The Slayer Queen

Rogue Demon Hunter

Sam Perlo-Freeman

A short story based on the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, created by Joss Whedon. Some place names are fictitious, as of course are all the characters depicted.
Rating: 15

CHAPTER 11 – COUNCIL OF WAR

Before long, news got back to the Council of Watchers in Thebes of this latest failure to dispatch their `rogue Slayer'. The mood of the Council seems to have been one of frustration and despair. A Watcher named Thuravis expressed the mood of the meeting:
"We have sent mighty warriors against her, all dispatched with ease! Five attempts at poisoning, all serving no greater purpose than the death of some insignificant taster! Arrows fired by top marksman from windows in towns she conquered – which she caught as they flew towards her! Assassins worming their way into her service to strike from close, all foiled in one way or another and returned to us in pieces! And now this! We so pervert our principles as to send against her the most vicious of the creatures we exist to fight, and even they can kill only her general! Is there nothing we can do to stop this woman? Must we sit and wait while she laughs in our faces, expands her so-called empire and makes our ancient and holy body look like a bunch of helpless women? Have you any further ideas, Atemon?" 

"Well, I suppose the fact that she got rid of the Three counts as a good thing in some ways", murmured another satirically. Atemon glowered.

"The situation is indeed grave. One slight bright spot is that we have reason to believe the attack of the Three claimed another of her closest advisors, however, the former Watcher Otanes." 

Several present spat at his name.

"But he survived, he has been seen…"

"I know he has been seen. Our spies, however, are suspicious – he was at least injured, some present thought they saw his body looking bloodied and lifeless. He was not seen for a full two nights and a day after the attack, and now does not seem to leave the palace by day. Our spies suspect he may have been turned." 

This brought a shocked gasp from the assembly, then a flurry of questions.

"Artemesia keeps a vampire as Vizier?"

"But is Artemesia aware of this – might Otanes do our job for us after all – that would be ironic"

"Are there rumours in the palace, or could our spies start some – that could be used against her"

Atemon spoke again. "It is hard to see how she could not be aware if this is true. It is shocking and an abomination, a defilement of all the gods hold holy to be sure, but hardly surprising in one who has already so completely betrayed her sacred duty. At present, regrettably, there are no rumours nor any prospect of starting them. I fear her popularity is such that the rumour-monger would swiftly meet a bloody end for such a blasphemy against the `Queen of Light'. But if this is true, it may show she is losing her grip. This makes her all the more dangerous, but perhaps also weaker." 

"But what next is there for us to try?"

At this, Atemon sighed.

"There, I fear I am as much at a loss as anyone. I have further news that cannot be thought favourable to our cause. In our efforts to find out more about Artemesia and any possible weaknesses, we recently inquired of Delphi."

This brought a murmur of interest.

"What answer did we get?" asked one.

Again, Atemon sighed. The answer we got was "Mortality." The question we asked was, "What is Artemesia the Vampire Slayer's greatest weakness?". I suppose we should have seen that one coming."

At the expressions of disappointment from around the room, he continued,

"However, our agents also bribed the priestesses copiously into revealing anything else they knew about Artemesia, whether she had ever inquired of them, and it turned out she had asked as to the circumstances of her death."

Again, there was a murmur of excitement.

"To which enquiry she received the following oracle: Where the Slayer is born, there shall the Slayer die. Perhaps this may be of some use."

At this, Thuravis exclaimed again:

"But this makes things even worse! It means she cannot be killed but at the place of her birth! It is no wonder all our attempts have failed, they were doomed to fail! She might as well be invulnerable! Our task seemed hard enough, now it is surely impossible!"

Atemon struggled to regain control. "Prophecies can be unclear in their interpretation sometimes, `born' could mean…"

"Called, yes! Was she not called in her place of birth? Some insignificant village in the mountains? This prophecy seems very clear, and it makes clear that everything we have done so far against this trumped-up slattern has been pointless! Why did we not find this out before?"

There were murmurs of agreement, and Atemon must have felt his position to be slipping. But then another Watcher, by the name of Sesostris, who had not spoken before, stood to speak.

"Prophecies indeed require care in the understanding, for not only may words have more than one meaning, but the whole pattern of cause and effect they imply may be very different from what may at first sight appear obvious. I mean sometimes a prophecy may not be something that inexorably happens of its own accord, but which must be made to happen by some agent or other."

Atemon saw his chance.

"Exactly! We must make the prophecy happen! And this makes our course very clear. Artemesia cannot be killed but at Escarian? Maybe, but she can be wounded, incapacitated, bound, taken there and then dispatched! How? By kidnapping or subterfuge? No, attempts on our part at similar things have failed too often, and she is too strong. No, there is one way, and one way only. Artemesia's empire now stretches from the Euphrates to the Mediterranean. Her threat grows yearly, monthly! Pharaoh may not perceive it yet as a threat to Egypt, but it will surely come, and this prophecy only underlines it: war is inevitable! We must cease our piecemeal attempts to take one life, and persuade Pharaoh to rouse his armies! Artemesia must be confronted as soon as possible, her armies must be shattered before they grow stronger yet. Pharaoh may be reluctant to take such a step, but we yet wield considerable influence, and this prophecy must convince him of the need for action. Let us gird ourselves, then, and let us seek the aid of the gods for this mighty contest that must now take place. Let us be strong, and never falter from our purpose, our else the very survival of our ancient Council will be in jeopardy – and with it, the future survival of humanity itself!"

Cheers erupted around the Council table, and many men stood to their feet. Sesostris, however, remained seated, murmuring, "actually that's not exactly what I meant."

But nobody heard him.