In the Court of the Crimson King (Part One)

[cjlasky7]

Fanfic: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Time Period: Season Three, just before "Faith, Hope and Trick"

OK, this is crazy. This is an idea that's been bouncing around in my head for about 25 years, and it's finally coalesced into a story. (People who know me will have heard me talk about this before.) I don't know if it'll be of any interest to anyone but progressive rock nerds, but I've just got to get it out there. I'll do Part One, and if anybody likes it, I'll continue.

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Buffy, Willow and Xander were sitting at their usual research table in the library, identical texts opened to a specific page, watching as Giles nervously flipped through the pages of a much larger volume, one that could probably crush a small dog.

"Ah, here we are," said Giles, tapping his finger on the page. "Babylon. Akkadian Empire."

"Giles?" Buffy tried to attract his attention. "You said this was serious. We've got Social Studies in about twenty minutes. Can we get this moving?"

"Oh. Yes, of course. I've been informed by the Watcher's Council that an extraordinarily powerful vampire--one thought long dead--has been revived and is probably here in Sunnydale as we speak. As you can see from your text--" After a long pause, Giles motioned for them to actually look down at their books. "As you can see from your text, he has a highly developed capacity for mesmerism, able to enthrall large numbers and direct them to do his bidding."

"Oooh," said Xander, wrapping his tongue around the word. "Enthrall." Willow giggled.

Giles ignored him. "Over the last 500 years, he has been the leader of a number of heretical religious sects and messianic cults; he's been known to his followers as the Eye of Truth, the Red Messiah, or the Crimson King."

Xander, who was halfway dozing, snapped to attention.

"He has in his possession a mystical artifact that magnifies his powers a hundred fold: an ancient brass bell that acts as a sort of carrier wave for his psychic commands. You can see it on page 95."

Another pause. The kids finally shifted out of neutral and flipped to the right page. "I believe that if we can find a counterspell to the bell's magic, we should be able to neutralize his power and destroy him." Giles slammed his book shut. "Any questions?"

Xander grinned sheepishly, a little embarrassed. "I don't know if this.... it kinda sounds like the song."

Giles wasn't paying attention. "Excuse me?"

"You know...the song. 'In the Court of the Crimson King.' Cracked brass bell. Dance of the puppets. The whole deal."

"Well...it's not 'like' the song, Xander. It IS the song. The song is the story of this particular vampire."

Xander couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Wait. How did a British rock group in 1969 find out about a 500 year-old vampire?"

"Because I told them about it."

Before Xander could react to that little nugget, the school bell rang. Lunch period was over. Buffy was getting impatient. "Guys, could we do the whole 'Behind the Music' thing later?"

"Buffy," said Xander, with his Serious Face on, "I'm gonna hear this story, no matter how long it takes."

"I don't know if there's that much to tell." Giles drifted off into reverie. "My cousins, Michael and Peter, were always playing in rock bands around Dorset and I was sort of their roadie, carrying their equipment, going out for sandwiches, that whole business."

"How old were you?" asked Willow.

"I was... what, sixteen? I was always carrying around my acoustic guitar. I thought I was going to be the next Jeff Beck." Giles laughed. "Delusions of youth. Anyway, Michael and their guitarist, Robert, got a record contract, and the band went into a studio in London to record an album. I was there, with my acoustic guitar--"

Xander couldn't contain himself. "And they let you play on the album?!"

"What? No! Don't be insane. Robert never would have permitted it. Actually, I--I think he found me rather annoying. But I brought the sandwiches. So I could stay."

Willow was blissfully following every word of the story. She could listen to Giles all day.

"They were working out the arrangement on '21st Century Schizoid Man', and it was taking hours to get the bridge exactly right, so I sat down next to Peter Sinfield, who was writing the lyrics for the group. Lovely chap, very gentle soul. I don't know how exactly we got on the topic, but I told him my grandfather's old stories about the Crimson King, And he...wrote them all down."

Xander slumped back in his chair. "Unbelievable."

The school bell rang again. Sixth period. Social studies. Giles snapped back into Watcher mode. "I'll meet you after class. We'll discuss strategy. I'll work on the counterspell in the meantime."

Buffy and Xander scooped up the books and returned them to their proper places on the shelves. Willow, very tentatively, approached Giles. "Giles? I--I want to help with the spell."

Giles considered this for a moment, then shook his head. "No. I don't think that's a good idea. This is very old and very powerful magic. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Well, we kinda run the risk of getting hurt, anyway, right? I know magic can be tricky, but I'm good at it! I know I can help! At least let me do the research!"

"All right," said Giles, reluctantly. "But we need to hurry. We have to be prepared for this vampire before he has the chance to raise an army.

At that very moment, Larry poked his head through the door. "Hey guys? Have you seen the football team? They were supposed to be in practice an hour ago."

Buffy turned to Willow and Xander.

"Uh oh."

Comments

[atpo_onm]

Xander couldn't contain himself. "And they let you play on the album?!"

"What? No! Don't be insane. Robert never would have permitted it. Actually, I--I think he found me rather annoying. But I brought the sandwiches. So I could stay."

Heeeee, I think my favorite line! Well, someone needs to bring the sandwiches, right? Absolutely!

MORE!! MORE!!

:-)

You have the Giles voice nailed, BTW.