For the first time since he had been brought into the room, Angel fell silent, his mind racing. ‘How am I going to talk my way out of this?’ he asked himself.

Buffy smirked as she prowled over to Angel. “Not gonna rant and rave, and call me a liar? Maybe yell that this is a fake?” She laughed at loud as Angel’s face fell.

‘Damnit, how did she know what I was going to say?’ Angel wondered.

“Might we see the parchment?” Tannic asked, stepping closer to Buffy.

“In due time, Tannic.” Buffy said, walking back up onto the dais. “Let me tell you how I came by this little piece of paper first.” Buffy unsheathed her sword in one fluid motion, chuckling as everyone took at least one step back. Placing the point of the sword on the floor, she seated herself, keeping one hand on the sword hilt. With a faraway look on her, one that gave the impression that she was not paying attention to her surroundings, Buffy began her tale.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“So what are you going to do so I can get back to the store and make lots of money?” Anya asked with a frown.

“Ahn,” Xander began, only to be interrupted by Spike.

“Listen Demon Girl, I’ll go check it out later so you can open the store tomorrow. For now I think we need to figure out how to let Buffy know what’s going on.” Spike turned to Methos. “Any clue as to where she’s at mate?”

Willow fairly bounced in her seat. “OH! I know! How about a locator spell? I could…”

Methos shook his head. “I don’t think that would work. If she was within a 200 mile radius I would be able to sense her, and I can’t. I’m assuming since whoever took what’s his face, did it without any of us being aware…” He trailed off and sighed. “I think she’s left this plane of existence.”

Anya blinked once and then grinned mischievously. “You mean she’s gone to confront the Powers themselves, don’t you?”

Methos nodded, “Yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised if she confronted them at sword point, she was that irate.”

Giles blinked a couple of times in confusion and then yanked his glasses from his face, and began to furiously polish the lenses. “You can not mean that she has somehow entered the realm of the Powers? I do not believe such a thing is possible.” He glared at Methos, wondering why the man was saying such outrageous lies.

Methos laughed at the look of confusion and outrage on Giles’ face. “Mother is capable of many things, Mr. Giles. The least of which is having access to the realm of those you call the ‘Powers’. She tends to liken them to spoilt children in need of a spanking.” He shook his head, “You really have no idea what she is capable of do you?”

“Well, I do know the legends surrounding both her and that sword of hers. But it has been my experience that most legends are, shall we say, exaggerated quite a lot.” Giles said with a condescending smile.

Joyce reached over and slapped Giles on the back of the head. “Loose the look Rupert. I can tell you right now, the legends surrounding Mother are, in the most part, accurate. And most of them are actually toned down.” She shared a glance with Methos. “After all, it wouldn’t do to scare people too much now would it?”

“Oh I don’t know about that baby sister. After all, she really enjoyed scaring the crap out of those roman soldiers.” Methos said with a chuckle. “But you are right; history pegs that one as a plague of some kind.”

Tara looked at Methos with more than a little curiosity. “Are you talking about the deaths of the 5th Legion? I thought it was proven to be a plague that drove them all into a murderous rage?” She turned to the rest of the room. “We discussed it in my last Ancient History class. It was rather, gruesome. The way the bodies were found, most with their throats cut.”

Xander paled and rubbed the back of his neck while looking at the floor. “You mean…” he swallowed hard, “she had something to do with that? And I made her mad…” He trailed off, looking as if he was about to pass out.

Methos looked at Xander, speculation in his eyes. “You made her mad? And you are still walking and talking and in possession of your head?” He leaned forward. “What did you do, and why didn’t she kill you?”

Dawn bounced up and down in her seat. “He was ranting about Buffy being evil and generally being an idiot. Then he shoved me… twice. Buffy put her sword to his throat and said something like ‘If I was evil you’d be dead’. I thought Xander was gonna pee his pants!”

Xander looked up sheepishly. “I almost did…”

Methos leaned back in his chair and laughed so hard he almost sent the chair over backwards. After a few moments he gathered himself together and cleared his throat. “Right, where were we?”

“We were looking for a way to let Buffy know what has been happening.” Willow said quietly.

Methos nodded. “Okay, since she has more than likely left this plane, I think it’s up to Spike to try and contact her.”

Giles raised one eyebrow. “Why do you think that Spike would be able to contact her, rather than one of us? Or even yourself?”

“Because she has a blood bond with Spike, and given his supernatural nature, he should be able to use the link to contact her.” Methos said in a matter of fact tone of voice.

Almost as one, everyone, except Spike and Methos, gasped in astonishment and turned accusing eyes to Spike.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy finished her tale with when they discovered Angel missing from his confinement. Her eyes lost the faraway look they had, and focused with deadly intent on Whistler. “I want to hear from the messenger’s own lips his reasoning behind the removal of the Cursed One from his rightful bonds.”

At a nod from Deais, the ceatric removed its hand from Whistler’s mouth. “Speak messenger, hold nothing back, and tell nothing but the truth.”

Whistler nodded and cleared his throat. “I generally keep one ear open in case An---, err the Cursed One has any important questions that may need answers from you. Not that I would bring petty questions and complaints to your ears unless it was of world-ending importance.” He took a deep breath and continued. “He called me, said he was in trouble that might result in the destruction of the world and requested that I release him from his bonds, and bring him here so he could present his questions and concerns to the Oracles.”

Buffy leaned forward, her eyes boring into his, “Did he say nothing to you of what the nature of the trouble was?”

“Not as such, Milady. Simply that he needed information on the creature”, and here Whistler winced, “that had managed to subdue him and tie him up.”

“I see, and instead of requesting instructions, you simply freed him and brought him here.” Buffy nodded slowly. “Did he say nothing of what prompted this ‘creature’,” and here she smirked, “to place him in bonds?”

“No Milady. I did ask, but he told me that the information was for the Oracles and the Powers. Not for messengers.” Whistler answered.

Tannic looked at Buffy. “Do you think he was trying to escape punishment?”

“Oh there is no doubt in my mind that he was trying. And failed.” Buffy said in a hard tone. “I think it’s time that the words on this parchment were known.” She motioned to the ceatric holding Whistler, which promptly released him. “Come here messenger, and read the words written herein, aloud.”

Whistler scurried over to where Buffy was seated, and bowed low, taking the parchment from her hand. Clearing his throat, he began to read aloud – “Let it be known that on this day, I, Hank Summers, do hereby turn over all rights and privileges towards my flesh and blood daughter, known as Dawn Summers, to one Angelus, known as Angel, with one proviso. This proviso is as follows.” Whistler paused and swallowed hard, his face going white, before continuing. “Angelus must, on the night of the full moon, in full view of myself and the others gathered, forcefully and completely rend my aforementioned daughters virginity in all aspects.” He once more paused as an outraged murmur rose from the assembled powers. “Signed this day, Hank Summers.” He swallowed once more and said, “This also bears the Cursed One’s mark, as well as the signature of one Hammond, witness for the Wolf, Ram and Heart.”
Buffy motioned to a pale, slender figure that was hanging on the outskirts of the assembled powers. “Vareas, come here please. I have need of your special services.”

Vareas glided forward, the smile on her lips revealing her dainty fangs. “What service would you have of me Milady?”

“I require you to confirm that it is indeed the blood of the Cursed One that is upon the parchment Whistler is holding.” Buffy said and motioned to Whistler to hand the parchment to Vareas.

Instead of taking the paper from him, Vareas simply leaned over and took a long sniff, and then darted her tongue out to trace Angelus’ signature on the parchment. Having done so, she turned to Angel, and motioning to the ceatric to hold his head steady, she glided over to him and took a sniff of his neck. “Smells the same Milady.” Baring her fangs, she sunk them into Angel’s neck and took a long pull of his blood. Pulling back she grimaced in distaste. “Tastes the same as well. It is my considered impartial observation that it is one and the same. The Cursed One is guilty of entering into this abysmal contract.”

Buffy nodded, “Thank you Vareas, I appreciate your assistance in this matter.” Turning to the rest of the assemblage she said, “I believe the time has come to render both judgment and punishment upon the messenger and the Cursed One.”

There were murmurs of agreement and nods of assent from everyone assembled in the room.