Ash took the pulse of the gathering following dinner and was inclined to think that his plan to ply them with alcohol had been sound.  There was still no blood on the walls, everyone was still speaking to everyone else and even Guy and Chase had relaxed.

And the dragons had helped a lot.  He owed Carmine a big one for thinking to bring them.

He poured himself a scotch and moved over to where Carmine and Guy were talking to Kalana.  From the corner of his eye he saw Buffy and Chase drifting in the same direction.  He still had no clue whether he was going to survive this night.  Guy had been uncommunicative on the possibilities of defensive help after the Kings of Heaven did whatever it was they were planning on doing.  Oh well, he thought his eyes resting on Lynne, at least I'll die happy.

"Is this the cool crowd?" Ash asked.

"I hope so," Kalana said, eying the rest of the gathering. "But regardless of that, the coming in of everyone was very good. And the dragons... oh... so good."

"I hope," Carmine said, "your meeting goes as well as has everything else, caro. Guy and I will guard the doors."

"Dream on," Ash said.  "You started all this."

Kalana looked from one to the other, not understanding anything of the conversation anymore. "Am I missing something? Are we expecting an attack? I can have Marty here in a minute if you need him."

"Cara, do not worry yourself. But there is magic afoot so do not be surprised by much of what you see. We Princes also deal with such things."

"How-lar, good, thank you. I have seen magic before. Karen is very proficient with that," Kalana said, mostly relieved.

Chase laughed, hearing that as he joined them.  "Is that what we call the power of the gods these days?"

"For tonight anyway," Ash said.  "I don't think we need to worry Marty, though.  He seems quite happy where he is."

Guy frowned at his feet. He sincerely hoped it wouldn't get nasty, but, as Chase said, with gods, one never knew.

The vampire queen grinned at Ash and then looked at the newly arrived person. "I do not think we have met before. I am Kalana Hong. And you are?"

"Chase Callahan," he said easily.  "I'm a friend of Ms Summers."

"Nice to meet you," Kalana said, shaking his hand. "Did you see the dragons?"

"Briony has sung your praises, caro," Carmine commented. "And the little ones, particularly Nicki, gives me no peace. She speaks in my mind - well, laughs mostly." The vampire prince shrugged.

"Tell them tomorrow we'll play in the clouds," Chase said, laughing.  "It's why I came."

Kalana was wondering if she was talking to the right people, and in her head she tried to recall how many glasses of bloodwine she had drunk. No more than three. So there was something about the conversation that was going over her head, but she decided to stick with it and learn as much as she could.

"They are all delighted to hear it, caro Chase.  So Ash, do you need anything from Guy or from me?" Carmine asked. "Other than to be certain no one rushes in to interrupt?"

"Since I've no idea what's going to happen, I don't know," he admitted.  "But I know I can rely on your ability to think on your feet.  And hopefully Chase can...negotiate if it comes to that."

Chase snorted.  "Not my job, pal."

"I'm afraid it is mine," Guy said glumly. "I'll do what I can."

The thought of another glass came to Kalana, after hearing all these things that sounded rather ominous. When people were talking about magic and the tone of it was like it was now, that did not make her feel very peaceful.

Ash nodded.  "How reassuring," he said and then tossed back the rest of his drink.  "I think we should get started then," he said, making a sign to Damon and Cayden who started circulating, to a purpose, directing the Principals and their successors to the room that had been set aside for the meeting.

"Shall we?" Ash said, gesturing to the other four to precede him.

"I had not realized you wished me to attend, Ash," Carmine said, with a raised eyebrow.

"I'd rather you guarded the door from the inside.  Buffy can handle the outside and might take it as a reflection on her skills otherwise."

Carmine glanced over to where the said security maven stood and chuckled. "Si. Va bene.  After you gentlemen," he added, motioning for Chase and Guy to precede him.

It was a pleasant room, longer than it was wide and looked a lot like a conference room.  They'd left some chairs and occasional tables against the wall, along with a stocked bar and coffee service.  The center was occupied by an oval conference table with seven chairs on each side.  Ash, who had definite ideas about where he wanted who used the few moments he was playing traffic cop to organize himself mentally.

When he heard Buffy turn the lock on the door he took his own seat and gave them a moment to settle down.  He was about to speak when the disorientation came, sudden and nauseating, his vision blurred and there was a roaring is his ears he hadn't heard since he been turned.

Dhatarattra turned to his companion.  "Will your Chosen One introduce us Agni?"

Guy, his face completely painted in swirls of color, bowed to the one who had spoken.  "I am pleased to present to you, Dhatarettra, one of the Four Kings of Heaven and Agni, demi-god and Lokapala of the Southeast."

Guy stood aside.

Agni walked up to the table and looked around. "So this is it, is it?"

"So it would seem," Dhat said.  "They don't look pleased to see us.  Perhaps it is just as well we have ensured a modicum of silence.

"Have you?" Chase murmured.

"A modicum is not total," Dhat said, inclining his head ever so slightly.  "It is an honor to meet my cousin's first born."

Chase rose, sighing.  "Namaste.  It is I, Lord, who am honored, both in this meeting and in my kin."

"Hah," Agni said.  With a sweep of his hand the side table suddenly was dressed with a snow white cloth. On it sat thirteen chalices, each different, each beautifully carved.  "Weyland the Smith created these for you.  Make sure you live up to the honor."

Ash swallowed the bile taste in his mouth.  "He was telling the truth then, wasn't he, when he said you'd decided."

Dhat smiled at him.  "Yes.  They'd have argued for ever and never agreed.  This way we will do what needs to be done and be gone before the recriminations begin."

"What he isn't saying," Chase cut in, "is that by silencing them he's making sure they don't offend him or Agni.  If they did he'd have to kill them  It's the god way."

Dhat's smile faded.  "Insolence?"

"Fact is never insolence," Chase said.

"Is it not?" a voice from the back of the room asked. "Even so, caro, it can be an annoyance to those who choose to ignore it."

"Annoyance is the cross we all must bear tonight, it would seem," Chase said.

"We should have just taken them with no explanation," Agni said to Dhat.

"They can hear it all though, I assume" Chase asked.

"Yes," Dhat confirmed.  "It does us no good if they are ignorant of the binding.  We'd just be back here again in a matter of days with a bunch of new blind men."

"And women," Chase said.  "Then tell them what's going to happen."

"Why?" Dhat asked, puzzled.

"The inferior have a right to courtesy from those who are their betters," Chase said.

"Not to mention they may actually understand and approve of your plan if you explain it to them," Carmine added.

Guy added, "Yes. Humans do not like being forced to do a thing. They doubly do not like being forced to do something they do not understand."

Dhat folded his arms across his chest, considering.  Then he nodded.  "So be it."  He looked at the faces around the table, all but Ash's frozen except for their eyes.

"You presume to act in authority, to judge and decide right and wrong, to name what is just and unjust.  You have taken the power you hold by violence, keep it by violence and live amidst violence.  But all around you, unseen, mostly because you are willfully blind, ignored and often damaged or destroyed are other spirits, are other living things who bear the burden of your ignorance and indifference, the ignorance and indifference endemic to the human race.

"Now the Earth and it's spirits, the Lokapala and the Guardians of the Places, the Spirits of the Earth and of all that is have come to us, the Four Kings of Heaven and begged our intercession.  We, the Kings, have decided to grant this prayer, starting here and now with you thirteen.

"Tonight we will present you to the Guardians and the Spirits and if they accept you we will bind you to the Earth, to the spirits that live in all things, to all life, using blood and rock and wine.  When it is done, if you still live, you will hear as the Earth Kin hear, you will know as we know and you will feel as the Earth feels.

"Then, perhaps, you will know what it means to truly act in authority, to decide what is right and what is wrong, to name what is just and unjust.

"It is a binding that is unbreakable short of death.  Attempt to betray it and you will answer to the Earth, the Spirits and the Guardians; an answering that admits no appeal on Earth, in the Four Heavens or the Seven Hells."

"Funny, no one objects!" Agni said with a booming laugh.  "Guy, if you will be so good...  The chalices should be placed with their proper Principal."

Guy moved to take them and place them, as marked with each Principal of the territories.

Dhat then swept his hand and in front of each principal appeared a crystal vial that refracted the light into rainbows and filled with a blood red fluid.  "It will be the binding of the three forms, animal, mineral and vegetable.  Blood from each species represented in your courts collected by the demons of the Lokapala, wine made of the fruits and herbs of your territories selected and fermented by the spirits of the regions, and crystal made by the Guardian of the Place from the rocks and dirt of the land you presume to govern," he explained.

He waved his hand again and the right arm and hand of each principal was freed.  "In a moment you will take the vials, hold them over the chalice and crush them into the cups, mingling your blood with the three forms.  Thus the test will begin.  May whatever gods you invoke be with you."

"Should you decline... well, we shall see!  But know this. You have come some distance already. If the demons had so chosen they might have killed you already!  So, break the vials and drink."

As if they'd practiced, in response to the command in his voice, thirteen hands grasped and thirteen arms lifted and then thirteen hands tightened and crushed the vials over the chalices.  Then opening their hands, they let the shards of crystal fall, and their own blood drip down to mingle with the rest.  Then the same thirteen hands grasped the chalices and thirteen arms lifted and they drank, each a single sip, before replacing the chalices on the table.

It took only seconds, Chase saw, for the test to begin.  He could see it in their eyes, suddenly wild and haunted, focused totally inwardly.  All around him he could feel the spirits crowding into the room, and then the Guardians, who manifested as their totem.  Bear and eagle, a raven lighting on the back of Kiril's chair, a falcon perching on the side table.  A deer and a wolf, then the horse followed by others.

As they came the walls receded and the room disappeared, opening into the night and then the night was gone too and they were there, that other place, the realm of nothingness and everything, standing between the Earth and the Heavens and the Hells.  It was the place that stripped away the body, that admitted only spirit and never form, allowed thought and only sometimes words.  He'd been here not long ago saying good bye to Maria.

Guy, manifesting a form other than the mild, unfrightening student, stood by, all fire and contained intellect, power coming off his body in waves. He watched and guarded them from the darkness beyond, the darkness that seemed to menace them, that tried to close in over them, to take them to where the dead lay.

Carmine stood opposite Guy, the only one of them who had volition and was not of the Gods. He watched each of the principals, watched as each daemon manifested and began to take form. The creatures were born, he realized, not merely of the gods or the chalices, but of a part of the principals themselves. Some bit of their soul, perhaps. Or some bit of their heart.

In the other world Chase saw below him the Earth, appearing and forming, focusing on the territories these people held, now delineated in blinding threads of light.  Then the daemons came, bringing the chalices again, handing them to their counterparts, and then guiding them as they traced the boundaries in their blood, and the blood of their courts, those whom they chosen to help them.

And where the blood touched the light sparked and became lightening, all power and the land rose up and sealed itself to the Principal, bound itself to him, to his soul and sinews, became a part of his bones and blood and the fibers of his heart.

Then within the boundaries the spirits showed themselves, rising up, touching the Principal, each adding another tie, another binding as they both accepted him and his authority and made him their own, subject to them and their needs.

It seemed like it went on forever, an eternity until the Guardians of Place approached, each engulfing the Principal, sealing him finally, totally to that one Place and all it contained for life and beyond.  The Triple Binding of the Forms, the Threefold Binding of the Earth, through the land, its spirits and its protector, unbreakable, immutable, incomprehensible to any who wasn't bound the same way.

Then, within the space of the beat of a hummingbird's wing, they were back in the meeting room. The Principals each seated, each with a daemon beside them, each with a ring now fused to their finger, and attuned to the rest of their body.  Through that ring and through the daemon the territory and all things contained within would have a say.

Carmine, through hooded eyes, watched and noted and would report to the Council.  Guy returned to his normal human form, an innocuous student once more.

Agni looked over at Dhat awaiting the final signal that would end the ceremony.

He didn't get it.  Instead Dhat looked directly at the Vampire Prince of Italy.  "Would Italy speak?"

Carmine met Dhat's eyes. "Only that I am pleased to see this step forward for the Earth and its children. Let us hope we all can ease her suffering."

Dhat weighed him and his words.  "The Kings of Heaven stand in your debt and I would pay it now.  I have a coin in mind but would hear first what you feel is adequate recompense."

"The honour of attending this induction is recompense enough for one such as I."

"You speak well.  But I disagree.  Of all the Vampire Princes I have always preferred you.  The Four Heavens grieved at your turning and at the loss of your bloodline."  Dhat waved his hand, wreathing the Prince in mist. "No more.  Should you desire them, sons may now be yours.

"And," he said, as the mist cleared and he waved his hand again, "as a sign to the Council of Princes to take heed, and also in the awareness that Italy runs in your veins and as a pledge to aid you in the future, the spirits and the Guardian of Italy send to you this link and sign of the union between you."

At Carmine's feet appeared a delicately formed Italian greyhound, jumping up and pawing his leg, yelping and panting for attention.

If Carmine could have gone paler he would have. "I hope, sir Greyhound, you will get on well with Nicki."

The dog yipped happily.

Dhat turned to Chase.  "And you, Prince of the Earth Kin, first born of my cousin.  What is the wind telling you?"

Chase smiled, unperturbed.  "That the gods will have their due."

"You ask nothing of me?"

"What is there to ask?" Chase replied.

"Nothing today perhaps.  Tomorrow, however, is unknown as yet.  Accept then my blessing for you and your kin," Dhat said.

"With thanks."

Finally Dhat turned to Guy.  "The Chosen of Agni.  You suffer in silence."

"I complain loudly, King Dhatarasttra.  Yet, I know I am honored beyond most men."

"Do you?  I have never heard your complaints.  I think you will find that when you return to school there will be no trouble with your professors.  As for the reward you have undoubtedly earned, I leave you in Agni hands, saying only that Shakuntala has seen your face and would one day hear your voice."

Guy put his hands together and bowed. "I will make a pilgrimage to her falls the moment I can do so, King Dhatarasttra."

"I shall tell her to expect you," he said.  And, at last he turned to Ash.  "They will, perhaps, complain and lament, blaming you.  It will pass.  I leave you my blessing, on you and your woman and your son."

Then, to Agni, he said.  "It is done.  Free them and let us be gone."

Agni nodded, waved his hand, thus freeing all the Principals from all hold on them, and he and King Dhat disappeared.

"Dammit, why couldn't they offer me a decent car," Guy muttered.

"You didn't ask," Chase said.

Ash grinned at Guy.  "Ask me."

The Principals and their successors were awakening and slowing coming to an understanding of what had been done to them, and for them. And thirteen daemons were already demanding attention.

"Anyone want a drink?" Ash asked.

"I do," said the squirrel that was perched on his shoulder within chittering distance of his ear.

Dec, hearing, put his head in hands.

Ash left the other principals to their new friends and went up to find Lynne, waiting up for him he was sure.  Still perched on his shoulder was the squirrel, sipping daintily from the shot glass he'd filled with scotch for him.  It was even money that Lynne was going to throw him out," he thought as he opened the door to the bedroom.

"Naw," said the squirrel, his voice clear and high pitched, almost nasal.  "She'll think I'm cute."

Lynne was in bed reading. She looked up and he saw the relief in her eyes. "It went well?" she asked just before her jaw fell.

Ash sighed.

The squirrel sipped some more scotch and then nodded politely to Lynne.  "I'm Chester," he said.  "Pleased to meet ya'.  You the missus?  Or the mistress?"

Ash groaned.

Lynne crossed her arms on her chest and looked at Ash.

Chester got comfortable.  "I don't think she's happy," he said.

"No, I don't either," Ash said.  "So shut up and stay out of this."

"But dude! I was just trying to be friendly."

"Could you go be friendly somewhere else?" Ash asked, looking desperate.

The squirrel sniffed and looked at his glass.

"There's plenty in my study," Ash said.  "Ask Henry to pour for you."

"Thanks dude," he said and handed Ash his glass before scampering down his back and out the bedroom door.

Ash closed his eyes with relief and then looked at Lynne, arms still crossed on her chest.  "Sweetheart?"

"Mistress or Missus?" she asked.

Ash set the glass down and sat next to her on the bed.  "He's a daemon, my daemon," he said and explained.  "And so, since there isn't a...since I think of you as so many things, though not in those words, he's picking them up and..."  he stopped.  "Sweetheart all I know is that I adore you."

"He stays out of the bedroom or I let Gran back in."

Ash nodded.  "Whatever you want," he promised.

"Now come over here and tell me why you suddenly have acquired a squirrel and what all else went on."

When he joined her on the bed she hugged him close. "It might not have turned out so well, I gather."

"No it might not of," he agreed.  "It seems that the Lokapala and the spirits like me and so have bound me to the Earth.  The squirrel is the link between me and them."

She giggled. "A squirrel. I suppose that's so you don't get too uppity."

"Am I uppity?"

"Yes. Sometimes."

"Oh.  I didn't realize," he said, playing with her hair.  "When?"

"Tell you what, next time you do I'll give you a high sign, how's that?"

"Was it ... is everyone all right?"

He nodded.  "Though a little shell shocked.  I had a certain amount of warning.  They had none, so they're in shock at the moment.  Tomorrow will be critical, though, when we see how they react."

She pulled him in close so his head was resting against her breast. She wrapped her arms around him.  "How can I help?"

"It's possible," he said, "that they will be upset enough to take it out on whoever they see as being responsible, meaning me.  So, trust Buffy and don't go anywhere alone or out of sight of me, her or the guys.  And don't let Anders out of your sight or Mrs Peacock's."

"I will do that," she replied kissing his forehead. "Now relax. For tonight at least. I want you to forget your worries and be with me. Fully."

"There's nothing I want more," he said, tightening his arms around her.  "I assume that means you are prepared to cooperate fully in making sure I don't get distracted?"

"Absolutely."

Briony called her two offspring to order and gave them the maternal eye that made it very plain she would not be pleased if they were not well behaved.  "La Signore wishes to speak with us," she admonished them.

"Yes mama," they chorused, while she watched Carmine approaching her from the terrace.  At his heels...she blinked then, her eyes opening wide.  Oh my, she thought.

"Signorina, Carmie, Nicki. You are well? You have everything you need?"

"We are well, caro," Briony said, her eyes dancing as much as the puppy at Carmine's heels.  At her side she saw Carmie and Nicki lean forward, noses quivering.  "And you?  You are well?"

"Aieee. It was a very trying meeting, cara. I am relieved it is over. Can you speak to this little one and find out what it is he wants?"

Briony bent her nose downward to the puppy who saw it coming.  He was so surprised, or so it seemed, he had to sit down, in order to concentrate better.

After several moments, during which the puppy yipped and wriggled and she hummed, she lifted her head again.  "His name is Mario, he tells me.  He is your daemon.  But, he says, he is very young yet and so he doesn't speak.  That will take a few weeks during which he will grow and listen to you talk.  He wants to know if you speak any dialect of dog?"

"Please to tell Mario, I am molto spiacente, but I speak only Italian, English, German, French and Spanish."

"Si, caro," Briony said, and did, while Carmie and Nicki inched their noses closer.  Then Nicki lifted her head and looked at Carmine, her eyes huge with worry.

He rubbed her nose. "What is wrong, carissima?"

"You don't....I mean...is he...aren't I...but you still love me don't you?" she asked, pleading.

"Ah, cara Nicki. Of course I still love you. But poor Mario seems to be stuck with me. Can you and he become friends, do you think?"

She nodded.  "If it would make you happy.  But," she said, looking back at Mario, even more puzzled, "he doesn't want you?" she asked, clearly unable to comprehend such a thing.

"Well, cara, so far as I can tell, he did not choose."

"Oh,' she said.  "But that's alright.  Once he knows you, he'll be glad."  She clearly had not a doubt about it.

Carmine grinned. "So, this does not upset you, cara?"

"I'm bigger than he is," she whispered confidentially, "and I was here first.  But don't tell mama I said it, she'd think is wasn't nice."

"Si, I will keep your secrets, carissima. Do not worry.  It would please me, though, if you could befriend this little one."

She nodded solemnly.  "For you, of course.  And," she said her voice dropping back to a whisper,  "I think he wants to play."

"Will you help me and play with us?"

"Of course," she said.  "I like to play.  And you need to play more.  I'm a dragon, I can tell."

Carmine's lips twitched.  "Si. And I should listen to you more often."

She nodded.  "Si caro."

He laughed aloud and kissed her nose, then whistled to Mario.  "Come caro, we shall play. I expect once Niccolo finds out about you I won't have a minute of time with you."

Mario yipped loudly and emphatically.

"He says, caro," Briony said, "that he is your daemon and not Niccolo's.  Whoever Niccolo is.  And that he bound to you by the spirit."

"Ah, I see. I hope someone will explain this to Nicco," Carmine replied laughing. "Why don't you ask Mario if he would like a dragon ride. And we can all escape to the night and the clouds."

Briony laughed.  "Si caro."  And a moment later they were all gone.