Chapter 21

"You dare accuse my daughter-in-law of infidelity in this court? She has been nothing but loyal to my son and this throne! I will have no more of this. She is Crown Princess of Eternia and the mother of the future heir and I expect you to treat her as such!" the King roared, his face flush as he stood to his feet.

Startled, the nobles stared wide eyed at the King's angry outburst. Many agreed with him. There were however several disingenuous individuals within the ranks harboring their own agendas who felt otherwise after the attestation of Lord Branidan's spy; his chamber-boy Lewt.

Since the announcement that the Prince had been tasked to a covert mission, Lewt had been commissioned by Branidan and his cronies to spy on Princess Teela within the Palace, the city streets, and Castle Greyskull. He had just reported his findings after noting the Princess' refusal to sleep with the Prince after the announcement of her pregnancy at the Ball several weeks ago. He stated she has not since then had relations with him. He also attested to the fact that she had been seen consorting with the Defender of Eternia on several occasions.

Randor took his seat glancing at the Queen beside him who looked equally affronted. He turned back to the court before calmly continuing, "I find it very telling that you presented this so called 'evidence' in the absence of the ranking noble, the Duke of Aberra. He has written telling me he does not support this witch hunt and is very concerned for the reputation and safety of the Princess," he scanned the hall eyeing each individual present. "I assume you'll next want to test the unborn's DNA to discover its true paternity?" he snorted sarcastically.

"Your Majesty," Branidan stated sharply strutting forward, "You must understand that it is our duty to ensure the integrity of the Throne," he pressed angrily. "When appearances of impropriety present themselves, we are behooved to take action and investigate!" he stated to the supportive mumblings of those he represented. "Teela has been seen frolicking with He-Man a lot more these days now that the Prince is God-knows-where!"

To that, the affirmative grumblings became more energetic.

"That's PRINCESS Teela and it is MY job to ensure the crown's integrity. Not yours," Randor shot back.

"Sire, it most certainly is not!" Lord Jentzer interjected. "What is the purpose of the noblemen if not to preserve balance of power—"

Randor jumped to his feet once more. "This is a MONARCHY!" he bellowed, "NOT a democracy! None of you were elected to your positions; not one of you. You were born into it as was I. And may I remind you that all of you hold lands allotted to you from my ruling ancestors!"

Enraged at the King's biting yet truthful statement, Lord Holgun chimed in, "Your Majesty, your daughter-in-law is not of noble blood. By Lewt's own eyewitness accounting, she is a known passionate, and most indecorous woman and is most likely engaged in an illicit affair with one Warrior of Greyskull—"

To that, Man-At-Arms who was standing at attention at the steps of the throne and who, up to this point, had held his tongue snapped his head to Holgun, his eyes at first going wide at the slander then narrowing angrily.

Randor's hazel eyes blazed with fury at the insinuation of the man's second point before gesturing to the Queen on the first. "Holgun, you are quite aware that the Queen is neither of royal lineage nor even of this world!" he spat angrily. "Do you mean to depose her as well?"

Marlena glared at them as some of the nobles drew back fearfully at the notion of suggested treason. Realizing his gaffe, Holgun blinked nervously, his face going pale. Back-pedaling, he stammered, "No…no Sire. I'm only stating the fact that—"

"ENOUGH!" an angry and ethereal voice echoed loudly within the court's chamber prompting all heads to jerk up and glance around in alarm.

A soft mist appeared at the bottom of the throne's steps and slowly took form as the nobles recoiled in fear at the ghostly sight. Shifting before their eyes, the mist adopted the silhouette of a winged creature and finally materialized into a beautiful emerald eyed woman dressed in armor and wearing a falcon's headdress. She stood proud and defiant, shoulders back, her golden staff in her right hand as her troubled gaze subsequently flashed with anger.

Man-At-Arms' cinnamon gaze went round at her unannounced appearance. The King and Queen also wore shocked expressions as the King slowly and mutely took his seat.

"Nobles, I am the Sorceress of Castle Greyskull and by order of The Omniscient One I have come to speak on behalf of the Warrior and the Princess of whom you have unwittingly disparaged. May I inform you that even now, at this very moment, Greyskull's Warrior and the Crown Princess engage in battle in protection of this realm and the realm of Earth, Eternia's sister planet."

"Sister planet?" some mumbled as all eyes widened at this news, the court hall finally going still in silent anticipation. The Sorceress angrily scanned the room.

"Greyskull wishes me to inform you that these two noble souls over the years have set aside their own needs and desires, continuously and selflessly placing their lives in great danger to serve Eternia and its inhabitants. Many of you are not aware of the sacrifices they have made and continue to make on your behalf so that you, your families, and your lands may experience peace."

The King, Queen, and Duncan all exchanged glances not knowing and perhaps even slightly apprehensive at where this line of discourse was leading.

She continued. "You also do not yet know the amount of heartbreak and sacrifice their parents have endured. They have been forced to sit idly by and watch as their young son and daughter battle against the evil tyranny of Snake Mountain…"

To the phrase, "their parents", everyone glanced at each other in confusion.

"Sorceress," one noble by the name of DelFinny bravely ventured, "Are you implying that the great and mysterious He-Man has…parents?"

Teela'Na slowly turned her head to glower at the young man. "I do not imply, Lord DelFinny. I inform you now that yes, He-Man is in fact born of a mother and father."

Being addressed directly by his name, and by someone who is a stranger to him, DelFinny flinched as the room burst into curious mumblings at this new revelation.

"But He-Man is ageless! Are his parents even alive?" a presumptuous voice shouted from the hall.

"Yes. They are alive and are currently in this room."

The room once again exploded in guffaws, elevated chatter, and confusion as the nobles glanced at one another in utter disbelief. Randor and Marlena exchanged knowing looks then turned once again to a very disturbed Duncan.

"Who are they, great Sorceress?" another voice asked desperately.

With that, Teela'Na turned and looked at a very startled King and Queen.

Everyone gasped as confusion and disbelief once again overtook the court's grand chambers.

"You mean to tell us that Prince Adam and He-Man are siblings?" yet another voice called out amongst the elevated chatter.

"There are two heirs to the throne?" another voice shrieked in confusion.

The Sorceress banged the end of her staff on the marble floors demanding silence. A hush instantly fell over the room.

Teela'Na stretched out a palm and an enormous image appeared over the heads of everyone present prompting everyone to lift their heads in wonder.

This silent image captured Prince Adam and his then bodyguard, Captain Rowan running away from an explosion to which some of the nobles snickered, their opinion of the antics of the 'cowardly Prince' apparently validated.

The woman slammed her staff once again causing everyone to sober and fall silent. "Observe," she commanded gesturing back towards the image.

There it captured Adam, rather than descending the underground bunker for his own protection shoving Rowan instead into it. Locking it and sprinting toward the stone blast wall he hurled himself over it head over heels narrowly evading a Minion's distressed aircraft that exploded upon impact. He then scrambled to his feet, glanced over his shoulder, reached behind his back and unsheathed an invisible sword from an invisible scabbard.

The nobles shouted in surprise and confusion as they watched the Prince hold his sword aloft, mouth something unintelligible and become engulfed in blinding torrents of light summarily transforming into…He-Man!

The shouts increased as everyone gasped, crying out in surprise at the revelation. The Sorceress reached out a palm and replayed it three times as they watched dumbfounded; some of the women even bursting into tears guilt-ridden over their formerly low opinion of the Prince as the men chattered nervously in an attempt to make sense of what they had just witnessed.

The image then continued forward showing Princess Teela and He-Man fighting together culminating in the Warrior raising his sword and ending the battle with a tremendous lightning volt of power ridding the land at that time of the threat.

The playback ended as the room once again fell silent, the sounds of some of the women sniffling at the realization of what all these two had done; especially in light of all of the criticisms, belittling, and gossip the Prince and Princess had endured over the years.

The Sorceress glanced about the room before turning and giving a meaningful look at the Queen drawing everyone's attention. Marlena simply held her gaze.

"Not of noble birth," Teela'Na stated pointedly coaxing those present to realize the mother of the leader of the Masters of the Universe was seated among them; her merit to reign as Queen previously called into question.

She then turned an unreadable gaze toward Duncan, her emerald eyes communicating something he could not yet decipher as he held her searching gaze.

Teela'na turned back toward the hushed assembly. "Prince Adam's covert mission?" she offered, "He is currently dispatched to Earth where Skeletor and Evil-Lyn have fled in an attempt to seize the Queen's home planet. His mission is to prevent evil from enveloping the land, to retrieve, and then to return the villains of Snake Mountain back to Eternia to stand trial; a very dangerous mission indeed." She glanced once again about the room.

"You are all this day bound to silence on the true identity of He-Man, Guardian of the secrets of Castle Greyskull and Defender of Eternia. He is Prince Adam, Crown Prince and son of the High King of Eternia."

Silence.

"You are now hereby warned against revealing what you have seen here today without proper authorization." She took a deep breath and gestured behind her, "And now, with permission of the good King, their Majesties King Randor and Queen Marlena will hear no more reproach of these two young warriors," she stated authoritatively.

Shocked and thoroughly reprimanded, the nobles blinked at one another in silence before finally bowing and curtseying to the royal couple.

Randor and Marlena looked on, eyes round in bewilderment at Greyskull's inclination to suddenly and quite shockingly reveal the identity of their son's alter ego.

What did this mean? Would their son eventually come home? Or did their son perish on Earth with this, a final revelation?