Willow regained consciousness, she was sitting on the floor of the stagecoach, her hands tied behind her back. The highwayman leered down at her, she whimpered with fear. The highwayman turned his attention to the unconscious bloke girl next to her. He smacked her face to bring her around. Her eyes flew open and she stared at the masked man.
"Thank you," the highwayman said. "I hoped you'd join us."
"Let us go," the blonde girl said. "Untie me and my sister, you fiend." She spat at him. The highwayman laughed and backhanded her around the face.
"No, no Miss Buffy, you and Miss Willow will be staying at my pleasure" the highwayman laughed again and removed his mask. "Oh dear, you've seen my face now, I couldn't possibly let you go" the highwayman was handsome, long, dark hair tied with a ribbon hung down his back, his dark eyes glimmered with amusement, his face was twisted into an evil smile. Buffy and Willow stared at him, he looked so familiar, where had they seen him before.
A half remembered memory filtered across Willow's mind. A Manor house, a sword fight, then it was gone faded into darkness.
Both girls were in their early twenties and dressed in sumptuous fabrics, they both wore long gold and cream gowns that were embroidered with beads and lace. A gold cross hung around Buffy's neck and a black velvet and bead choker around Willow's. They both wore gold rings and bracelets and under the seat Willow's back was against was a small jewellery chest.
"So my ladies, what little trinkets can you give me in exchange for your lives, for just a little while longer." The stagecoach rocked as he crouched down in front of them. Buffy spat in his face, he slapped her back.
"So feisty," he grinned. "My ladies I have been ever so rude. Let me introduce myself. I am the Angel, the Gentleman Highwayman." He saw their eyes widen. "So, you know of me. That is good. You know what I am capable of. Please, please, don't scream. No one will hear you. We are on a deserted part of the road." He smiled, evily. "So, now we are alone, shouldn't we get better aquainted?"
* * *
A lone horseman stood on the rise of a hill. Below him was a black stagecoach, the horses were lopping the meagre grass on the verges. A dark lump in front of the driver's seat was the dead body of the driver.
The lone horseman cursed. He shouldn't have let his sisters go off unescorted. He was lucky that he had found them, but God knows what sort of state they were in. It was dark inside the stagecoach but his sharp eyes spotted it moving slightly, as if someone was shifting position. His horse stamped.
"I know," he soothed the horse. "Everything will be OK soon." His hand moved instinctively to the guns that rested in holster at each hip. Just at that moment the clouds parted long enough for his face to be illuminated. The horseman was young, no more than twenty, but his face was hardened into lines that betrayed his harsh life. His dark hair curled around his ears and his normally laughing eyes were stony and cold. His mouth was set in a firm line. The clouds covered the moon again, hiding him from prying eyes.
He dismounted and led the horse a little way down the hill, tying it to a tree. Then he carried on down the hill, alone.
As he got closer to the stagecoach he could make out hushed voices, but not what they were saying. Quietly he shooed the horses further down the road, so that they wouldn't give him away. On silent feet he approached the coach, the voices were clearer, he could hear a cultured male voice and two female voices, one of the females was crying. He pulled his guns out of their holsters, his knuckles whitened in his grip.
He heard the male voice speaking, he concentrated on what he said.
"Now we're alone shouldn't we get aquainted?" from the tone of voice the horseman knew exactly how the male voice wanted to get aquainted. He flung open the door of the coach and pulled the highwayman out.
The Gentleman Highwayman rolled using the momentum from being pulled out of the coach and ended up on his feet.
"Good evening, sir," Angel said. "I hope you are not trying to muscle in on my find." He laughed. He stopped when the moon came out. It lit the face of the horseman and stopped Angel in his tracks. The face was so familiar, but he couldn't remember where he saw it before. One thing he was sure of though, this man meant he was in danger. He pulled a short sword out from its scabbard.
"Good sir," the horseman said. "Those will be of no use, I have guns and I don't think there is a man alive who can parry bullets."
Two white faces peered out of the open door, the horseman barely acknowledged them.
"Brother!" Willow said, happiness lighting up her face.
"Stay inside the coach," the horseman ordered. "I don't want you getting hurt." Willow retreated back into the coach.
"Please be careful, Alex," she warned him. She pulled the coach door shut and peered out through the window, Buffy beside her.
Angel slowly circled Alex, Alex moved around with him. Neither man said a word. Angel's eyes narrowed and he slowly closed in on Alex. Alex's fingers tightened on the triggers of his guns.
"You know," said Angel. "Your sisters are very beautiful. It is strange they are not married off yet. Have you been having trouble? The blonde one is very headstrong. Mind you," he added, conversationally, "if you think it was difficult before, you will find it impossible now."
"Pray tell, why is that?" Alex queried.
"I've defiled them!" Angel began to laugh, it echoed up and down the empty road. Mingled with it was Alex's cry of rage as his rushed at the highwayman.
Buffy and Willow screamed at Alex to stop, that it was not true, but he was deaf to their cries. All he was interested in was this scum that dared to touch his beautiful sisters. The guns went off.
Angel dodged both shots, still laughing he said, "You'll have to do better than that, if you want to catch the Gentleman Highwayman!" he darted in with his sword and slashed at Alex's side. He roared in pain. He shot again, but discovered the chambers were empty. He did not have time to reload so he dropped them on the road and pulled out his short sword.
He advanced on the laughing Angel and thrust at him. Angel side-stepped and swung back with his sword, cutting Alex's arm. The clouds cleared and lit the scene in sharp relief. Both men circled again, trying to find an opening that would lead them to victory.
Buffy and Willow's faces were pressed up against the window of the coach tears running down their faces when they realised their brother was hurt.
Somehow, Alex managed to get past Angel's guard and cut his side deeply. Angel still laughed. He didn't feel any pain, the adrenaline was running through his veins. Alex landed another blow, which made Angel stumble back. He pretended to twist his ankle and fall backwards. Alex took the chance and leapt at him.
However, instead of plunging his sword into Angel he found himself impaled upon Angel's sword. Angel began to chuckle.
"You see, you can't beat the Gentleman Highwayman, he is as cunning as a fox, as fast as a swallow-"
"A big fat windbag." With the last of his strength he plunged his sword into the shocked highwayman. Alex began to laugh, blood trickled out of the corner of his mouth and fell onto Angel's face. His strength ebbed and he rolled to the ground, where he lay next to the highwayman. Both were mortally wounded.
Buffy and Willow came flying out of the coach to kneel by their brother. Buffy spat on Angel. "May your soul rot in Hell." She said.
Angel saw the images of flames and dark tunnels, he tried to laugh but only blood came out of his mouth. He stared up at the sky, at the uncaring stars, his hearing seemed to be ultra sharp, he could hear mice rustling in the grass verge and the laboured breathing of his companion in death. His sight grew darker. The last thing he saw before he died was the absolute hatred on Buffy's face as she spat on him again.
Alex reached out and took both sister's hands. They were all crying. "I'm sorry," he said. "I tried to protect you and I failed."
"No, sush, don't talk, save your strength, you'll get better." Willow's tears fell like warm rain onto his face.
Buffy cradled his head. "Brother, you fulfilled your duty. You saved us and in doing so, you have got yourself a place in heaven." She kissed his forehead.
"Look up," Alex said. "Look up at the stars." Both sisters did so. "You see the constellation, Orion?"
"Yes," they whispered.
"That's were I shall go when I die. I will always be looking down on you, always protect you. Remember me in your prayers. I love you." Another line of blood tricked out of his mouth and his body went limp. Willow collapsed on the ground in tears. Buffy screamed her defiance at the stars, at God, at anybody who could hear her.
"How dare you! How dare you take him away! He had his whole life in front of him and you took it away. I curse this Angel, I curse his evil soul to rot in Hell for eternity. I damn him to Hell for the murder of my kin." Tears were pouring down her face.
She looked down at her sister, crying on the floor. She took her in her arms and began to rock her.
It went dark.
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