Prelude

Wes, Gunn and Angel stand before her Royal Highness in shackles surrounded by soldiers awaiting their judgement. Our heroes are surprised, yet relieved that Cordy is safe, but she’s the Royal Highness of Pylea? Our boys want to be freed but she suggests some groveling first. She cracks a smile and orders, “Off with their heads!” but quickly changes her mind. Cordy’s tiara has definitely gone to her head.

PtI

In the throne room, her highness dismisses everyone to chat with her hometown subjects. Instead of a hug session, Wes, Gunn and Lorne run to the plates of food, desperate to relieve their hunger. Lorne knows what’s up and explains that the Covenant of Trombli that ruled prior to Cordy preach a prophecy that predicts a being of “pure sight”, a direct link to the powers that be, will come to Pylea and restore the monarchy. Wes is glad at Cordy’s fortune because it means they will have a chance to find a way to leave. Cordy reveals that the covenant have books. Lorne and Angel head out to visit Landok for a lead on a portal location, while Wes stays behind to research books to learn about a way back.

In another room of the castle, Barshon a Trombli monk is unhappy with Cordy’s reign. Their leader respects their new monarch, but he adds that if Cordy survives the com-shuk then Barshon can have her head. Barshon is upset by this delay.

Lorne and Angel arrive at his home as the Deathwok clan is outside training. Lorne’s mother greets her long lost son by spitting in his face, “You’re father was right. We ate the wrong son.” He tries to ask her for info on Landok’s portal as Numfar, his brother, demonstrates the dance of joy he performed for three moons after Lorne’s disappearance. Let’s just say Angel’s spazz dance looks great in comparison. Landok spots them and quickly pronounces Angel “the brave and noble Drokken killer” that assisted him. Angel is quickly bequeathed a necklace and a large coat of fur and is take away to the village feast to tell his tale of the Drokken battle. Lorne nervously follows, his attempts at finding portal clues failed.

In the covenant’s library, Wes reads the three Holy Books as Cordy and Gunn await results. The books are written in trionic meaning the three books are actually one. Each one holds a part to the whole. He discovers that Cordy must com-shuk with a Groosalugg. Both terms are unfamiliar and leave them in the dark. Wes notices the peculiar covers; a picture of wolf, a ram and a hart (staggard) decorate each one. He puts them in the right order and viola! You get Wolfram & Hart. The covenant cannot be trusted.

At the town village, Angel retells his defeat of the Drokken and other battle stories to a large crowd that no longer see him as a cow. He’s enjoying this attention, but Lorne is ancy and wants to leave. Angel agrees to swing the crebbil at the Bach-nal. A great honor in Pylea. Lorne tries to warn him, but Angel ignores him.

Back in the throne room, Cordy reveals she doesn’t want to return to L.A. Wes tries to convince her otherwise, but three priests enter to check on her. Wes plays to their fears that she has visions and knows what is to come, so no secrets must be kept from her. Silas, the leader, announces that the Groosalugg has been summoned from the Scum Pits of Ur and will arrive by nightfall. The com-shuk is a mating ritual and Cordy isn’t enthused at all. She tries to leave, but stays because Silas explains there is rebel activity and palace security has been doubled. She dismisses the priests and returns to her throne. She knows Wes is right, “Let’s get the hell outta here.”

Meanwhile at the village square Angel is given an ax, the crebbil, as a girl is tied in front of him with her head on a wooden block. Before the crowd eats the cow, Angel must cut of her head.

PtII

Angel is faced with the townsdemons as they cheer him on, but he realizes it’s no longer a game. He takes the necklace and coat off as Lorne’s mother screams that the cow is a runaway, a scavenger that comes down from the hills to steal food. Angel refuses to swing and is attacked by the angry crowd. Lorne, in an obvious state of semi-intoxication, begins to sing and the crowd clutches their ears falling in pain. Angel and the girl escape on horseback into the hills. Two of the constable’s men silence Lorne by clubbing him in the stomach.

At the Palace, Wes, Gun and Cordy open a door to the sewer system. Their plan is to escape through the smelly tunnels. Wes and Gunn go first but before Cordy cannot follow, the priests and soldiers surprise her. She is taken away once again and is told the Groosalugg approaches. Out of the castle, Wes and Gunn realize Cordy did not follow them and they head to search for Angel.

In the hills, Angel and the girl leave the horse and continue on foot. She runs off and Angel follows her into a cave hidden by two massive rocks. She puts on eyeglasses and sits by the wall scribbling with rocks. The cave is her home. Angel finds her driver’s license and identifies her as Winafred, the missing student physicist that disappeared in the university library. Five years in Pylea have left Fred a little loony, she refuses to believe the events of her rescue and the memory of her life pre-portal, but Angel tries to convince her and promises to take her back. She mentions Cordy and he tells her Cordy was made a Princess. There is hope after all.

Sitting on her throne, Cordy waits for the Groosalugg as the covenant looks on. The doors open and a gruesome horned demon carrying sacks walks in, but behind him, his master, the Groosalugg, a tall dark-haired handsome human, casually walks up to her and kisses her hand, “Majesty.” Cordy’s jaw drops. This is the Groosalugg?

Angel and Winafred are heading to the palace, but two soldiers on horseback attack them. She takes cover by a rock, while Angel warns her not to be afraid for what she is about to see. Angel reaches for his vampire side, but instead of fangs, he turns into a complete demon with horns, larger than life fangs and green skin. He quickly brings a soldier from his horse down and annihilates him completely, clawing and biting him, tearing his body into pieces. The second soldier, seeing Angel’s gruesome attack, runs off. Winafred looks on in fear, “Bad things always happen here.”

PtIII

DemonAngel returns to Fred and smells her hair, recognizing her. With a piece of flesh still hanging from his fangs, he escapes into the forest.

In the meantime, the Groosalugg tells his life story to the Princess. He describes his human appendages as “flaws of my [his] polluted birth.” He was cast from his village because there was cow blood in his veins and he wanted to end his suffering by entering fighting contests to kill himself, but instead he won every one and the covenant was forced to name him Groosalugg meaning “the brave and undefeated.” Narwek, with a gagged and tied Lorne, interrupts them. She quickly pardons him, too engrossed with the Groosalugg’s story or is it his handsome face and large muscles?

Gunn and Wes are lost in the forest, when DemonAngel attacks. Wes recognizes the distinctive tattoo on Angel’s shoulder through a tear in his shirt. DemonAngel jumps Gunn and claws his chest and shows no sign of stopping until Winafred finds them. She lifts her hand bloodied with the blood of his first victim. DemonAngel catches a whiff of the blood and follows her, leaving an injured Gunn and confused Wes behind. Wes uses his logic and offers that Angel attempted to access his vampire self, but instead, the full-scale demon side took over and he cannot find a balance. After Wes puts a poultice of dirt and weeds on Gunn’s wounds, they rise to leave but are surrounded by men.

Inside the cave DemonAngel sees his reflection in the pool of water and beats it with his claws. The power of seeing his evil side in its purest form returns him to Angel. He falls into a fetal position whimpering and trembling. Winafred comes quickly to his side and is about to touch his face with her bloodied hand, but holds it back. Angel is in shock and continues to tremble.

PtIV

It’s evening when the Groosalugg ends his life story with his latest vanquishing of the Mogfan beast in the Scum Pits of Ur. Cordy explains that she is not a princess, and attempts to describe her acting career but it only serves to confuse him further. The Groosalugg is obviously enamoured with our beautiful Cordy, praising her pardon of Lorne. He gives her an idea with his encouragement.

Brishon stomps into the library after returning from the throne with orders from her Highness to return with parchment. He is upset because Cordy wishes to make “proclamations” but more so because the com-shuk has not occurred. They decide it’s time to send Cordy a message.

In the forest, by a campfire the rebels discuss storming the palace. Wes and Gunn are tied up and are accused of being “reconnaissance cows” in league with the princess because they were tracked since leaving the palace. Against Gunn’s protests, Wes volunteers to take their demands to the princess because they know her personally and proves it with a picture. Their leader likes their suggestions, but decides to put their written demands in their mouths as they parade their heads on a spike to really show the princess.

In the makeshift cave home, Winafred tends to Angel with a cool cloth to his forehead as he continues to shake. Ashamed that Wes and Gunn have seen his evil side, he whimpers, “I can never go back.” Winafred continues to try to help.

Cordy is finishing a proclamation that outlaws slavery and polyester as two priests interrupt with a large silver chattel. The priest dismisses the Groosalugg and this upsets Cordy. She tries to put him in his place, but he turns it around and clarifies that she is only a cow and should know the real power lies in the covenant. They are tools for the covenant. To prove his point, “Don’t you feel that you’ve done enough pardoning for one day?” as he lifts the silver top exposing Lorne’s head. Cordelia finally realizes there’s no place like home.

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