The others stood there for a few moments, in silence.

“Are you sure, Bella?” asked Beleg. “Are you sure that Daehir is one of the Ainur?”

“What else can he be?” she replied. “All the other vamps… when they were dusted, they were just… I don’t know, gone. I didn’t see their fey at all. But Daehir… I saw his fey as plainly as I see you.” She turned to Mablung who was now rocking the babe in his arms. “What happens to the Ainur when they die? Do they go to the Halls of Mandos?”

Mablung shrugged his shoulders. “I have no idea what happens to them. I do not know if any of them have been killed before.” He paused. “But I do believe that we can find that answer from Melian.” Buffy nodded in agreement. She didn’t understand wholly what powers the Ainur possessed nor what happens to them after their body is destroyed. Hopefully, Mablung was right and Melian could provide her with some answers.

Handel came running up as the house of Daehir became engulfed in flames. “Galuion, Galuion,” she cried as she took the infant from Mablung’s arms. Tears streamed down her face as she planted many wet kisses on her child. “How can I ever thank you?” she asked between sobs. “You have saved my only son.”

“ItÂ’s all in a day’s work,” replied Buffy with a forced smile. “This is what we do.”

By now, many of the former captives and townspeople were gathered around the warriors, each thanking them for delivering them from the evil that invaded their town. A great feast was held in their honor even though it was the middle of the night. Buffy was still feeling ill at ease. Daehir was invited into most of these peopleÂ’s homes. The possibility that he may return to seek revenge was weighing heavy on BuffyÂ’s mind. Unfortunately, she didnÂ’t know how to recant the invite. That was Willow’s forte, not hers.

They remained there for a couple of days teaching the elves about the various methods of killing a vampire. When it came to inviting people into their homes, Buffy instructed them to allow no strangers inside their home after sun down.

“Be wary of those feigning friendship after dark,” she said to them as she mounted her steed. “Invite no one in. If they’re a good elf, they can enter your home without an invitation.” She patted her horse. “I’ll see what I can do about reversing the invite. If I can figure that out… I’ll be back.”

The group headed back to Taurost. Everyone was quite delighted by the success of their little venture except Buffy. Retribution by the evil ones haunted her every waking moment. She would have no peace until she spoke with Melian about this situation.

Mablung, Beleg and Buffy hurriedly rode back to Menegroth. Fall was in the air and the ground was now littered with leaves of various shapes, sizes and colors. The air was becoming more brisk indicating that winter was just around the corner. When the trio arrived at the Great Bridge of Doriath, they parted ways. Mablung and Beleg went to check out the progress of the mansion as they had been gone for many weeks and Buffy was most anxious to speak with Melian. Buffy first reported to Thingol at MablungÂ’s request. She told him and his councilors of the eradication of the vampires out of Brethil much to the King’s delight.

Buffy found Melian in one of the many kitchens in Menegroth. As Buffy entered the chamber, Melian whose back was facing her said, “It is with great joy in my heart that you have returned to Menegroth unscathed, Bellaseth.” Buffy was always amazed when Melian could sense her presence. She turned and faced Buffy. “It has been long since you have sought my advice… or my teachings. But today, we shall talk whilst I teach you a new skill…”

“Involving food?” queried the Slayer with a smile.

“Indeed. The time draws near when you shall leave these Halls… permanently. It saddens me that Menegroth has not captivated your heart as it has mine.” She sighed. “It is like that saying that you have spoken before… how does it go?”

“Different strokes for different folks?” suggested Buffy.

“Yes, that is the one.” She mumbled the phrase under her breath and chuckled. “Today I am going to teach you how to make lembas, the elvish way-bread… ”

“I thought only a Queen is supposed to know how to make that stuff,” interrupted Buffy.

“And you are no Queen, eh?” stated Melian. “Perhaps not, but in days to come, you will be revered as one.”

“Queen Bella… ” Buffy muttered. “I can live with that.” She laughed. “But I really don’t see that happening unless you see Mablung becoming a king in the future of something… ” commented Buffy.

Melian smiled, “No. I do not foresee that, my child.”

“Bummer. Oh well,” started Buffy again. “I’m actually content with being the Slayer or the Chosen One…” Melian then began showing Buffy how to make lembas. The secret ingredient? Magic. As with most things with Melian, that’s the secret to most anything she does. Regardless, the Queen felt it was important for Buffy to learn this skill and that was enough for the Slayer to comply.

“I’ve got some questions for you,” Buffy said as she rolled the dough out on the floured surface. “What happens to the fey of an Ainur that has died? Do they pass to the Halls of Mandos like the elves?”

Melian immediately stopped what she was doing. She wiped her hands on her apron and looked keenly at the Slayer. “Why do you ask such a question? Did you… ” the words trailed off.

“Yeah, I think so.” Buffy replied as she continued rolling while Melian scrutinized her very closely. “This vampire, Daehir… I staked him and he turned to dust, which is what’s supposed to happen, but then I saw his fey lingering above the ground. Let me tell you Melian that wigged me out!”

“Wigged you out?” Melian questioned as Buffy explained what the expression meant. Melian went over to a cupboard, pulled out a bottle of wine and two goblets and brought them over to the counter where Buffy was now placing the dough in pans. “That is a most unusual question that you ask of me,” she finally said after taking a long swig from her goblet. “The Ainur are not commanded to go to Mandos,” she spoke slowly and thoughtfully. “Mandos is meant for the children of Eru, not the Ainur. Melkor was condemned there as part of his punishment because that fortress is impenetrable. The Ainur, if their body is broken or destroyed, have the ability to make their flesh anew.” Buffy looked at her with a confused expression on her face. “It is very much how you would change your garments after a battle or when you get up in the morning. This…” she made a gesture indicating her body “is but a garment that we choose to wear. Long ago, before the elves awoke, many of the Ainur went in spirit form. The form we chose to house our spirits was left to us. As you see, I chose to take the form of an elf…”

“So, any of the Ainur can choose whatever they want to house their spirits?” asked Buffy.

“Absolutely,” she replied. “There are some who choose to be like the many animals that roam in the wild. Some choose to be a towering tree…”

“A tree?” Buffy interjected with a smirk. “Who would ever want to be a tree?”

Melian chuckled. “Many. They are mostly Maiar of Yavanna or Oromë to whom all trees are held dear. Manwë has many servants that prefer the shape of an eagle or…”

“I think I get the point,” Buffy replied. “How long does it take to make one’s flesh anew?” she queried again.

“That depends on the Maia. There are several factors…” she started as Buffy once again interrupted her.

“What about an evil one? Quite honestly Melian, IÂ’m not too worried about you or SalmarÂ… it’s Daehir that worries me. IÂ’m afraid heÂ’s going to seek a little revenge on the people of Brethil. I want to know how long itÂ’ll take him to remake himself…”

“Child,” she interrupted this time. “It is not a simple question that you ask. I cannot clearly perceive how long it would take him to make his flesh anew. It depends on how much of his magics he has used and if he has bred with another – that requires giving up some power…”

“So you’re saying that if a Maia breeds and has children, it takes away some of their power.”

“Exactly. Do you not see why I have only one child? Have you not found yourself wondering why Thingol has no son? No heir to his throne?” Melian questioned Buffy. “It is because it would require both of us to give up some more of our powers. We lose a little bit more of our magical ability with each birth. That power goes into our children once it leaves us. But it leaves us nonetheless.”

“Well,” began Buffy as she began placing pans in the oven, “that explains a lot. I really can’t say whether Daehir has fathered any offspring or not, but my gut tells me that he’s already in his new body.”

“Perhaps,” answered Melian. “Your instincts have not let you down as of yet.”

“I just love how you add the word yet to that,” Buffy smirked.

“All good things must come to an end at some point in time,” replied Melian solemnly.

“That’s pretty ominous. Do you know something that I don’t?” questioned Buffy.

“In time, dear child. You will see in time.” With that, Melian excused herself. Buffy remained in the kitchen sipping her wine and pondering the words of Melian. Once again she was hit with that ‘in time’ remark. How long would it actually be until she discovered all the secrets of Middle-earth? In time. Those two words were the most annoying to Buffy’s ears.

As the aroma of the baking bread permeated the kitchen Mablung entered looking slightly perturbed. “Something smells good.”

Buffy looked up at her lover, she had been staring into her empty goblet. “How goes the construction?” she asked.

“It is going well.” He sighed as he refilled her goblet and took a long drink of the rose-colored liquid. “Tell me Bella. What is your relationship with the Naugrim?” Buffy looked at him peculiarly. “I mean…” he began again with a frustrated tone. “They will not listen to me. The Dwarves insist on making modifications to our original plans. They will only heed the words of ‘the Lady of the House’.” He took another drink.

“I see,” Buffy replied trying to muffle her laughter. “As soon as my lembas is finished baking, I’ll go out there and scold them for you,” she added impishly.

Once the bread was finished, Mablung assisted Buffy in packaging the tasty cakes into its leaf wrappings. The wrappings were sealed with the wax and stamp that Melian had left. When this task was completed, they stacked the goodies in the pantry and made their way outside to the construction site.

Mablung was correct in his assessment of the dwarves’ modifications. The home that they had originally envisioned had now doubled in size once again. The foundation now encompassed nearly one acre of the five acre homesite. Based on her calculations, the mansion would roughly be forty thousand square feet upon completion. The dwarves were insistent about the increase in size and now that the foundation had been laid there was no turning back.

Buffy marveled at the dwarves’ workmanship. They were already working on framing the walls on this massive three story structure. She spoke with Grundin about the changes. “We canÂ’t do that yet,” she had said to him regarding the walls. “I told you guys that I want copper pipes installed throughout the entire house. They are to be located within the walls themselves…”

“But Lady,” he retorted. “Did you not say that you wanted the roof constructed from copper and the ceilings within the home?”

“Yes. But the roof is to be finished in copper, not constructed totally from copper. And I do want the ceilings in the main rooms to be hammered copper. But right now, I want copper pipes within the walls,” she explained.

“I do not understand these pipes you speak of. What purpose do they serve?” he questioned.

“Listen Grundin, I’ve gone over this with Drór several times now. These pipes,” she pulled out her diagram from the sheets of parchment that lay on the wagon. “Are for the flowing of water. I want the water to be accessible in the house…”

“That is a very strange thing indeed!” Grundin replied as he stroked his beard. “But Drór has instructed us to do as you wish. No matter how queer it may be.” Buffy smiled. The word queer certainly had a different connotation back home! And to hear a dwarf telling her that her idea was ‘queer’ made Buffy chuckle to herself.

With that minor snafu straightened out, Buffy returned to her chambers in ThingolÂ’s Halls. The weariness of the trip finally hit her and she crawled into her bed and fell fast asleep. Once again, Buffy received a visit from Salmar. This time they were not by the mystical pool but at the homesite, which was totally deserted. Salmar was dressed in green robes and his long silver hair wafted in the cool breeze.

“This shall be a very grand home once it is completed.” He looked down at her small form. “Quite worthy of the Slayer.”

Buffy folded her arms and grinned. “So this is a social visit?” she queried.

He looked at her with a surprised expression on his face. “You are not one for small talk are you?”

“Not when you invade my mind like you do. It’s… creepy. Get on with it…”

He bowed slightly. “Yes, Lady,” he responded courteously. Buffy chided him for his formal behavior. “Do not forget your friends in Brethil, Bellaseth. There is a great need to have their homes protected and you are the only one who is capable of doing that…”

Buffy interrupted him. “How am I supposed to do that? I don’t have any holy water… nor the spell for that matter…”

“That is why I am here,” he said, as he stood straighter. “You need to collect water from the mystical pool. Ulmo has already blessed it himself. It wouldn’t hurt for you to say a prayer over it as well. Take that water and use it to bless the homes of the occupants…”

“It takes more than just some blessed water Salmar,” Buffy replied in a tone that indicated that she was getting agitated. “There’s a spell…”

“You know the spell, Bellaseth. The words will come to you when you are ready to perform it. But there is need for haste…”

“I just got back today,” she whined. He looked sternly at her. “Fine. I don’t want anyone to get hurt. If you don’t mind Salmar, I’d like to wake up now.”

“Farewell Dagnir and may the blessings of the Valar be with you,” he said as he gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. Buffy woke up from her encounter with Salmar. Pulling out her satchel, she began packing a few items for the trip.

Mablung soon entered her chamber. “Where are you going?” he asked, totally shocked that she was repacking. “We have only just returned.”

“I know,” Buffy answered, feeling totally defeated by the words of Salmar. “Duty calls. Salmar just visited me and I’ve got to deal with the situation in Brethil. Apparently it can’t wait any longer.” She grabbed her cloak off of her trunk and put it on.

“But you cannot go at this time. Thingol wishes to discuss some matters at the evening meal and has requested your presence. That is why I am here. I do not think he will allow you to depart…”

“Allow me?” she questioned. “I don’t think Elu Thingol can stop me. If the Powers feel that I’ve got to take care of business elsewhere, then I’ve gotta do it. It’s no fun having one of the Maiar invade your dreams, believe me. And if I don’t go, I’m afraid Salmar might take up residency there… permanently.”

Mablung looked at her anxiously. “Please speak with Thingol before you leave.” Buffy agreed and they left her chambers for the Hall of Feasts. When they arrived, the aroma of many delicious foods permeated throughout the massive chamber causing Buffy’s stomach to growl. The King was already seated at the head of the main table. Melian sat on his right and Lúthien on his left. “Lord, I have brought Bellaseth as you ordered.”

“Thank you Mablung. You may sit.” Mablung cast a glance at Buffy before taking his seat at the Kings table. “Are you leaving us, Bellaseth, for you have only arrived back at Menegroth today.”

“I’m afraid so, sire,” she replied. “Salmar visited me again today and I’ve been instructed to go back to Brethil by way of Ossiriand…”

“Why is there this need for haste?” he asked.

“Apparently he’s worried about the vampires returning. I have to go to Ossir and get some water from that mystical pool of Ulmo’s and take it to Brethil as part…”

Thingol turned to Melian. “Have you heard from Salmar or any of your kindred regarding this matter?”

Melian glanced up at Buffy before answering her husband. “I have not heard from anyone in quite some time,” she stated.

Thingol returned his glance to Buffy. “How is it that Melian’s kindred communicate with you but not her?” he asked contemptuously.

Buffy could tell that Thingol’s temper was rising, but she had done nothing wrong. “I can’t answer that. Believe me, I’d rather they talk to Melian than me. I’d be quite content to stay here, but it’s not my call.” She was not going to let Thingol daunt her despite his icy stare. “Brethil is not under the Girdle of Enchantment. Those people don’t have the protection like…”

“And you blame that on me?” he queried as his tone grew louder. “It is now Elu Thingol’s fault,” he announced even louder to everyone in the chamber, “I have done my people wrong you say…”

“I didn’t say that. All I’m saying is that I’ve got to stop the vamps from invading your peoples homes. While your sitting here feasting on your roasted meats, your kin folk might be dinner for the emissaries of Bauglir…”

Thingol slammed his fist on the table. “I will not tolerate your impudence, Bellaseth. How dare you speak to me in that tone of yours? I have welcomed you into my Halls and have endowed you with the title of Knight and now…”

“I’m sorry,” Buffy replied calmly. “If you want to chew me out, that’s fine. But it’s gonna have to wait. I have to go.” Buffy started walking off.

Thingol got to his feet. “You stop right there, young lady.” The entire chamber became so quiet you could hear a pin drop. “Do you desire to visit my dungeons this eve? You are well on your way…”

Buffy’s temper had now been flamed by his words. “If you think I deserve to be thrown in the dungeons then I wanna see you try,” she shot back at him. Even though Thingol was considerable taller than Buffy, she wasn’t going to be intimidated by him. “You think I want to do this? You think this is my choice?” she yelled back at him. “Well, for your information it’s not. It’s what I do. It’s part of being the Slayer. If you think that I deserve to be punished, it’ll have to wait until I get back!” Buffy stormed across the chamber. Thingol was shocked. Nobody ever talked to him like that before. Nobody! When Buffy got to the doors, the guards were blocking her from the exit. “If you guys don’t get out of my way,” she said through gritted teeth. “The people of Brethil’s blood will be on your hands.” For whatever reason the guards let Buffy pass. She went straight to the kitchen where she had stored the lembas, grabbed a handful and went to the stables. Mablung did not follow.

Buffy was absolutely livid as she mounted her steed and galloped down the road leading south. Did Thingol think she was enjoying this stuff? That she delighted in having the Powers invading her brain while she sleptÂ… And for Salmar to walk into her dreams like he doesÂ… ItÂ’s a very frightening thought. She only wished it could be done to Thingol instead.

The further that Buffy got away from Menegroth, the more content she became. It took her four days to reach the beautiful woods of Ossir. It was only beginning to show the early signs of fall unlike Doriath where winter could be felt in the air. She was welcomed by the elves once again. Orchal made the comment that Buffy should just remain there since her visits were becoming more and more frequent. Buffy had visited Ossir more in the last few years than Thingol ever did since it had been occupied by the green elves. But once again, duty calls. This wasnÂ’t a social visit. After only two days, Buffy left Ossir with a barrel of mystical water strapped to her horse.

It was a horrendously long trip to Brethil especially without any companions. She wasn’t fearful of being attacked but she felt lonelier than every before. She wished Mablung had come with her. But she understood his loyalty to Thingol. She respected that. When she reached Taurost she invited Túreb to join her on her little adventure. He was very reluctant; Buffy assumed that Thingol had sent word to him about their row, but it wasn’t so. His reluctance was due to the fact that the two of them would be alone. It wasn’t appropriate for a single man and single woman to travel together. Buffy shook her head at that.

“Túreb, do you actually think I give a damn what anyone thinks? I assume everyone knows I’m with Mablung.” Buffy continued shaking her head in disgust. “I guess I’ll hunt down the vampire myself.”

Túreb’s ears perked up. “Did you say ‘hunt down the vampire’?”

“I don’t think I stuttered,” she answered straightforwardly. “I have to confirm that the spell worked don’t I? How am I supposed to do that unless I test it out on a vamp?”

“Did we not kill all the vampires that had been invited?” he queried.

“I hope so.” She paused. “We’re gonna have to invite one in, recant his invite and then see if he can enter. Either way, he’ll have to be dusted.”

“I will join you in the hunting of that creature,” he finally said eagerly. “The hell with what anyone thinks!”

Buffy smiled. She loved the fact that her vocabulary was influencing his choice of words. “You’re the man, Túreb.”

Túreb and Buffy were once again joined by Sador who refused to be left behind. They began their journey to Brethil against the frigid northern winds. Winter was definitely on its way. When they reached Brethil Buffy had dozens and dozens of bottles filled with Ulmo’s mystical water. Like Salmar said, the words for the spell seemed to just flow from her lips. She found it strange and unsettling. A number of elves followed her as she did this ritual over and over again. It was of the utmost importance that they should learn how to perform this rite as it may be needed sometime in the future.

When the blessing of all the homes was completed, it became imperative that they had to find a vampire to ensure that the spell was done correctly. Since the vamps had been run out of Brethil, they would have to search for another lair. Many of the brave men of Brethil volunteered to help in the search. Buffy would have preferred to have stayed with Handel, but she was the one who had the ability to sense them, not the elves. It was decided that they would break up into several search parties. They would search the vast woodland for ten days before returning to Brethil to see if any of the teams discovered a lair. Buffy went on this quest with Túreb, Sador and Úrion, who was most anxious to aid them in any way he could.

Those ten days were probably the worst in BuffyÂ’s life. It rained nearly the whole time and it was so cold. There wasnÂ’t one moment on that trip when she felt remotely warm. She was wet, cold, and very miserable. And to make matters even worse, they didnÂ’t find a single vamp. But hope wasnÂ’t totally lost. When they met up with the others in Brethil, Geldur had indeed found a possible lair.

“There is a cave located by the River Celebros about fifteen leagues from here,” began the dark haired elf. “We did not enter that place which seemed foul to me. There were many animal carcasses lying around that area…”

“Are you sure that you didn’t stumble upon the remains of animals that some elves had killed?” asked Buffy.

“No elf inflicts such wounds on any creature – good or bad. Some of the beasts had their throats ripped out; others had two distinctive puncture marks located on their bodies… All of them had their blood drained. Is that not a tell tale sign of a vampire kill?” he queried.

Buffy smiled at Geldur. “Good work, my friend,” she replied cheerfully. “It looks like you have the skills to track a vamp… We’ll head out at first light tomorrow.” Buffy wanted nothing more than a hot steamy bath. When she immersed herself into that tub of hot water, the chill that had swathed every molecule in her body finally dissipated. She found relief at last.

Buffy was awakened before sunlight the following morning. Geldur would join BuffyÂ’s team on this mission as he was the one who discovered this possible lair. If they were to discover a number of vampires, then they would use guerrilla warfare as a means of bringing an end to the enemy. As they rode the many miles to Celebros Buffy explained to the others that she would be bait for the vampire. They would have to lure him out of his den as opposed to delving into his secret fortress.

The trip took much longer than expected. Even though they were deep in the woods, the cold wind still ripped through the trees as though they werenÂ’t even there in the first place. It was awful to say the least. It was late afternoon when they set up their camp approximately one furlong from the lair.

“What do we do now?” asked Geldur as they assembled around the small campfire. He had no experience with vampires.

It was Sador who answered his question. “The vampires do not come out until the sun sets, my friend.” Geldur had been visiting his kinfolk by the shores of Middle-earth when Daehir arrived in Brethil. He had only just returned and wasn’t familiar with their modus operandi. “As with all the creatures of Melkor Bauglir, they shun the sunlight. Unlike the yrch, it can kill them. They are truly creatures of the night who feed on the blood of those weaker than themselves. They need blood for survival. Is that a correct assessment Bellaseth?”

“I couldn’t have said it much better myself.” She looked at Geldur. “They’re much stronger than your average elf. So you need to take care when you approach one. But we’re here to bag one, not kill it.”

“What if there are many dwelling within the cave?” asked Úrion. “Surely we will take one as a hostage and kill those that remain.”

“Of course we will,” answered Túreb. “We will not allow any of that race to dwell in our lands.” Buffy concurred.

As the sun set, the group prepared themselves for the last leg of the trip. In addition to the stakes that they carried with them a couple of the guys brought their bows and quivers of arrows. They were ready. They quietly made their way through the dense forest. In some areas the trees thinned out which made it easier to navigate their way through the woods. It did not take them long to find the entrance. There was brush and fallen limbs that covered the entry way. Buffy assumed it was an easy way to keep the sunlight from penetrating their halls.

“Okay,” Buffy began. “Túreb and Sador, you go on that side,” Buffy indicated the north side of the entrance. “Úrion, Geldur, you guys stay here… I’ll see if I can tempt ‘em to leave their hidey hole.” The only way to access the entrance was to get to the bottom of the embankment along the river. The ground became level again at the bottom. The shore line was a mixture of pebbles and sand. Buffy grabbed hold of a branch of a small bush to keep her balance as she descended the slope. The bush had no true root system and easily came out of the ground once Buffy shifted her weight. She slid down the clay embankment some fifteen feet before hitting the bottom. “Damn it!” she mumbled. Inspecting her backside, she noticed that she now had clay caked on her breeches from her butt to her boots. “Just perfect.” She continued uttering curses under her breath.

Buffy now stood looking at the course of the river. It was then that she heard the rustling of dry leaves. Someone was coming out of the cave. She remained in her position; her ears focused on the sounds coming from behind her.

“Had a horrible fall I see,” said a voice from behind her. For some reason Buffy was surprised that the voice was that of a woman. She turned around to see a tall golden haired vampire standing before the door of her lair. “One must use care when descending that slope,” she chortled. She took a few steps forward coming face to face with Buffy. “I take it you are the Slayer. I have heard others whispering your name.” She looked Buffy over. “You are very small to be this mighty warrior… I take it that you have come to kill me.”

“Pretty much,” the Slayer answered. “But actually, I intend on taking you with me. Got a little job to do that requires one of your kind. You alone here sister or are there more of you hiding in there?”

“I am alone. I am always alone,” she replied somberly. “I did not choose this… to become a demon that is. I was quite content with my life before…”

Her words trailed off. In fact, Buffy could relate to what she heard that vampire saying about being alone. “Before you started killing your kind in order to survive.” Buffy finished her sentence.

She looked at Buffy with a shocked expression. “I have never killed anyone. No elf, that is. I cannot stop this craving for blood. I have mostly fed off the animals in the wild and occasionally I will feast on the wolves of Angband… if they dare approach my lair.” She smiled. “I am not evil…”

“Oh, right. Tell me another one,” Buffy smirked. “I’ve been dealing with your kind for a long time and you know what? You’re all evil. You have no soul. Don’t think that you can fool me.”

“But I speak the truth,” she protested. “I have harmed no elf in all my years of torment. I do not dwell with others that suffer from this… malady. I do not wish to be a creature of the night.”

“A little too late for that,” Buffy retorted. “But, like I said, I’m in need of your assistance, uh, what’s your name?”

“I was called Randiel,” she replied softly. “I loved to wander the vast lands in my youth. Especially the forests of Middle-earth.”

“That’s nice,” Buffy didn’t understand why she was still listening to this vampire. A part of her wanted to believe that this was a vampire that didn’t have evil intentions, but the fact remained Buffy’s spider senses tingled around her. Buffy pulled some rope out of the pocket of her cloak. “I gotta tie you up Randiel. We’re going on a little trip.”

“I will come freely, if that is your will,” she replied.

“Well, it’s not. I don’t trust vampires.” Randiel allowed herself to be bound by the rope. Buffy whistled for the others who were soon standing at the top of the embankment. “Got one,” she said. Túreb refused to leave until he inspected the lair of Randiel. When he determined that no one else was occupying that cave, they departed back to Brethil.

Once they arrived back in town, they tested the invite spell on Randiel. It worked! Úrion was most anxious to kill the vampire after their task was completed, but Buffy hesitated. There was something about this vamp that made Buffy pity her. She couldn’t explain it. She recalled all too well how Spike had changed from his demony ways. Of course he was also in love with Buffy and that had the greatest impact on his change. Nevertheless, Buffy was a firm believer in ‘love can conquer all.’ She thought that maybe this Randiel wasn’t quite as evil as the rest of her kin. She decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. Pulling the vamp aside, Buffy spoke with her privately for several minutes. Maybe she could be useful to the Slayer. She seemed willing enough. Buffy released her. The elves were furious with her decision, but Buffy didn’t care. It was one of those gut instinct things. She made Randiel promise never to set foot in these parts or else she would be dusted.

“I will trust your judgment, Bellaseth,” Túreb finally said. “Although I do not agree with it. You know these creatures better than any and if you have seen evil turn to good before, then perhaps it will again with this… one.” Buffy informed Úrion that when her home was completed, she would call for him to enter her services. She reminded him that he still needed to make amends for his earlier actions.

As the first flecks of snow began to fall, Buffy quickly made her wayÂ… to BelegÂ’s. She desperately wanted to speak with him before going back to Menegroth. The weather got worse and worse as she made her way to the north marches of Doriath. Winter had indeed come early!

Beleg was delighted to see Buffy, but she didnÂ’t stay long. She had only one question for her friend.

“Tell me Beleg, between you and me, what was the name of Mablung’s first love?”

“Oh, that has been ages ago.” He was quiet for a moment and then said, “I believe her name was Randiel.” Buffy’s suspicions about the vampire had now been confirmed.