For the Honor of Love

This is an alternate reality version of He-Man and She-Ra's full length movie, The Secret of the Sword. It is also my take on how the story should be more in tune with the theme song. Nothing is mine except parts of the plot; I make no profit from this story.


"Adam, do you think they will like me?" Adora asked from her perch in front of him as they rode Spirit to the location of the portal. Cringer loped along side, keeping pace easily as Spirit tossed his head. Adam hated the uncertainty in his loves voice.

"Adora, they'll love you." Adam kissed her shoulder as he tightened his grip around her waist. "How can they not when I do?"

"You're right." She took a deep breath, making Adam's hands slip lower to her hips, an embrace only two lovers, or soon to be lovers, could share. She leaned back into him, her head resting in the hollow of his throat, golden hair slipping into his collar. "There really is no reason for them not to love me. Everything that I have done up until now was against my will and without my full cooperation."

"That's right, love. You have had no control over your life up until a few hours ago." He spoke firmly, stating the truth. "Your parents as well as mine may be saddened by the life you have been forced to lead, but it has made you the woman you are now. They will understand that, and will forgive you."

"I love you." She snuggled closer into his embrace with a sigh as they neared the clearing that the portal would be appearing in. "I can't get over how accepting you are of what has happened. This is more than I could have every dreamed of."

"And I love you." He smiled into her hair. "Believe me when I say that I have witnessed far worse deeds done by those who knew what they were doing, and felt no remorse. You feel regret and the desire to mend what things you reaped when you weren't yourself. That makes you a woman of moral character, and I love you for it."

"There's the portal." Cringer spoke up, tail swishing anxiously. Even with his true Battle Cat persona, he hated traveling to alien worlds, and couldn't wait to get back to Eternia. The oval of gold magic shimmered in the mid day sun, swirls of power dancing in its depths. On the other side lay their past and future, and most of their questions would be answered.


Adora could feel Adam's excitement as they neared the gateway. She felt an echo of his joy, but she mostly felt apprehension. She knew that no matter what Adam told her, there was always the possibility that her past would catch up with her, destroying her chance at happiness. She had secretly ached for this day ever since she was taken, somehow knowing that she didn't belong in the Horde's red and black world.

"We should dismount and go through on foot. I don't think it would be good on Spirit trying to maneuver on marble floors for the first time with us on his back." He swung his leg over the stallion's rump, and before Adora could dismount, he lifted her down into his arms.

"Adam," she laughed, delighted in the simple pleasure. "I can get off my own horse just fine." His face was so close; his eyes alight with mischief and love, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"I know, but before we cross over, there is one last think I have to do." His voice was low and warm, body solid and strong next to hers. Her heart and body felt light and bubbly, mind slow and warm.

Slowly he dipped his face to hers, lips pressing gently to hers. Adora, helplessly lost to his love, slid her eyes closed and linked her arms behind his neck. Adam's strong, thick arms snaked around her back, lifting her closer. She opened herself to him, offering herself up. She felt him smile against her mouth as he gently kissed her. Their embrace was slow and tender, full of love and comfort.

"There." He lifted his head, lips red and moist. "No matter what, I love you Adora and I won't leave your side."

"I love you too, Adam."

With a smile he took her hand and led her through the gate, his grip firm and comforting. Cringer and Spirit followed close behind.


Adam led the woman he loved through the gate and home, knowing that the next few hours and days weren't going to be the easiest, but that they would get through them together. Briefly blinded by the gold light, Adam led them into Castle Greyskull, tightening his grip on her hand.

"Welcome Prince Adam, and to you too, Lady Adora." The woman in the sword, or the Sorceress, greeted them in the hall of doors. The timeless woman smiled at the two as their mounts stumbled through the opening. She led them all through the foreboding castle, explaining things that she knew Adam would have forgotten. He flushed guiltily, knowing that he should have remembered, but was otherwise occupied.

"Last of all, Adora;" The feather bedecked woman said as the reached the gates of the castle, having already explained the reason she wouldn't be able to continue further with them, being magically bound to the castle. "You must not reveal to anyone that you are She-Ra. Not only would it endanger you, but whoever you tell as well as everyone else you care about. Adam lives by this same code. No one but those who MUST know will ever learn the truth."

"Not even my parents, the king and queen, know the truth." Adam felt his face cooling from the embarrassment of earlier and the knowing look the Sorceress had bestowed upon him. "And you mustn't let your parents learn the truth as well."

Adora, with a slight frown of confusion on her brow, nodded.

"Whatever you say Adam." She looked to the priestess. "Will I see you again?"

"Of course, my child." She lightly kissed the younger woman's cheek. "I am the Guardian of Greyskull, and it is the source of your power. We are bound by destiny, as we always have been."

Adam lifted Adora onto Spirit's back and climbed up behind her, waving farewell to the Sorceress. He pointed out landmarks as they made the ten mile journey to the castle where they would meet his parents, and then hers as they would be summoned to the castle. While Eternia was home, Adam immediately saw the difference between Eternia and Etheria. While his home was full of earthy, neutral colors with sparse bursts of color, Adora's home was a painter's dream, full of vibrant and often gaudy colors that assaulted the senses.

"It's so different here." Adora mused looking around, eyes wide. "Beautiful and wild, so very different than the Whispering Woods."

"So you like it?" Adam couldn't help the slight fear that she would find her true home lacking in charm and beauty, but she proved him wrong with her next words.

"I love it." She laughed. "This is home, I feel it. This is what I have longed for, even if I never knew what it was. Did you know that Etheria is a very small planet? The Whispering Woods and the Fright Zone may seem sparsely populated, but other regions of the planet are packed with life, almost overrun and out of room."

"Really?" Adam loved how excited she sounded as she spoke, knowing that even if she was dreading the tasks ahead, she was thrilled at discovering the new world. "The palace scholars could probably tell you more than I can; but Eternia is somewhat large. While we are heavily populated, we have enough room to spread out and have wild land in between countries and provinces."

Suddenly the graveled road they were traveling on changed to paving stones, signaling that they had reached the outer edge of the Eternian capital city, Trumbhold. Not a very regal sounding name, but it was a traditional name taken from the ancient castle ruins that lay just outside the city. Open land gave way to single story houses made out of the native red brick and whitewashed, then two story homes, after that lay the market district with several story buildings. Beyond all of this and situated on a rise, lay the royal castle, a sprawling domed complex that took up the entire rise all the way to the cliff drop off on the far west side. Adam waited for Adora to voice her thoughts of his home.


Adora looked around, taking it all in. While the structures on Etheria were futuristic and technical in appearance, the structures on Eternia were earthy and seemed to be in harmony with the land. Now that doesn't mean that Eternia was any less sophisticated than Etheria, but it was a different type of sophistication. She loved everything; it was all a refreshing change form what she had experienced in the past.

"Wow, is that the palace?" She couldn't hide her awe. The complex was bigger than anything she had ever seen, and the Fright Zone liked to build big.

"Yep." Adam shrugged, apparently having become numb to the fact that his home was magnificent. "That's where I live with my parents. They have one wing, I have my own, staff has theirs and guests have their own as well."

"No wonder the place is huge." She laughed, wondering what it would be like to have a wing all to herself. In the past, all she had was a large room in the central tower. "Do you have a ballroom?"

"And a throne room, kitchens, dining room, gardens, library and training yard." He rested his chin on her shoulder. "Why? Wanting to learn how to waltz?"

"I've always wanted to learn, but as Force Captain, it would have been undignified as well as potentially treason." She sighed and leaned her head against his. "Will you teach me?"

"Of course." He chuckled, chest shaking as he tightened his arms around her. They were nearing the gates of the castle, and by now had drawn quite a crowd. "I wouldn't let anyone else teach you."

"Did you know we're being watched?"

"Yes, after all, it's not every day the crown prince rides through the city with a woman on a horse. I'm also wrapped around you, and I'm not known for showing emotion in public." He sat up straight, catching sight of the palace guards standing at attention, watching their approach.

"Adam?" Adora whispered, voice thin as doubts crept back into her mind. "I'm nervous."

"I know baby, I am too." Adam hugged her tight. "But I'm with you and you're She-Ra; you have nothing to worry about. I always have and always will love you. Now that we're together nothing can come between us."

She nodded as he then greeted the guards by name, her mind spinning. Was Adam for real? Here was a man who was He-Man, as manly as you can get, and yet he's almost waxing poetic about their new found love. He was what could be called a closet romantic; tough and rough on the outside, soft and gentle on the inside. She had seen him fight in Thaymor, noting even then his prowess and cunning; but experienced his kindness and gentleness when the truth knocked her world out from under her and offered her a new one. Her other half was the type of man all others should aspire to become and look up to, and most did; it was just his He-Man side that inspired them.

"Your parents are in the throne room, Prince Adam, listening to the weekly grievances." The older guard spoke, bring Adora back to the present. "It is scheduled to conclude in another 5 sunslips."

"Sunslips?" Adora asked, feeling lost.

"Minutes, my lady." The guard replied. "Sunslips are their formal name used in correlation with royal events."


"Oh." Adam cursed himself for having forgotten to explain more of their home world to Adora. "Thank you."

Adam spurred Spirit through the gates, eager to see his parents and contact Adora's parents. Cringer bounced eagerly on the pads of his paws, stomach growling loudly.

"I'm sorry Adora." Adam sighed.

"For what?" She twisted around to look him in the eye.

"Not explaining everyday things, terms and protocols." He rubbed his forehead as a stable boy raced to greet them and Spirit, the boy's horse sense picking up on how special the stallion was. "Like here is where we walk the rest of the way."

After Adora dismounted she looked at the young boy, no older than ten, worriedly. She was used to rubbing and brushing down Spirit herself, but Adam knew they didn't have the time.

"He'll be fine Adora, we have other places we need to be." As he spoke Cringer took off, racing towards the kitchens.

"Don't worry mistress, I'll treat him right." The boy spoke up, rubbing the stallions nose. Spirit huffed warm horse breath onto the child, making him giggle. They then walked away, leaving the couple alone. Adam took her hand, lacing their fingers together.

"Ready?" He knew he was, but at the same time wasn't. He didn't like not knowing what was about to happen, but knew that he had little control over others actions.

"No." She shook her head and looked up at him. "But I'll be fine."

"That's my girl."