Warnings: HAU, M/M sex, violence, swearing, angst, possible humor, blatant use of movie dialogue, OOC, varying chapter lengths. Unbeta'd
Rating:Chapters 1-25 R (For swearing and violence) Epilogue NC17 (For M/M sex.)
Pairing: 100% S/X ( S&Oz, S&Oz&Giles, X&Oz&Giles FRIENDSHIP only)
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 is derived from the movie Ladyhawke and is dedicated to two of the most handsome actors ever: James Marsters and Rutger Hauer. It is also dedicated to the memory of Othello the magnificent Friesian stallion who portrayed Goliath.
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. Chapters 1 to 25 Rated R for violence and language. Epilogue (Original writing, not part of the legend or movie) Rated NC17 for MM sex.
Note 4: This is fantasy human/medieval Spike, Oz and Xander and behave as such. Although BTVs names are used, they are NOT in Sunnydale personas.
Summary: When the Count D’Anjou forfeits all his land and wealth gambling, his son the handsome, eighteen year old Xander is sent to live with a cousin in Aquila. It is hoped that Xander's good looks and title will attract a wealthy wife. But Xander meets William (Spike) Navarre the handsome, dashing Captain of The Guard. They fall in love. They keep their illicit love from everyone but their confessor. When they are betrayed to The Bishop of Aquila he calls down a terrible curse on the lovers. Can Daniel (Oz) Osbourne a thief and escapee from Aquila's dungeons help Spike and Xander defeat the curse?
Chapter 20/25 + Epilogue (This is not a WIP. One Chapter will be posted daily, until complete.)
Rating: 1 -25 R, EPILOGUE NC17
Chapter 20/25+ Epilogue
Rating NC17 Overall
The three men worked until early afternoon to make a stout cage, big enough to contain Spike the man and strong enough to contain an angry wolf. They picked the strongest branches and lashed them together with the cut up rope. The hawk sat on a log and watched the men with a growing disinterest. By mid morning it gave up and soared skywards in search of prey. An hour past noon, it was done. The Captain tested it's strength and proclaimed it sound enough for it's purpose. Giles and Spike hefted the cage into the cart and Oz covered all but the front with blankets and skins.
Moses protested at the extra weight, braying loudly but was at length coaxed into moving and with Spike and Oz seated on Goliath they traveled as quickly as the mule would allow toward Aquila. The hawk rejoined them and settled in his usual place on Spike's hand.
When they crested the hill above Aquila they looked down for a moment at the City. Spike's face was solemn as he was lost in thought of the events that had led him to this point. Events that for all the World he wished he could change and then not. Changing them might mean he never met Xander, never fell in love and for a few brief months had known the happiness and joy in another man's company, his laughter, bright smile, the tenor of his voice, humor, compassion, even temper, courage, loyalty and childlike wonder at the World; the things that had come to mean so much to him and lit the fires of love within him. Things he would die for.
Oz looked down and thought of all that had happened. The miracle of his escape, how many times he had faced near death, the wonder and terror of the magical forces that he had seen at work, how quickly and how strongly his life had become interwoven with these two men, a taciturn knight and a gentle young man. Their story was his, their future was his and though his understanding was limited he knew that whatever the outcome, he would see it through to the end.
Giles looked back on two years of bitter sorrow and regret, of researching frantically for the spell the evil Bishop had used and for the means to break it. Many times he had sunk into despair and thought it would have been better if William had killed him, that God had deserted him and his suffering was his punishment; but now he looked down with hope. If his calculations were correct, if William achieved his goal and then stayed his hand long enough for the eclipse to take place, then William and Xander might yet walk from the Cathedral as men, the curse broken their torment at an end.
Xander looked down with the fragmented thoughts and reasoning of a bird and yet he shuddered and clung a little tighter to Spike's hand.
The descent into the forest outside Aquila was made quickly and by late afternoon Spike called a halt. There were several miles yet to go, but they wanted to reach the City under cover of darkness yet as near dawn as they dared. They prepared for the coming dusk.
Spike and Giles made Oz repeat the plan to them. He would hide undercover outside the City, when he heard the bells signify that the Clergies procession to the Cathedral had begun he would enter the river, swim to the sewer entrance and find the hole in the grille. Once in the sewer he would make his way along until the chanting above him was loudest, this would mean he was under the great hall of the Cathedral. He would climb up and out through the drain, then he would unlock the great doors, but leave them shut until he heard Goliath's hooves outside.
At the sounding of the bell Spike would begin his ride through the City to the Cathedral. How much resistance he met would depend entirely on the guards stationed outside the Cathedral. If Angelus was there then he would have to fight his way through, if not there was a chance that they might let him pass especially if they had served with him. It would also mean that Angelus was likely to be inside the Cathedral. If Oz had been successful Spike would at least gain entry, if not then he would have to hope that Goliath's mighty hooves could break open the doors.
Giles would remain concealed in the City with Xander. If all was well and William secured the Cathedral then the bell for the end of the service wouldn't ring. Giles would bring Xander, as man or hawk to the Cathedral, either the curse would be broken or the hawk would watch The Bishop die.
The plan was made, the pact between them sworn.
At dusk Oz made himself scarce and Spike handed the hawk to Giles. Spike shuffled uncomfortably and cleared his throat. "Giles, will you tell Xander I love him and whatever happens I don't regret a second that I've been with him." Giles nodded. "I will."
Spike stripped off his clothes and climbed into the cage. Giles secured it and covered the front with a blanket. He set Xander down on a log and laid his clothes next to him and withdrew a little way to wait for both men to metamorphose. Just as growling came from within the cage Xander appeared nude on the ground next to the log. He dressed hurriedly and went to investigate the noises from the back of the cart.
Xander pulled away the blanket, the wolf growling and snarling was biting at the bars of the cage, his gums already bloody. Xander gasped and a look of anger darkened his face. At the nearness of Xander the beast clamed and Xander reached through the bars and fondled it's ears, the wolf whined.
Xander looked round as Giles hurried to him. "Why have you done this?"
Giles raised his hands to placate him. "Xander, calm yourself, it is a plan to get William safely into the City."