Warnings: HAU, M/M sex, violence, swearing, possible humor, blatant use of movie misquotes, OOC, varying chapter lengths. UNBETA'D
Rating:Overall NC17 Individual Chapters PG to NC17
Pairing: 100% S/X (Is there any other?)
Author: Naughty_Fae
Comments: Comment if you want to, though it would be nice to know someone is reading it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, everything belongs to someone who is not me. I write for fun not profit.
Note 1: This follows the general plot of the film with a few important deviations!
Note 2: My heartfelt thanks go out to my dear friend Bmblbee, for holding my hand through the writing and posting process. *Hugs*
Note 3: This is a plot driven story. What sex there is happens in the natural course of the plot and as part of Spike and Xander's ongoing relationship.
Summary: Alexander Harris is a highly successful author of romantic novels under the pen name Xander Harris. When he met William 'Spike' Stone a roughish soldier of fortune, his life changed forever. He left the safety and familiarity of Sunndydale to join Spike sailing the World. Writers block and the offer of a commission to write the Biography of Omar Khalifa, soon to be proclaimed Emperor lures him from the arms of Spike and he travels to the banks of the Nile. When things start to go wrong he has to rely on Spike to save him. But will he?
This is a sequel to Romancing The Stone, but can be read on it's own.
Chapter 9/23 + Epilogue (This is not a WIP. One Chapter will be posted daily, until complete.)
Rating:NC17
Chapter 9/23 + Epilogue
Rating: NC17 Overall
Xander panicked, there was no telling where the Prince and the strange magician had gone and one thing was certain, if he was discovered in this room, Omar would never let him go. Swiftly he made for the door, he needed to find somewhere to hide and think out his next move. Carefully he inched open the door and stuck his head out and looked around , the hallway was deserted. He dived out and shut the door behind him, stealthily he made for the stairs. Voices drifted up from below and he froze.
Omar and the magician were coming up the stairs!
"Westerners cannot understand, the Jewel represents the spiritual world of my people. If I am to lead them they must believe that I have the same powers as The Jewel. If it were not for their belief and his existence I would have swept to power long ago. Do you understand?"
Ethan nodded. "I can assure you....."
"Your promises are nothing," Omar snapped. "cheap theatrical tricks will not convince the people, they must believe it is a miracle. Unless I can convince them I am their spiritual leader they will not follow me into battle."
Xander ran quietly along the hallway and was confronted by a closed door, he tried it and to his relief found it unlocked and slipped through. He was outside again on an open, walled walkway. He heard footsteps behind him and he ran and turned a corner and was confronted by another door, this time it was locked.
Voices drew nearer and nearer, he looked around wildly for an escape route and saw a gently sloping roof. The voices grew muffled and faint, they must have gone into a room. He relaxed a little, for the moment the danger appeared to have passed, carefully Xander inched out onto the roof and he got several feet before he felt it give way beneath him. He yelled as he crashed through and into the room below, he landed on a rickety cot.
It collapsed to the floor.
A small, thin man in striped robes, turban and round, John Lennon spectacles stared at him. "Well, this is most unexpected."
Xander struggled up. "I'm sorry I seem to have broken your bed."
The man shrugged. "Are you hurt?"
"No, no," Xander rushed to the door. "I must get out, I must stop Omar." He pulled at the locked door.
"Have you brought an army?" The man asked hopefully.
"No, only me, just Xander Harris."
"Just- Xander Harris, I am pleased to meet you. I am Al- Jawhara."
"Al-Jawhara?"
"Yes, The Jewel of The Nile."
Xander frowned. "You have the jewel?"
"No I am The Jewel, at least for now. In the Holy City of Kadir Omar plans to proclaim himself Emperor. Without me to oppose him he will march across North Africa like a madman."
The door crashed open, Xander leapt back.
"But the World will see me as a Savior." Omar swept in with Rashid and several soldiers.
"No they won't, I'm going to write the truth about you!" Xander balled his fists and blurted out.
Omar advanced on Xander. "The truth? If I wanted the truth I'd have hired a real author. What do you know about truth? You fantasize everything! Why do you think I chose you.? You will stay here and write what I tell you to write." Xander scowled. "You can't keep me here. People know where I am!"
"Oh yes, Spike. I regret being the one to tell you. Spike is dead." Omar smirked. Xander staggered back. "Dead? Spike's not dead, he wouldn't die without telling me!"
"Nevertheless he is dead."
Xander felt his knees give way and the color drained from his face. Al-Jawhara steadied him as tears filled his eyes. Omar snatched his camera. "Why Xander you look unwell, I'll send my personal doctor." He laughed as he left.
Al-Jawhara sat on the remains of the bed beside Xander, the brunette's sobbing had eased.
"Spike, I think he is friend for you?"
"He's my best friend, we live together." Xander wiped his face with the scarf Al-Jawahara had given him.
"He is friend and lover?"
Xander nodded.
Oz wandered through the tents, doggedly Humphrey followed. He'd tried everything to get rid of the camel but he couldn't shake it. He saw Tarak and Spike talking and walked towards them.
Spike looked up. "Hey Oz mate, looks like you've got a stalker."
Oz scowled. "I sleep with it once, just once and now it won't leave me alone."
Spike and Tarak looked at each other and took a step back.
Oz raised his arms. "What'd I say?"
Half an hour later Spike was dressed in his jacket, trousers and a dark, blue turban, Oz in an old suit and sporting a bright red fez, both had tided up as best they could. Humphrey carried them the short distance to within sight of Omar's City, trotting behind Tarak and his horsemen, they came to a halt on a small rise.
"Here we will wait, it is dangerous for Sufi's to enter Omar's City." Tarak explained.
"Sounds like a washing powder." Oz mumbled.
"Just a minute mate, he's already tried to kill me once." Spike protested.
"Nevertheless you are guest of Omar. Accept your destiny, find for us The Jewel."
"Destiny my arse!" Spike mumbled as Humphrey started forward.
"See what happens when you talk to strangers!" Oz snapped.
"Just keep your mouth shut and take your lead from me and we'll be fine," Spike growled.
Xander used the bent spoon handle to scrape away at the putty around the window bars. Al-Jawahara awoke and blinked at him.
"What are you trying to do?"
"In my third novel 'Return of The King' Angel used a penknife to work loose the window bars and escape before dawn."
"How long did it take?"
"Two pages."
"It is not the bars that make this prison, it is the desert."
"I'll travel at night. I've got to stop Omar, I've got to get out and write the truth about him, I have to get to Kadir, get revenge for Spike." He added sadly then he paused, a look of understanding crossed his face. "Wait. It's not me," he gestured. "it's you, you can stop Omar, We must get you to Kadir."
Al-Jawahara nodded slowly. "Maybe you are the one," he stood. "I accept, I will come with you, we are sworn Just-Xander"
They shook hands. "But it's just Xander," Xander explained.
"Right, Just-Xander. Please, please allow me." He motioned Xander aside, grasped the bars and pulled the window, bars and all, out.
"Magic?" Xander gasped.
"No, just dry rot."