Full Circle

Buffy didn’t know which was worse: sitting in her pavilion enacting new laws or being accosted by mortals when she attempted to walk freely about the land. The rumor that she would be selecting the first king of Sumer at the beginning of the year had somehow reached their ears (Luthor!), and men constantly offered her gifts or sang songs and recited poems about her great beauty, strength, holiness and generosity in an attempt to win her favor. She wouldn’t have minded much if she hadn’t already made that choice. How could she not appoint one from the bloodline of Brolach to the throne? He and his kinfolk were the first ones to sway from Morgoth’s side to hers. Surely, they should be rewarded for their loyalty. The first king of Sumer would be Orran, son of Orrin, son of Brolach.

The battle had ended only ten days before, when Buffy realized that she had overlooked re-embodying the elves from her Household. She was horrified and deeply ashamed that she had allowed herself to become so preoccupied with the affairs of Man and the erecting of Eru’s temple to forget her beloved friends. Not all were gifted with new flesh, for not all had drunk her life force in bygone days. Nevertheless, fifteen thousand Green-elves were re-embodied that day, delighted to be ‘alive and kicking’ once more. They were quick to vocalize their outrage regarding the betrayal of Úrion and their kindred; they demanded retribution. However, Buffy deemed that the time was not yet ripe; the traitors remained shackled, under heavy guard, in many pavilions scattered along the hilltop. She hadn’t really had the time to consider any type of punishment. It would still have to wait as she had more pressing issues at hand.

With the power of song, Buffy summoned back both birds and beasts to the plains. Nothing made the people happier than hearing the sweet melodies of the songbirds. It had been nearly four long years since they had heard anything other than the cooing of doves.

The day after the ‘rebirth’ of the elves, the Slayer decided to hold a feast to commemorate those that had died in the battle. All the people were summoned, except for the dwarves of Orocarni, who had already left the encampment for the northern regions of Sumer. Buffy thought that the feast would be the perfect opportunity to proclaim the new laws that all must abide by. The decrees were read aloud by none other than Orchal. Man had no problem with any of them, including the ‘Marital Law,’ which declared that one must take a spouse once one had reached childbearing age. In regards to women, Buffy had said, “If they’re old enough to bleed, they’re old enough to breed.” While her Maia councilors agreed somewhat with that statement, they did in fact re-word the law so that the language was more appropriate. They had all decided that thirteen was the minimum age in which one could wed unless Buffy declared otherwise. The feast lasted several days. Much to the Vala of Love’s delight, many wedding ceremonies were performed during the festivities. The Marital Law gave incentives, both wealth and privilege, to those that immediately bore many children. They would be given tax relief, for a time, as well as allotments of land.

While man was eager to get in Buffy’s good graces by bringing forth children, the elves considered their conduct licentious: the mortals procreated in public view like animals. The Slayer condoned the ‘acts of love,’ and found the elves’ behavior rather amusing. Nonetheless, the Green-elves decided to take it upon themselves to build dwellings for the mortals so that they could be ‘affectionate’ within the confines of their own homes. They now had a greater appreciation for the law that segregated the races, deeming it one of the wisest decisions that Buffy had ever made.

When the season turned to fall, the Slayer decided that it was time to flee to Sussrúmnir in order to get away from the endless badgering of man. If she directed time to move at the same pace in both places, she could easily return in time for the coronation. While she longed for rest and respite, she knew that she had much to do in her Blessed Realm. Those who were to stay in Folkvang needed to be re-embodied, and only Buffy had the power to do that. In her absence, both Luthor and Marto would be left in charge of governing the affairs of Sumer. Before leaving, she told both men to have mankind off her mount by the time she returned. It was time for the ‘Segregation Law’ to come into effect.

Buffy allowed her maidens to garb her in her ceremonial dress upon her arrival. As she ascended the stairway, she ordered all the Valkyries to come to Sussrúmnir as soon as possible. She only wanted to meet with the chieftains, but demanded all to be present in her Halls, nonetheless. It was now time to see if those women were truly as loyal to their mistress as they claimed to be.

When she entered her Hall of Judgment, Núrë, her cupbearer, placed a silver chalice of wine in her hand before stepping back into one of the recesses of the room. Buffy approached her throne, stopping at the bottom of the dais. She stared at the cross engraved on her canopied throne of lapis lazuli; images of her torments flashed through her mind. The pain and suffering that the Slayer had experienced still weighed heavily on her mind. She was no longer fond of the cross; it didn’t represent goodness or holiness; it represented treachery and evilness to her.

Reluctantly, she climbed the steps of the dais and sat on her exquisite chair. As soon as her rear sunk into the cushion, images immediately passed before her eyes. A small cry escaped her lips when she saw that the Temple of Eru would not be completed by the first of the year. In fact, only the foundations would be laid at that time. That did not please her at all. Despite that grim vision, seeing the twins’ faces over and over in her mind’s eye boosted her spirits. She knew that they were about to come in to their own.

As the women started filing in, the visions stopped. Buffy watched the ladies closely as they came before her throne; only eleven chieftains remained as Anairë had returned to Valinor after Angwen had destroyed her hröa. She could find no healing in Folkvang without the Fëantári. Unfortunately, the Slayer had showed little interest in returning to her mystical realm at the time, so Anairë returned to Manwë’s halls on Taniquetil. Even after all those years, Buffy had not yet appointed another Maia to take her place.

“The time has come for the women of Folkvang to prove their worth not only to me, but to the mortal men of this realm,” started the Slayer as she studied the faces of her chieftains closely. “The men in this kingdom have the same desires and needs as they did when they dwelt in the ‘real’ world. Those needs must be sated, whether it be thirst, hunger or other… manly urges.” The Valkyries understood Buffy’s message loud and clear. “It is woman’s responsibility to see that those urges are satisfied, and that’s where you all come in. It’s the duty of the women of this realm to fulfill man’s bodily desires.” The ladies simply nodded their heads in acknowledgement. “I want you to deliver that message to the others. None will be forced to do anything against her will. But if any choose not to perform these acts of love then I have no need for them. Why would any wish to be servants of the Vala of Love yet not give their love freely? Kinda defeats the purpose, don’t you think?”

“I think I can speak on behalf of all of us present when I say that we did not volunteer to enter your service without careful consideration,” answered Vórëa after looking to her sister Valkyries for approval to speak as their representative. The women nodded their heads encouragingly. “We are the mighty warriors of Maranwë Luinil, we belong to your House, and our duty is to do as you command whether it be on the battlefield or… elsewhere. I, for one, have no qualms about doing whatever you ask of me. My allegiance is to you and you only. I have forsaken my former lord out of my love and reverence for you, the greatest of the Valier.” She bowed her head and fell to one knee; the others followed suit.

“Command us, o’ magnificent one,” they said in unison.

A warm smile came to the Slayer’s face. She was touched by the loyalty of her chieftains even though she had been neglectful of them in the past. Their faithfulness would definitely be rewarded. Buffy wasn’t about to embark on her journey alone, she would take her most beloved and trustworthy servants with her. They had an integral role to play in upcoming events.

“I’m pleased by your faithfulness,” said Buffy after the women stood upright again. “I’m aware that most of you have not lain with a man before.” Her smile widened. “Fear not, for I will teach you all that I know when it comes to pleasures of the flesh… ” The Slayer paused as she pondered that last sentence. It sounded like she was going to give the ladies a live demonstration in the art of lovemaking, and that most certainly wasn’t the case. “Not “teach” in the literal sense of the word,” continued Buffy in an attempt to clarify what she had just said. “I mean, I’m not gonna do a presentation or anything.” The Vala of Love’s face flushed; she cleared her throat, revealing her discomfort. “I’ll send you guys visions, yeah, visions.”

She took a long drink before shifting her gaze to a magnificent tapestry on the wall; it was an aerial view of Folkvang. For some reason, when she looked at that portrait, the images of her crucifixion flashed in her mind, instantly putting her in a melancholy state. When she resumed speaking, her voice was full of pain and sorrow.

“Úrion’s betrayal blindsided me… I never saw it coming. I loved him… I trusted him... I let him into my life, my home, my heart… and he used it against me. He manipulated me; he manipulated situations… The things he did to… ” Buffy shuddered as her words trailed off, she turned her mournful eyes to the Valkyries. The women saw something more in their mistress’ eyes. They could see that she still loved Úrion despite his wicked deeds. The Slayer had not yet come to terms with his traitorous acts. That’s why she had sent him to Morgoth. Melkor wouldn’t dream of delaying punishment on one of his minions, especially one who defected from his camp to the vampire, Daehir.

“I don’t want that to ever happen to me again,” she continued softly. “I fear acts of treachery more than anything else… ” Buffy forced herself to shake off the chill that enveloped her heart. When she resumed speaking, her tone was normal. “I’m not completely ignorant of things to come. And I’m beginning to understand how truly powerful we women are. Man’s greatest weakness is woman… it doesn’t matter if he’s a mortal, an elf or Ainu - they’re all the same. We’re the true power in this world though man would say otherwise.

“I do not command you to have sex with men for their pleasure alone; the act of bodily union between man and woman will be a sacred rite of devotion to me. Lying with one of my priestesses,” she stretched her hands out before her, indicating that she was referring to the women, “is the equivalent of lying with me. And man must ante up for such an honor; nothing in this world is free!

“You ladies will return with me to the East where you will be anointed as High Priestesses of my temples, which will be many. Each city-state that arises will have a king, governor, and high priestess, but it’ll be my women that hold the true power behind the crown.” Buffy’s smile widened. “You, my lovelies, will be my spies, my assassins, my ministers of truth… Bed a man and you will discover his innermost secrets and his heart’s greatest desires. If man attempts to undermine me, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Are the Valkyries expected to act as your spies in Folkvang as well?” asked Laurië.

“No,” replied the Slayer. “Sex is a reward to the men in this realm. Like I said, their needs must be sated or we’ll have problems down the road. But I do expect them to present gifts of value for that privilege, which will be split with me fifty-fifty.” She paused before continuing. “You let the others know my will; those that refuse to abide by it, are commanded to leave Folkvang forever. You may go.” The maidens turned and gracefully left the chamber; the two mammoth doors closed silently behind them.

Buffy took a deep drink from her goblet. She was elated knowing that her plans for the future were in the works. And she owed it all to Morgoth. He opened her eyes to how powerful sex was, it was a cunning form of manipulation. Those women most faithful to her would learn the secrets of bringing man to his knees, thus making it easier for woman to achieve her goals.

Over the next few months, Buffy performed her role as the Fëantári of Folkvang; most of her time was devoted solely to remaking the flesh of the mortals that would remain in her sacred land. With the arrival of the winter solstice, the Slayer decided to return to the East in order to prepare for the upcoming coronation. Not only would she name herself as King of the East at that time, but she would also appoint Orran as the king of the first city-state, Eridu (which translated to “House of the Holy Mound” in Sumerian).

After much thought, she concluded that she would bring some Maia laborers back with her to Sumer. Since they possessed great magics, they would be able to hasten the construction process more so than the dwarves, elves or mortals. Besides, many new ideas had come to Buffy while she sat upon her throne, each bigger than the next. Maia men also had their role to play in the great scheme of things.

When the Slayer explained her designs to the Maiar, they suggested that she should teleport several ships from the harbors of Folkvang to the East. Buffy loved that idea. It made sense and would speed the delivery of the marble slabs from the north. Five thousand men, forty-four handmaidens, and the eleven Valkyrie chieftains boarded the twenty-four ships along with their mistress. A few minutes later, the vessels and their occupants vanished from that mystical realm, only to reappear on the Buranun River in the East. The boats were anchored in the center of the river, which was not nearly as swift as the other stream in the area, the Idignia River. Buffy did not transport the ships close to Eridu, but positioned them close to the area where the dwarves would be excavating the stone.

Two hundred men stayed with the ships while the others left with Buffy for Hírilost. She had stationed the twins there soon after the start of Dagor i Thelaith Thrynin since they were not great warriors and she had feared for their safety. They were assigned the task of overlooking the dwarves in their labors. They saw to it that the orbs were packed safely within crates, and recorded the names of all the fallen heroes.

Anno and Mirë were delighted to see their mother; they had missed her the last time she had paid a brief visit to the castle. Buffy was most anxious to speak with the twins, she wanted to talk to them about Sharru-kin and the dream that she had had. The thought that her children could possibly be a direct link to Ilúvatar was mind-blowing to the Slayer. She wanted confirmation and advice.

She took her children to her suite of rooms where they could talk in private. Buffy seldom spoke of her prophetic dreams with any, preferring to keep them to herself. Before taking their seats in one of the sitting rooms, Anno poured each of them a glass of wine.

“You have come seeking our counsel,” commented her daughter.

Buffy smiled. “You know me so well.”

“What troubles you, mother?” asked her oldest son with concern. “Is it the vision that Eru has sent you?”

“You know about that?” she questioned with surprise.

“Indeed,” replied Mirë. “Anno and I have been chosen as an instrument of Ilúvatar. Our objective is to guide you through the various phases of your journey. ”

“The mortal Sharru-kin will become the first king of Luthor’s domain, Kish,” revealed Anno.

The Slayer felt the blood drain from her face. She was absolutely shocked by her son’s statement. She hadn’t told anyone about her plans to appoint some of her beloved Maiar as chief deities of the city-states she intended to build.

“Sharru-kin will be vital to your success in dominating the East,” began Mirë. “His love and devotion to you will be unwavering.”

A dumbfounded Buffy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “So, you’re telling me that Eru wants me to break my wedding vows to Maglor? He wants me to have an affair with this mortal… this Sharru-kin.” That didn’t make any sense to her.

Mirë smiled reassuringly at her mother. “Bedding another does not change the love that you have for your husband… ”

“Monogamy is not part of your essence,” interjected Anno. “It never was, and never will be. It’s who you are, mother. And you have never truly been faithful to Kanafinwë… we were born during your courtship with the elf.”

“But… but,” stammered the Slayer. “We weren’t really together yet. We had only visited each other in dreams. I didn’t… cheat on him.”

Her daughter chuckled. “You can say whatever you wish to pacify yourself, mother. We are not here to condemn you or your actions.”

“You can attempt to hide behind the laws that you pass that keep the races separated, but that will not change your destiny. You are fated to be with the mortal king for it is Eru’s will,” declared her son. “You are the Vala of Love, mother! You cannot run from who you are nor can you go against the Allfather’s commands. What is meant to be, will be. Not one soul in all of Eä can circumvent His will.”

“Why, in the name of all that’s holy, would Eru want me to sleep with a mortal king?” asked a flabbergasted Buffy.

“That we do not know,” answered Mirë, “for Ilúvatar does not show us everything.”

“You will know his true purpose when He decides to reveal it, not only to you, but to us as well.” Anno fell quiet as he studied his mother intently. He knew that she would attempt to defy Eru’s will regardless of what he or his sister had to say. The Oracles knew very well that none could alter the plans that the Allfather had in store for you. Why else would there be destiny and fate?

“There is another matter that needs your attention, although it does not come directly from Ilúvatar,” started Mirë. “It has more to do with your friendship with Melian. Come spring, Thingol will summon all his march wardens to a council at Menegroth. From what I can see, two of them will not attend.”

“Oh, crap,” gasped Buffy, her eyes widening. Her heart felt as if it had dropped to the pit of her stomach. She rose to her feet, glass in hand, and walked over to the frost-covered window. Her Vala eyes pierced through the crystals on the pane; the entire landscape lay covered in snow. “I forgot about the elves of Doriath,” she whispered in a quavering voice. She turned towards the twins, her eyes still wide with panic. “What am I supposed to do? Túreb’s dead. I don’t have the power to summon him from the Halls of Mandos.”

“Our task is to tell you what the future holds, mother. Only you can decide what to do with that information,” answered her son before rising from his seat. “Perhaps we should leave you in peace so that you may dwell upon this conundrum. Come, Mirë.”

Before leaving the chamber, her daughter glanced over her shoulder and added, “Eru is delighted that you chose to build a temple in His honor before your own. Not even those in the West have shown Him such tribute.” The twins then left their mother.

Buffy remained alone in that room for a few days while she contemplated what to do. Her loyalty to Melian had to take precedence over her love for the elves. After everything that the Queen of Doriath had done for her, it was crucial that Thingol never learn of his men aiding the Slayer in her wars in the East. She only hoped that the survivors of Doriath would one day forgive her for the sin that she was going to commit against them. She had no other choice.

As soon as she made up her mind, the Slayer changed into warm garments and proceeded outside. Despite the frigidly cold weather, she visited all the graves of the Moriquendi that had died in battle. While she walked from mound to mound, many of those from Folkvang watched from the windows of the castle. Their hearts ached for their mistress knowing that this was the first time she had had the opportunity to grieve the loss of her beloved friends.

When she reached the resting place of those from Doriath, she somberly stood over the remains of Túreb. She recalled their first meeting many years ago when she still dwelled within the halls of Menegroth. It seemed like ages ago when she, Mablung, and the elves of Taurost hunted the vampires in Brethil. Buffy fell to her knees, sinking into the depths of the snowdrift, and wept. She loved her flaming red-haired friend and it pained her that he was no longer in Middle-earth. She wished that she had bound him to her as she had done with the loyal Green-elves of Ossir. But she hadn’t, and now he was gone. The grief of losing Túreb would pain her for centuries to come.

“Pull yourself together,” she sniveled. After drying her eyes, she placed her gloved hands on the mound, and uttered an incantation. All of a sudden, a maelstrom of white light sprung from the ground, spinning itself around the Slayer. Only a minute later, the light waned; Buffy then moved on to the next grave. She performed that same spell forty-four hundred times, for that’s how many elves from Doriath had perished. When she had completed her task, she returned to the warmth of Hírilost and informed the Maiar, including the twins, that it was time to return to Eridu. The coronation would take place the following day.

The arrival of the Slayer and the many Maiar that accompanied her was met with great welcome. Those stationed on the mount were taken aback by the presence of so many Holy Ones. Buffy, herself, was perplexed by the sight of so many mortals on the hill; it was against her direct orders. Luthor immediately pulled her aside to explain the situation.

“I understand that you did not want the mortals here,” he said. The Maia linked arms with the Slayer before leading her towards a partially completed structure west of Eru’s future temple. “They insisted on aiding us in building a home worthy of the great Inanna Ishtar!”

Buffy scowled. “I specifically said that I didn’t want them around me.”

“I know, I know,” answered Luthor as he continued to guide her towards the unfinished palace. “What’s with the sudden hostility towards the mortals? Have they done something to incur your wrath?”

“No. I don’t want to talk about it.” The Slayer could feel the Maia’s penetrating gaze; she refused to make eye contact with him.

“You’ve had a vision, haven’t you? Is man going to do something horrid?”

“I told you, Luthor, I don’t want to talk about it. Not yet, anyway,” answered Buffy with an air of annoyance in her voice. She stopped and faced the Maia. “You’ve deliberately contested my will and that doesn’t please me in the slightest. If you can’t respect my commands then perhaps we should do something about that.” Luthor attempted to protest, but she refused to let him speak. “Listen,” she continued with a small smile, “I love you, old man, I really do. But I think you’re too set in your ways to follow my orders. You’ve been the Lord of the Deeper Well for a while now… ” She paused; her eyes scrutinized the man whom she regarded as a father figure. “I think the time has come for you to have your own kingdom.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that as soon as we get the mortal population up, we’re gonna form new cities. I want you to be the chief deity of your own city. You still have to abide by the laws that I set, but if you want to co-mingle with the mortals, then more power to you. I, personally, want them segregated from me and my Household. Don’t get me wrong, I love the mortals, especially those from the line of Brolach, but… I just think it’s important that we don’t encourage too much interaction between the races.”

“You did have a vision!” whispered Luthor anxiously. “And I deem it wasn’t a pleasant one for you to wish to separate the races.”

Buffy laughed. “I wouldn’t call it unpleasant… disturbing is more like it.” She turned her gaze back to the stone hall in front of them. “So, are you gonna give me the grand tour or what?” Luthor smiled, took the Slayer’s hand, and led her into her ‘temporary’ living quarters. Her permanent abode in Eridu would be her temple once it was built. Nevertheless, she was overjoyed at having a more ‘civilized’ type of dwelling.

The Slayer talked privately with both Olofin and Orchal into the wee hours of the morning. She was shocked to learn that Ulmo had visited her son in a dream while she was away. He told the half-elf to place Acathla’s remains in a stone ‘box’ and toss it into the river. The Lord of Water’s servants would then hide the entombed beast where none could find it until the ‘changing of the world.’ Buffy was grateful for the Vala’s aid. She had already decided to officially deify both him and Aulë, for they had contributed their talents for her profit.

At dawn the following morning, everyone stationed himself or herself around the massive foundation of the Temple of Eru. Only those involved with the coronation were permitted to stand on the hallowed ground, which included Buffy, her children, a handful of Maiar and Orran. As the sun ascended into the crisp, clear blue sky, the elves sang their holy songs in honor of Eru Ilúvatar. The actual ceremonies began at noon.

On New Year’s Day, Yr 166 F.A. (based on the reckoning of the Eldar) Luthor proclaimed Buffy as King of the East and Supreme God of Sumer, before placing a crown of lapis lazuli on her head. She was astonished that the crown, (which was made by Marto), looked exactly like the one in her vision. She quickly pushed all thoughts of her prophetic dream out of her mind, not wanting anything to ruin that most glorious day. The Maiar and elves then sang many songs in the Vala’s honor while man presented her with gifts. Before the mid-day feast, she placed a gold and ruby crown upon the head of Orran, whom she then pronounced as King of the Mortals of Eridu, the first city-state of Sumer. He and all his descendents were destined to be the greatest of the mortal bloodlines.

As part of the ceremony, the Maia scribes recorded Orran’s name as the first king of Eridu in a blue leather bound book adorned with an eight-rayed star of lapis lazuli. The elves, who had brought no books on the journey, penned the son of Brolach’s name on a scroll while man inscribed his name on a clay tablet. So began the Kings List of Sumer and the recording of all events that transpired in the East.

During the festivities, the twins noticed their mother’s apprehensiveness towards the mortals. They quickly alleviated her fears by assuring her that Sharru-kin had not yet been born. Buffy was relieved to hear that and became less standoffish with man. She even allowed Orran and his kinfolk to eat at her table with many Maiar, elves and the dwarves from the Deeper Well. That would be the only time that the Slayer would feast with all the other races in public.

The celebration allowed the Slayer the opportunity to really observe man in his element. She enjoyed watching the young mortal children at play, especially the fair-faced daughters of man. As she watched the girls in particular, she decided that the fairest of them would make ideal priestesses in her temples. Under the tutelage of the Maia High Priestesses, the young girls would become powerful spiritual leaders as well as proficient in magics. She believed that choosing the maidens before they reached puberty was pivotal in molding them into ideal ministers of love and truth. She enacted a new decree during the fete proclaiming just that. Since Buffy was the only one with the authority to anoint a priestess, she selected fifteen girls during the feast (between the ages of eight and twelve) to become her future mortal representatives.

When the sun sank behind Orocarni, the party became livelier. The inhabitants of Eridu had consumed large quantities of wine, ale and mead as the night wore on, many were drunk. The sound of laughter filled the hilltop as people danced to the merry melodies of the elves. It was such a joyous occasion and Buffy was delighted that everybody was having such a wonderful time. Yet, all good things come to an end, as they say, and New Year’s Day of Yr 166 proved no different.

None at first, with perhaps the exception of the Oracles, noticed the ram drawn chariot approaching the mount from the sky. Inside the vehicle stood a mysterious stranger that Buffy would come to name as foe, a rival that would become her bane well into the Second Age of Middle-earth.

The Vala of Love first caught a glimpse of something soaring across the star-speckled sky while she was dancing with Orchal. Initially, she thought it was a shooting star, but then realized that it was much too low for that. As she focused her eyes on the moving object, she noticed that it was no shooting star, but someone in a shimmering white chariot pulled by six beasts. The Slayer stopped dancing as she stared at the shadowy figure in the airborne vehicle.

“Who the hell is that?” she asked, drawing her companion’s attention to the figure in the sky.

Orchal followed her gaze. “Do you think it’s Morgoth?”

“No way. I’d know if it was him,” she replied confidently. “That’s someone else, a someone I’ve never sensed before.” A sudden chill swept over her, causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end. She knew that that intruder’s unexpected arrival did not bode well for her, yet she wasn’t willing to smite the stranger without just provocation. Buffy decided that she had better rally her children and personal guard as quickly as possible, just to be on the safe side.

As the group made their way to the palace, the Slayer used her telepathic powers to order the Valkyries to escort the vehicle in fey form. The chieftains immediately did as they were told while the Maia men armed themselves, before securing the perimeter of the uncompleted fortress. Surprisingly, most of the mortal populace didn’t notice the sudden departure of many Maiar and elves from the festivities - they were too engrossed with the revelry.

Buffy took a seat on her throne in the main hall of the castle. She nervously awaited the arrival of the mysterious stranger. She didn’t have long to wait. Ten minutes later, the new arrival was ushered into her chamber by a group of Maia guards. The Slayer’s eyes scrutinized the man intently. She could sense that he was akin to her, an Ainu. The man was tall and slender; his long black hair interwoven into a single braid. His dark, penetrating eyes looked at Buffy with amusement and wonder; power radiated from his essence. He approached her throne, casting a glance at the hundred plus armed men and women in the room.

“I come in peace,” proclaimed the man in a deep voice. He held his palms up; he was weaponless, thanks to Buffy’s guard. “I had to come and pay my respects to the one who usurped the power from Illyria,” he continued.

“Who are you?” asked the Slayer, her brows furrowed.

The man smiled broadly, revealing gleaming white teeth. “I am known by many names, like you, Inanna Ishtar. My people mostly call me Amarutu or Marduk.” The smile faded from his face. “I prefer Marduk, if you will,” he added with a slight nod of his head. He glanced around the chamber once again. “You’re not very hospitable, are you? I would think that you would at least offer the true King of the East a seat to rest his weary bones. I have traveled far to see you.” His cold, dark eyes lingered on her.

Buffy thought her heart was about to beat out of her chest. The gall that that Marduk had by coming into her house calling himself King of the East on the very day that she proclaimed the same angered her greatly, although she tried not to show it. The arrogance in his tone was quite unbecoming. The tension in the room was so thick, you could cut it with a knife! The Slayer signaled one of her men to bring Marduk a chair and both of them a glass of elvish wine. She didn’t want to gain a reputation as being inhospitable.

“Thank you kindly,” he said to the elf attendant before taking a seat. “It has been many long years since I’ve seen this many elves in these parts. I can vividly recall when the firstborn of Eru left Cuiviénen for the West with the Great Rider. My, oh, my, that has been ages ago!”

“What do you want?” asked a leering Buffy.

“Well, you’re not one for small talk, are you?” asked the stranger with a chuckle.

“No, I’m not,” she answered sternly.

“I am amazed that one so small was able to dethrone the mighty Illyria. I thought you’d be bigger!” The Slayer rolled her eyes. “Yet I suppose that you did not find it too difficult to overthrow your own daughter. That is impressive! I must say, Inanna that it pleases me that you have taken on a more pleasant facade than your firstborn. I, too, do not believe in taking on a menacing guise for intimidation purposes. I daresay she gets that from her father!” He laughed, the sound echoed in the massive chamber.

“What the hell do you want?” she queried. He ceased his laughter, fixing his gaze on her.

“It has been brought to my attention that you claim all the lands in the East as your own, but that is most certainly not the case, my dear.” With narrowed eyes, he leaned forward in his seat before continuing. “I have dwelled in these parts since the beginning. Melkor and I reached an agreement long ago, and I have made allowances by turning over some of my least desirable cities to his daughter. I have kept my word with the Dark Lord.”

“That has nothing to do with me,” hissed the Slayer.

“No? You have come into my realm and lay claim to my lands by calling yourself King of the East. Illyria was not strong enough to take me down and I can assure you, my dear Lady, that you do not have the numbers to wage a successful campaign against me. I will obliterate all your forces if you attempt to thwart my designs.”

“You have some nerve coming into my house speaking with such insolence,” she said through gritted teeth. Buffy could feel her blood pressure rising, her face reddened.

Marduk fell quiet for a moment; his eyes carefully studied the small woman sitting before him. “I mean no disrespect, yet I expect the same from you. I am the King of the East! Do not undermine my authority here, Inanna, and we will have peace for many years, I deem. You may keep the lands that you have won for they are small in comparison to mine. My goal is to reunite all twelve tribes of man, yet I can wait a little longer for that. I will grant you the right to command the five tribes of man that Illyria had ruled over… that is, until you become jaded and seek to return to your home in the west. All I ask in return is a few moments with the Oracles, for I wish to consult with them.”

All eyes immediately turned to the twins. It now became apparent that that was the real reason behind the Ainu’s visit. It was now Buffy’s turn to laugh.

“You come into my house, insult me, and then wish to speak with my children,” she laughed. “I don’t think so. You need to learn some manners, Amarutu Marduk! Here’s my advice to you: sweeten your tongue the next time you dare set foot in my lands! Your haughty behavior is unacceptable. If you wish to speak with the Oracles then you best present them with gifts worthy of that honor. As for me, I don’t take your threats lightly. If push comes to shove, I’ll destroy your cities… and I don’t need an army to do that. I’ve got weapons that you can’t even fathom, my dear.” Buffy smiled in triumph. “Now get your ass out of my lands before I give you a demonstration of my power.”

Marduk looked scornfully at the Slayer as he rose from his chair. He shoved his near emptied glass into an elf’s hand. “Now I see why you’re the wife of Melkor. You’re both willful and seek to dominate all others. We will meet again, dear Inanna. I can only hope that you take my counsel to heart. I bid you a good evening.” He turned; his white cloak billowed behind him as he left the chamber accompanied by many guards. The double doors closed silently behind the arrogant Ainu.

Buffy rose from her seat and headed over to the sideboard. The room was so quiet; you could hear a pin drop. She placed her glass on the table as she grabbed a bottle of wine. The Slayer was livid. Instead of pouring the delectable nectar into her glass, she flung it against the white stone wall, shattering the bottle and spraying red wine all over. Breathing heavily, she clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails dug into her flesh. She remained facing the wall, her green eyes turned to black.

She called forth her Valkyrie chieftains, who immediately took their positions behind their mistress. Buffy turned and faced them, the women gasped in surprise when they saw her eyes.

“I want to know everything about that arrogant son-of-a-bitch,” she began, her voice full of contempt. “It’s time for you ladies to step up to the plate. Disguise yourselves as mortal maidens of great beauty and infiltrate his domain. Let’s see if we can breach his leadership from the inside. Seek out those in positions of power and seduce them! Find out everything, especially in regards to weaponry and the militia. I don’t care if you have to fuck every mortal in his cities, don’t come back until you have the intel I requested.”

The Valkyries nodded obediently before hastily leaving the chamber. Buffy knew that she needed to bring more of her warrior maidens from Folkvang, eleven women would not be nearly enough to accomplish the task that she had assigned to them.

In upcoming days, the Valkyries would prove to be invaluable in the art of espionage. The mortals in Marduk’s realms would come to refer to them as ‘party girls’ while the Ainu himself would designate them as the ‘dirty girls of Ishtar.’ Buffy and Marduk would soon vie for complete supremacy over all the lands in the East.