The Once and Future Chosen
By Phoenixflame

Rating: PG, maybe G
Summary: On the eve of the new millenium, a special child is born.
Distribution: The Slayer's Fanfic Archive, and the
Millenium Contest.
Disclaimer: I don't own "Buffy". Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Twentieth Century Fox do.


On the eve of 2001, a child was born in a fortress high above the waves. Within the fortress, husband and wife celebrated with quiet dignity, afraid to attract attention from any wandering demons. Outside, resistance fighters patrolled, watching the darkness warily.

In the tower of the fortress, an exhausted witch and her werewolf husband rested, guarded by wards and yet more resistance fighters.

************

The woman held her baby closely. The baby had been fed, and was snoozing. Her husband proudly stood by. "She's beautiful." he whispered. His wife smiled up at him, and held out the baby. Gingerly, he took the girl from hiswife.

"She's like a flower." murmured the woman. "Lotus. That's what we'll call her. Lotus Anne Osbourne."

The husband smiled. They both looked up in alarm as the sound of fighting sounded outside. "Oh no."

"Quickly!" gasped his wife. "Hide Lotus!"

The husband crossed quickly to the desk, and quickly wrote. He carried Lotus to a basket, and put her in. Lotus opened her eyes, and stared up at him. She didn't make a sound.

The woman braced herself as she got out of bed and hobbled over to the desk, muscles protesting. Reaching up, she took off her pentacle and hung it around Lotus's neck. She pulled out her well-worn deck of Tarot cards, and tucked it in with Lotus, removing the top card. The page of Swords. She put it in Lotus's hands. Her husband tucked the letter under the small pillow.

The wife opened a panel in the wall, and hid the basket there. Then she shut the panel.

"Get me my supplies." she said. She traced runes of protection with her finger around the panel. Her husband brought her the supplies. The two faced the door.

Something pounded on the door. The two parents stood at the head of the bed, awaiting the demons.

The door broke down. Demons flooded in. The witch let the invisibility spell drop, and lifted her hands towards the ceiling. "Lady, Lord, aid me!"

Wind ripped into the room. The window slammed open. Startled demons turned to see the man and the woman entwine their hands. The witch closed her eyes.

Energy ripped through the room like a torrent. The demons screamed as they fell one by one. As one fell, he struck the werewolf and the witch down.

Moonlight shone into the room. No more demons remained in the fortress high above the sea. Lotus began to cry.

Hours later, in the daylight, a lone hearth witch came across the fortress. She found the witch and the werewolf, and searched the room. She found the panel, and opened it. Lotus looked out at her solemnly.

"Eh? What have we found today?" murmured the witch. She took the card from Lotus's hands. "The Princess of the Winds? Lotus of the Palace?"

At her name, Lotus burbled. "Lotus then." said the witch. "Poor child. She unwrapped the child, and noticed the mark. "By the Lady! You're to be the Chosen One!"

She rewrapped the child carefully, and picked up the basket. Placing it on the bed, she took the blue cloak that hung on the door, and covered the witch and the werewolf. "I'll guard your babe." she told the two. "I'll make sure she learns who she is."

Picking up the basket, she left the fortress high above the waves.

The End