demon's large eyes blinked slowly, uncomprehending, so Spike gathered the robe and headdress from where they were draped on a chair and handed them to the demon, then began to climb into his own disguise. The night was warm and clear, and Spike was dazzled, as he always was, by the incredible display of stars that one could see at sea. "Do you know," he told the demon, who looked up from watching the water, "I never saw stars until I became a vampire. I was born in London in 1853, and the air then was so full of soot, starlight couldn't get through. It made people sick, too. When I was a child, I would have spells where I couldn't catch my breath." Spike paused. He had forgotten about that. He shook his head and began again. "Anyway, soon after I became a vampire, we--- my vampire family and I, I mean--- had to hide in the countryside, and I saw the night sky fully for the first time. I couldn't believe how beautiful it looked, and I knew I was meant to be a creature of darkness." The demon made a soft whirring noise, and Spike patted its arm. "Here," he said, pulling the veil from in front of its face. "Get some air. Enjoy the night." They both stared at the point in the distance where black water became black sky until Spike heard voices behind them making crude remarks in French about them, or what the speaker thought they were. Spike quickly covered the demon, and they both returned to their cabin. "I wish you could understand me," Spike said later, watching the creature eat oranges as it sat on the floor of their cabin, its back against the dresser. "Maybe if I just keep talking to you, something will start to click in your brain." The demon finished its meal and cleaned its fingers with delicate movements. Spike lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. After a few moments the demon climbed up beside him and arranged itself in the sphinx position it had taken the night before. "Oh, I see," Spike said with a smile. "You're all ready to be petted. You're just like a big cat, aren't you?" He ran a hand down the creature's back, and it began to make its cooing purr. "You're a pretty thing," Spike mused aloud, once the demon had begun to relax into his touch. "I wouldn't mind keeping you around if I could." Suddenly the demon started up and Spike drew back. "What happened?" he said. "Are you hurt?" The demon cocked its head at him and slowly blinked its large eyes. It reached out one hand and stroked it down Spike's temple, then curled it into a fist and rested the knuckles in the hollow of Spike's cheek. "What...?" Spike managed before everything went black. He knew he should be panicking, but he could sense the demon's presence there with him, calming and reassuring. "What are you doing?" Spike asked, and he suddenly found himself surrounded by stars, or something like stars, but more beautiful than even the most spectacular stellar display Spike could remember. They shone brightly, blinding, in every color of the spectrum, enshrouding him, filling him with a warmth he could not remember having ever felt before. He came to lying on the bed, looking up into the eyes of the demon. He took several unneeded breaths before he tried to speak. "Was that... was that my soul?" he asked, somehow already knowing the answer. The demon nodded and smiled. "Thank you," Spike whispered, and the demon left him to his thoughts. It was not until sometime later that Spike realized the demon had understood his question. Go to the next story - The Hierophant Main Menu ~ Return to Summer Series 2002 Menu |