Adam and Teela returned from their honeymoon a week after their wedding. The wedding had been held outdoors on the grounds of the castle. It was an elaborate affair that all the kingdoms and Masters were invited to. Their time in the fertile plains had allowed them to learn each other physically and emotionally, but the time had come for Adora to return to Etheria and He-man to reappear. No one had questioned the switch for He-man and She-ra it was just accepted.
On their first day back, Teela went to training with the soldiers, and Adam with his father going over the things they missed while he was gone. It was during that meeting that Adam discovered his father's problems with the northern borders. Shipments were being raided and no one knew who the culprits were. Each kingdom was blaming another.
"I am going to send a battalion of guardsmen to travel the route to protect all further shipments." Randor stated. "So far the attacks seem random, only large transports being attacked."
"I believe Teela and I should go along and investigate, father." Adam suggested. "We can start our tour of the kingdoms and try to solve this mystery."
"That would be a good idea, but I worry about your safety." Randor started. "These bandits seem to come from nowhere and disappear into the countryside after taking what they want. There seems to be no rhyme nor reason on what they take. Sometimes it is fabric, other times it is for food, but mostly they go for the gold."
"Don't worry about our safety father, we will just be going to investigate and learn more." Adam reassured him. "Between Teela and Turo we will be safe."
Randor gave in. "Alright, make arraignments to travel in the next two days. You can meet up with the battalion at the border trail. Your safety is the utmost importance to me son, don't go off thinking you are He-man and taking on these devious culprits yourself."
"Of course I won't father." Adam said and then thought he would not be alone he had Teela with him. "I'll go tell Teela and then make the necessary travel plans."
Adam met up with Teela in her office, she was behind her desk going over scheduling for the week. "Hello my love." Adam greeted her then kissed her. "Are you busy?"
"For you never, I just can't believe the amount of things that I have to attend to this week. There seems to be meeting upon meetings, I don't know how I will have anytime for us." Teela replied. "What brings you here, lover."
"Oh. I like the sound of that." Adam kissed her neck. "But I've come here for you to clear your schedule for two weeks. We are going on assignment to the northern border."
"The northern border, isn't that where your father sent a battalion of guardsmen to stop the raiding of transports?" Teela questioned. "You want to investigate don't you."
Adam smiled. "You know me so well. We can use the guise of a royal tour to cover the true reason for our being there."
"Anything to get me out of some of the 'princess' training your mother has scheduled me for." Teela stated. "She knows how much I hate the courtesans and their politics."
Adam laughed. "Sorry my love, but you are a Royal courtesan and it would be best to keep them happy. Some of them can become great allies."
"Your sense of humor is not funny. You do remember how I was treated years ago attending those meetings, I don't want that to happen again." Teela complained.
Adam gave her a hug. "You no longer have to worry about that anymore my love, you outrank all of those ladies now and they would never treat you that way again. I want you to have the same confidence you have for your military duties as you do for you 'princess' duties."
"How do you do it Adam?" Teela sighed.
"Years and years of practice my love." Adam smiled. "Come let's give the good news to our secretaries so they can be as frustrated as you."
Two days later they were in a wind raider traveling to Nicassi to meet up with the battalion. They landed on the outskirts of the town, meeting with the commander and then headed into town. Because the trip was short notice not many people knew of their visit and they were greeted as any other travelers, until they came to the inn they were staying at. The innkeeper doted on their every need. After a few hundred 'thank you' they were left alone in their elaborately decorated room.
'So what is our first move?" Teela inquired. "The witnesses all state that they were attacked by shadows, that's not much to go by."
"Since the next shipment goes out tomorrow morning, I think dinner in our room and an early night are called for." Adam answered.
"What!" Teela exclaimed. "I know that is not going to happen."
"For all who are watching us the prince and princess retire early, He-man and the Captain of the guard go out investigating anything suspicious." Adam explained. "Remember my love, I still have a secret to hide. Adam must remain unnoticed and oblivious."
"I understand that fact, I don't like it, but will do anything to keep you safe." Teela said softly.
"Thank you." Adam stated. "Now I will go inform our innkeeper of our plans, you pull out the maps so we can go over the area when I get back." Adam left her with a kiss.
After searching for a few hours and finding nothing suspicious in the small town or surrounding area, the couple came back to their room using the large window. Teela giggled after getting into the room. "I feel like I'm sneaking into my room after doing something wrong." He-man changed back into Adam. "I don't think I will ever get used to seeing you do that." Teela kissed and hugged him.
"You are my most wonderful dream come true, have I told you how much I love you?" Adam kissed her softly near her ear and slowly worked his way to her other ear.
Teela let out a moan. "I think you need to show me."
The couple made love that night and were up early in the morning to join the transport caravan. The coach that would be carrying them was toward the front of the caravan. Adam and Teela were on high alert once they left the small town. It would take a day to reach the next town of Arica. Hours into the journey the road narrowed making the guardsmen thin out around the caravan, Adam alerted Teela to the possible ambush area and she agreed.
The explosion was their first sign of any trouble, no other warning, it came from the middle of the caravan. The couple got out of the coach and noticed that the fire was cutting the caravan in two, blocking any help from coming from the front. "Go." Was the only word Teela said to Adam as she climbed on top of one of the carriers, leaping until she reached the fire line. From there she jumped over the flames landing on some debris.
Adam had run into the woods for cover where he pulled his sword out and called out "By the power of Grayskull. I have the Power." Adam had become He-man and ran through the forest around the fire to come across guardsmen that had been knocked out by the explosion. Further down the caravan he saw, what he could only describe as a shadowy blur, bring down another guardsman. He-man followed that shadow. It brought down another man. He-man jumped on that blur and missed it. He tried to grab at the shadowy blur and came up empty. Then He-man felt something hit him in the head knocking him to the side. When He-man caught his balance his blur had disappeared and he saw Teela battling her own shadowy blur. Teela was swinging her staff in all different directions trying to hit something. When her staff went from down to upswing her staff caught on something lifting it away from the shadowy blur and throwing Teela off balance. This revealed a man hidden underneath with a staff and a knife. He-man ran as fast as he could to Teela pulling his sword at the same time, grasping the point in his other hand he plowed into the man as Teela was just turning into the blade. The blade hitting its mark across Teela's leg.
He-man rolled off the unconscious man, to see Teela clasping at her leg. He went to her. "It's not that bad." Teela said handing him her staff. "You know how to stop them now."
He-man nodded his head and went to find other shadowy blurs. He found three other blurs and fought them removing the men's invisible cloaks. Gathering the cloaks up, He-man retuned to Teela, seeing her being medically treated by one of the guardsmen.
Kneeling down He-man asks the guardsman. "How is she?"
"I'm fine He-man, just get me to the next town where they can stitch the wound." Teela said painfully.
The guardsman looks to He-man and states. "The princess needs medical care right now, she lost a lot of blood and we don't have the equipment here."
A portal opened at that time and the sorceress's voice called out. "He-man bring her to Grayskull I can help her. Adam is already on his way here." With that statement He-man lifted Teela in his arms and carried her through the portal.
The sorceress met He-man on the other side of the portal, directing him to place Teela on the table. Teela expressed her distress softly. "I don't think it's necessary for me to be here, you could of sent us to the healers." Teela reaching for He-man's hand.
"Please let me be the judge of that Teela." The sorceress began to examine Teela's wound. Placing both hands around the wound the sorceress stopped the bleeding with magic. "You are correct Teela the wound is not that deep, but it will hinder you if I do not heal it with magic. I am sure your husband would agree."
He-man looked to Teela. "Please Teela, let her heal you. I need you to be ok."
"Alright." Teela gave in. "What do I need to do?"
"Just lay there and relax." The sorceress said to Teela. "Let the magic do the work."
Teela laid her head down and closed her eyes concentrating on her breathing, still holding He-man's hand. As the sorceress began there was a soft golden glow around the wound. The sorceress was so engrossed in her feelings toward Teela the glow grew to encompass Teela completely. He-man holding Teela's hand began to see visions of times when the sorceress was watching Teela as she grew up. He felt the mother's love radiating throughout him of the sorceress' love for Teela.
Teela began to cry. "Why didn't you tell me." She said softly as the glow began to dissipate. "I always wanted my mother and you were right here watching me."
The sorceress was crying also. "I needed to keep you safe, knowing who I was would have put you in danger. I wanted for you to have a normal life, away from the dangers of Grayskull."
Teela sat up and hugged He-man. "I remember the Oracle telling me the story, you took that from me. Don't take it again, I want to know who my mother is."
"What is done is done, I'll not take your memories again." The sorceress stated.
"What happens now sorceress?" He-man asked.
The sorceress stood straighter. "For now you must return to your journey, your parents are patiently awaiting word on Teela's condition. Remember to rest, your injury is healed but allow your body to recover. Later we will meet to discuss our lives from now on."
Teela got off the table still holding on to He-man, she felt as if her whole life had been thrown to the wind and blown back all different. "Can I know your name?" Teela asked.
The sorceress was taken aback, it has been a long time since she has used her name. She stood in front of Teela, arms open wide and said, "Teela-Na, my daughter."
Teela went into her mother's arms and hugged her. He-man stepped back from the two and changed back into Adam. Adam has never seen so much emotion come from the sorceress and decided to give them some space.
The sorceress ended the hug and dried her eyes, the elegant commitment returning to her face. "I am sorry to end this, but this portal," she whirls her arm. "will take you to your anxious troops. Be safe."
"Thank you mother." Teela said while grabbing Adam's hand.
"Thank you sorceress, for everything." Adam stated. Then they walked through the portal.
