Protocol

by thebratqueen

Just finished reading "Protocol", a novel-length "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" fanfic set in an alternate universe, in which civilization has collapsed and Angel has carved a kingdom out of California. The Watchers Council needs his resources, and they broker a marriage contract between Angel and Wesley Price. Wesley has been trained all his life to be a "Spouse" -- to be a perfect spouse in all ways: sexual, child-rearing, household administration, and caring (in all ways) for the comfort, health and well-being of whoever he was to be married to (think of a combination of mail-order bride, geisha, and chatelaine). Wesley isn't keen on being married to a vampire; Angel isn't keen on marrying someone sight unseen, but needs the alliance. Each of the characters in the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" exist here (except Buffy) but their characters remain true to the tv series. The author has a deft hand at humor (Wes's response when arriving at his first meeting with Angel, only to find that his "staff" doesn't know where he is, is hilarious!). A heart-warming fic, where Angel slowly falls in love with Wes and Wes slowly begins to recover from the "indoctrination" his training as a Spouse forced him into. A remarkably original plotline, which the author carries off superbly. The only drawback to the fic is that it was never finished, but it's still very much worth reading (45 chapters worth!). This fanfic was published on the author's "Live Journal website at: https://www.livejournal.com/tools/mem...

ebook

First published April 20, 2004