"Let me make this easier, and more entertaining." Sara said and gestured at the wall behind her, the pictures in her mind showing now in full color like a movie there. "It is easier to show than to explain, words do not always show the whole picture, If anyone is bored, let me know, I will set up the clubs music system."
"No, we're good." Gunn seemed to speak for everyone, "Can you make it a little more comfy in here if we're gonna watch a movie?"
Sara nodded and the table disappeared and the room had couches, chairs and recliners instead.
"I'll get us some popcorn." Dawn offered.
"I'll come with you." Tara followed.
The picture showed a still of a thin man with dark hair, next to him sat a woman with long black hair pulled straight down.
All eyes turn to Sara as she stood and stared at the doorway; from out of nowhere a slightly curved blade appeared in her hand from behind her back. She stood stock still, waiting. The door opened, it was Tara and Dawn with two huge buckets of popcorn with the club logo stamped on the bags. Behind them a man, the one in the still, strolled in.
"Methos, you have a way of showing up at the oddest times." Sara put the sword back, where ever it came from, "Goodness, what has it been, 50 years or so?"
"Sara, it's been a while. Not exactly sure why I am here, had to look you up, make sure you were still kickin'. Did you hear about Connor MacLeod?" He had walked over and sat next to Sara, Lorne made sure to sit close by.
"Yes, but from what I heard it had to be done," then almost on a second thought, "I am sorry for your recent loss." She had heard about his recent girlfriend that had AIDS and passed on.
Just then Methos noticed the wall, his face went blank for a few minutes. Then got he more comfortable in a chair next to her. "I think I am going to stay for this, to make sure you get it right."
Sara got up and sat in the love seat next to Lorne. "Everyone ready then? Good."
The picture then came to life before their eyes.
"Thank you, Methos, for being so kind." The woman shifted in her chair, poking at the food, feigning interest in it. She smiled across the table a very strained smile.
"Please eat, you must build up your strength." The silence stretched as they ate. A servant appeared and gestures that Methos was needed in the hall, as soon as her left, she ate more heartily, seeming to feel better. When he arrived, she almost choked on the food she was chewing on.
"Do you feel that?" he asked.
"What?" her face showed that she did feel something.
"You can feel when I come into the room can't you?"
"Yes." She put down her food "Why?"
He looked uneasy, not sure how to proceed. He had something to say, it was obvious on his face.
"Please, forgive me if I am out of bounds, but if there is something you must tell me, please do." she wanted to her it, or so she thought.
Methos moved to a chair close to Pedibastet, and to her surprise, switched to her native tongue.
(For purposes of the 'movie', only the first sentence was in Egyptian, subtitled into English)
"Please, can you tell me your name?"
She was embarrassed; she had confessed everything, but her name, "I am sorry, I am Pedibastet."
"Why do you travel alone, with no husband or male to protect you?"
"I was married, but he has chosen another that can bear him strong sons to work in the fields." the tears came uncontrollably "I tried, I tried so hard, I even went to the Priestess of Mut for help with fertility, but no sons or daughters came. Six years he waited, then apologized and said I was too old to give him the family he needed."
"It was the way you were born, there was nothing you could do." Through the tears she looked at him, almost in anger at the memory. "People like us cannot have children."
"What do you mean, like us?" she was angry now.
"Would you believe me if I told you that you died last night?"
"I am sitting here aren't I? Or is this the afterlife? Is Osiris waiting in the hall to weigh my heart?" sarcasm dripped in her voice.
His eyes hardened and he seemed to make a decision, he got up and faster than her eyes could register he plunged his Gladius sword into her chest.
Her thoughts were heard in a lower, hushed tone 'The fate of it... to survive a major assault... only to die in a strangers house, in strange land.'
The picture became fuzzy, A mummified man wearing a white cone-like headdress with feathers, stood before her, took her heart and weighed it against a feather, before the scale stopped moving she gasped for air.
She was back in front of the man who had just killed her, she looked at him at disbelief, and then at her clothes, that were covered in blood.
He helped her to stand up. "We are immortal. We cannot die, except by losing our heads."
"Wait a second," the frame stopped, all looked at Methos, "I was not that violent."
"I beg to differ, Methos, I was the one you stabbed."
"Who else was I going to stab, myself? That would have only proved I was immortal."
"Look, you're the one that stopped the story, I am just saying that that's how I remember it."
The story continued.
Pedibastet looked at him, "Will you teach me? I am a woman, but I assume I must fight my battles in this game, as you call it. Can you teach me to fight with the Khopesh? Do you know how? How many of us are there?" The questions poured out.
The servant brought in a new blouse for her and a bowl for washing. she cleaned up the blood as Methos answered the questions patiently. He seemed to be amused at her sudden excitement. Yes, he had studied the Khopesh. There were more immortals than he could count, but only a fraction of the number of mortals. Most of these immortals were out for an easy kill.
There were scenes now of demonstrating the use of the weapon she had chosen, her having dinner and him showing her appropriate ways to act in Roman society, lots of laughing.
Then the scene opened to a shopping day in the market, Pedibastet was picking out some cloth and Methos wandered away to a nearby drink stall. Suddenly Sara sensed another immortal in the crowd. She searched for Methos, but only saw a stranger looking around as intently as she was.
She finished the transaction quickly and headed for the house, surely Methos would sense him too and follow. She was almost at a run when he grabbed her.
"My, aren't you a pretty one?" he took in the aroma of her hair. "Maybe I should have my way before taking my prize." He turned her to face him.
"Go away." She was scared; she could her heart pounding in her ears. She pulled away and backed from him. She had dropped her wares and was falling into the stance she had been drilled to use by Methos these past few years.
"So your gonna fight? Just as well. It helps me to enjoy the prize so much the more."
Their swords appeared and she waited for him to attack. Suddenly the swords flashed and the man running to her aid heard the metal on metal before he could see the contest. They were both skilled but the male combatant out sized her by half at least. They were all over the area, flashing weapons glinting in the sun, slashing and stabbing, thrusting and parrying for their very lives. She had disarmed him, to her shock and his, then swung hard and took his head.
She was rooted to the spot. She could not move. Her exhaustion was total, and then the quickening came. Lightening bolts of energy slammed into her body, fusing his essence with hers. She glanced and saw Methos standing there, relief on his face and she collapsed.
She awoke in her room; he was sitting on the bed next to her. "Awake, finally?"
"Yes. So that was the quickening." she pushed herself up on her elbows "Not sure if I want to go looking for that." she smiled weakly.
"But it will look for you. You did good on your first fight, you survived. Tomorrow we will work on the flawed techniques I saw to tighten up your style."
"Always the perfectionist huh?" she playfully punched him on the arm "Thanks for not making me do it today." She went to get up, and he grabbed her arms, "You must rest."
"You are a funny man, Methos, you just watched me behead a man, and now you think I am to fragile to make some clothes?" She stared into his eyes and felt the attraction that had been there for all the years she had stayed here. He must have felt it too because he pulled away, again.
"Why? Why do you pull away when we are close? The whole town thinks we are married anyway, we've lived together for 3 years now."
"I do not care what the mortals think, and I would not marry you." He stormed out of the room.
She was visibly hurt, then set her face in determination and ran after him. She found him in the garden, "And why not!?" He looked sad, very sad. She sat down next to him, and said with concern in her voice "What happened?"
"It has been a long time, about 100 years or so, but my wife was killed in her first fight. I had taught her, like I am you, we were together for so long. I had shielded her from all the challenges, took them out before they could get to her. This went on for decades, but one day I was not there, like today, I got complacent. She did not make it. I took her killer's head, but it was no consolation. You remind me of her so much, yet you are more headstrong and defiant than she ever was. Today I was waiting for it to happen again."
"But it didn't. I am still here."
She sat so defiantly next to him, so soft yet strong in her convictions. He shook his head and reached up and caressed the side of her face, "I know, but what about next time? What if you don't come out the victor?"
"I hope you'll take him out for me, then I would like you to move on. Don't forget, but go on. I bet that's what she wanted to. You have a part of her with you always, he received her Quickening, you received his."
"You are so logical sometime you infuriate me." he smiled at her.
She looked into his eyes, "There was a reason you brought me home from that alley, maybe she was pushing you to move on."
He took her into his arms. They stayed in that position for a time. He pulled his head back, keeping her in the embrace looked deeply into her eyes. Then gave into the temptation and kissed her.
The movie stopped, the lights came on.
"You were always so dramatic, you have not changed," Methos shook his head.
"No, I haven't, I have learned, but I am still me."
"What happened? Did you guys marry? How come you're not still together?" Dawn asked.
"We were married 400 wonderful years."
"350 or so wonderful years," Methos corrected "then she started with her magic. Everyday, All day, Traveled everywhere in quest of a new spell, an easier technique, she no longer wanted to perform her duties as manager of household duties. She was impossible to live with."
"Oh, yeah. Why don't we ask Death hear what he was doing with his off time, shall we? I cannot believe you are still so bitter, we had this argument the last time we were together. You smothered me, wanted to protect me, when I could protect myself, you did not want to change. You just used the magic as an excuse to go run free with Kronos and the other Horsemen."
"Whatever."
"Yeah. 'Whatever'. That's exactly the last word you said to me, fifty years ago." |  |