( continues...) that the Knight would die, but secretly and in due time.

The King himself was soon due to take the battlefield. He didn't want to risk losing his Knight or his Handmaiden at this crucial time. He tried to continue the battles, but when the Princess saw that the Knight was still there she refused to come out to join the King. He needed the Princess to fulfill his plans and she made it clear that only the head of the Knight was going to satisfy her. This weighed heavily on the King for there was still much to be done.

The cohorts and the evil number one General rejoiced. Often he and the others had mocked the King and the Knight by calling them "The Artists" behind their backs. He felt that soon the Kingdom would be fully controlled by his deceptive hand. For he knew very well the hold that the Princess had on the King and he knew he was the one who could manipulate both the Princess and the Sheriff. He had carefully maneuvered to make it so for a long, long time. He would eliminate any he felt threatened his rise to power. All the while playing the innocent advisor to the Sheriff.

While the cohorts smirked among themselves, many of the servants spoke secretly to the Knight to warn him of the evil around him. Listening to their many sorry tales, the Knight even began to doubt the King himself and wondered if the King realized at all that he was being laughed at and used by the Princess and the General in secret. The other servants worried too and were filled with dread. Most of them had to greet the Princess and the General with false smiles, though in their hearts they hated the kind of evil dealt to their fellows. They could only watch the fate of the Knight and worry that they could be next.

Promises were made secretly. The Kingdom must continue to generate its great riches. So the Sheriff was determined to speak any lie needed to secure the services of the Knight for the King until the end of the last great battle of the year. Therefore the Princess then determined to fool the Knight. Just as she had her own dear friend before cutting off her head years before. And just as the friend had trusted in her and the words spoken by the Sheriff that "all was well" so too did the Knight and his Handmaiden.

After the LAST GREAT BATTLE the King was again pleased. The Knight had once again created victory with the King's army under impossible circumstances and all seemed well. The Princess now thanked the Knight for having stood by her in the battles and making her appear so heroic to her people. And that was something she had never done before. Even the General himself exclaimed that the Knight had performed in a magnificent way in the LAST GREAT BATTLE. Thus at last with the praise of the Princess, the General, and the Sheriff still with him, the Knight finally could feel that all was well. Even many of the cohorts sought to shake the hand of the Knight. How could he doubt that things were not good once again?

And now after three years of battles, the name of the Princess and the King had become known around the world. All the Royals knew them and wanted their company. After all, were they not the famous ones who always won the battles? Things seemed right again in the Kingdom. And so after considering the offer of a Foreign King, the Knight felt that his place was truly secure in the Kingdom and decided to stay to fight for his one true King - no matter what.

So the Knight and the Handmaiden retired to their new home. Tired and bloodied from the battles on and off the field. Then the message came. The Sheriff has sent word that the Knight is no longer needed and will not be welcomed into the Kingdom again. The evil plan had worked after all and the comfort the Knight had taken in finally trusting the Princess and the Sheriff proved as vacuous as the servants had claimed they were. The Knight had simply been used to attain a final battle.

Yet he still had the support of the King, didn't he? The King's Right Hand Man informed the Knight that the King would send him a message soon (continued...)

( continues...) and they could talk of the matter. The Knight waited. And then he remembered that the King was famous for his brilliance with the pen, but also just as famous for his fleeing from any form of confrontation or discomfort.

Upon remembering this, the loyal Knight decided to go to the Land of the Bronze. And there he saw his King. He heard his King remark to the people, "It's over. It's all over. Well. Some of it is." And the Knight knew in his heart that this was no longer his King. Regardless of what was deemed wise to speak in front of the people by the King and his Scribes, the workings within the Kingdom would for the most part be secretly controlled by the spoiled Princess and her false father figure. The King simply didn't want to believe this. He will tell himself that he still runs the Kingdom alone and proclaim that everything is up to him and no one else. He might even claim that the Princess is an innocent in front of the people. But he would know within his heart that this is not true. Yet the Princess is truly convincing indeed. She will decide who travels through the gates.

He wished that the King would even start a new Kingdom away from this one with another much kinder Princess. But that was only wishful thinking. It would be five hundred years into the future before the Knight would be of use to the King again and be able step into the Fray of the battle. He had a long wait ahead. Perhaps even forever.

Now, needing the money for his first and only home, he asked his Handmaiden to hold her tongue and to return to the Kingdom and see to the Princess for him. Knowing full well that this would heap coals of fire on the head of the Princess upon seeing her again, while still aiding his King in spite of everything done to him. A tough road was ahead for the Handmaiden and it would take all her inner strength not to turn and smite the Princess herself. But she loved the Knight and the only home they've ever known. And so she agreed.

And the young Knight went to the mirror and took off his helmet for the first time ever. And the man looking back at him was not that young anymore.

So, uh, for those of us who weren't part of the Bronze board, who maps to whom in this parable?

King = Joss, I assume?
Princess = SMG?

And everyone else....?

The Handmaiden = Sophia Crawford, SMG's stunt double, whom Jeff Pruitt was/is married to.

I can't remember anymore. I think Gareth Davies was the Sheriff or the #1 General.

Oh man, that is cracked out. He posted that to the Bronze, I presume?

I think he posted a bunch of wacked out shit about somebody on the crew trying to have him killed, then that. Or something.

My view on SMG has always been that if I was the lead on a show where I was in every episode and, at points, nearly every scene for 7 years, shooting at 3am, signing autographs on a day by day basis... I'd be allowed to be a little bit cranky occasionally. Hell, I wail like a baby if my washing machine breaks. I've no real idea if she was a massive diva or not, or if she was just feeling the strain. I know there's an interview with Joss Whedon somewhere during the late Buffy days where he sounds like he's having a nervous breakdown. I imagine it was quite the grinding experience for all involved.

She's always been publicly supportive and proud of Buffy The Vampire Slayer from what I've seen. If she wants to move on and make money elsewhere, you know, fair play I say.

yeah, he posted it to the Bronze after Joss wouldn't return his calls/emails. he just wanted to be heard. *cough*

Didn't he just post a link to it? I remember him acting all surprised when everyone(not just Joss) followed the link he'd posted to a public board.

Wow, so, I just ventured outside of Buffistas and saw some of the SMG hate from people online. All of which seems to be people who weren't actually at the panel.

It's crazy. It's like everybody online is British. We have this thing here where we like to build people up, and then burn them at the stake when they become successful.