Chapter11; A friend in pain
A fierce orange orb, brilliant and golden, white rays of light filtered through fluffy pink clouds in exuberant abandon. A benign sun sat high in the sky, gentle deity of the afternoon heavens. It was warm, it was quiet, it was beautiful. Such a perfect day. Of the sort Bow enjoyed sharing with Adora.
But Adora was gone.
Possibly a traitor.
His gut clenched. Curling callused hands into fists he walked without purpose, without destination, retaining the vague idea of finding She-ra, but mainly he just needed to move. His stride was long, his gait sure. He should have grabbed Arrow, but he hadn't thought; his emotions were chaotic, confused, in wild disarray. He needed to find She-ra. She would know what to do.
Problem was he had no idea where to look. Adora would know. But Adora was the reason he needed to find her. Stopping abruptly, he sat down. Trying to maintain control, he breathed unsteadily. With a loud moan between gritted teeth, he slammed his fist into the soft, sandy earth. Pain shot up his arm, sharp hungry needles, distracting him, briefly, from the flames of hurt disbelief raging in his heart.
Adora was his friend. His stomach tensed as what he heard that morning flowed through his mind, pounding in his skull. Curling up, placing his head between his knees, rage and pain and disbelief rolled over him in equal measure. Sweating, trembling, gasping for air, he struggled for calm.
Nothing was certain.
Adora, one of the few people to see beyond his playboy persona, beyond the jokes and facade of carelessness he showed the world was a member of the horde.
He shuddered.
Adora looked inside him and saw someone no one else did. She saw Bow, the man. A man who wanted freedom for his people and was willing to pay any price, even play the fool just to bring them a little joy for a brief time. She recognized the burden of sadness he carried within him, soothing it with her easy acceptance of him. Because of this his feelings for her ran deep.
Yes, he was conceited, he was a braggart; he had many skills, all of which made him extremely proud. Since the age of twelve he dedicated himself to becoming an adept fighter for his people. For years he studied Archery with the greatest archers on Etheria. Ondi-amites, wood elves of the meadowlands. Their name meant 'harmony' in a forgotten language. A race of beings who made the trees of the forests their homes, their spirits were in fact part of the trees. When Hordack tried bombing them, their collective spell casting abilities erected a magical barrier over the woods and meadows, keeping the Horde, their bombs and flames out of the meadowlands.
When Hordack couldn't conquer the meadowlands, he blockaded them. Setting up a mine field along its borders which ensured none could go in and none could come out. Being a race of pacifists, the elves stayed in their forests and rolling meadows; choosing not to contest the dominance of the horde in Untakki. Later the Horde conquered the agrarian towns and vast wheat fields of the north. They installed an overlord and formed a dark alliance with the Kulketnich and other dark spawn of Ugaua.
After studying four years with the Ondi-amites they named him master archer; a title they rarely conferred on humans. He also became proficient with the staff. With them he developed his appreciation for music. There he discovered his marginal talent for illusion and magic. He also learned to read people and understand them.
People as a rule were suspicious and untrusting; he learned brooding in silence and holding his pain close to his heart would earn him nothing; but often, many would open up to the effulgent and gregarious. A warm smile and friendly jest accompanied by a willing ear and tankard of ale could earn him much needed information about the horde and local sympathies. Hence his alter ego the laughable, teaseable, loveable, rogue.
Many times that was all people saw when they looked at him. It wasn't so bad because over the years the persona had become part of who he was; but not all of him. He was so much more. Somehow Adora had seen that. She saw his skill, his commitment and dedication and talked to him as a person.
Until Adora and She-ra joined the rebellion he had despaired of ever being seen for who he truly was. Glimmer, then the leader of the rebellion, often scolded him like a child. He couldn't blame her. It was the image he cultivated, flirting with all the women in the rebellion- including her. Adora knew differently. Almost from the beginning. Adora took the time to dig beneath the layers of defense and deceit to find out about the man behind the fool.
Adora knew him.
He thought he knew her.
Maybe he was wrong.
On both counts.
Inhaling deeply, he smelled spring and sun and honeysuckle, he felt the gentle touch of warm afternoon air. What if it were true? What if she had betrayed them all.
That would make her his enemy.
He hurt. He needed to ride. Turning he headed back to the woods. Arrow at least, was one friend who would not betray him.
She-ra flew low over the woods, Swiftwinds hooves lightly grazing the lofty carnation-hued bows of the pastel paradise. Hidden in the trees, listening to the meeting below, she observed the rebels chart their future course. She gazed on Peekablue's weak form in concern. She bore witness to everyone's reaction to Adora's betrayal. Her eyes misting over with tears which fell, unimpeded. She was able to pinpoint the exact moment Glimmer, disillusioned by her former leaders act of terror, lost faith in her.
Bow's reaction hit her hard.
Of all the rebels she worried about him most. Bow was special to her. His life had not always been easy. His was a dual personality. The world knew him as carefree and happy and fun-loving and lightheartedness personified. Adora recognized him as a man committed to the cause of freedom to the marrow of his bones and the depths of his soul. He carried the tragedy of his parents in his heart as a constant reminder of why he fought the Horde. This gave him a trace sadness, barely detectable in his eyes unless looked for.
Adora sensed it immediately. Possibly because she carried her own personal torment inside her. She felt a kinship with him; a connection of shared sorrow. Both of them having lost their families to the Horde- for though hers was not dead, her family had missed twenty-one years of her life. Twenty-six, if one counted her years with the rebellion. Twenty-six years she could never regain. And if the Horde were not defeated soon, they would miss the next twenty-six.
As She-ra she needed to find him and offer what comfort she could. But it would have to be a swift comfort. Hordack was expecting to capture She-ra this day near the Sartyrn forest, unaware.
Adora's price, paid for the dubious honor of becoming supreme Horde Commander. She-ra shivered. The beast Adora had ridden that morning left his odor on her. Swiftwind had balked, refusing to allow her to mount until after she had bathed the stench of Horde-steed from her body.
Suddenly snapping from her silent musings, she spied the object of her thoughts and search. Bow, on the beach, pushing his mount hard, racing across the wet sands.
"Down, Swiftwind!" She-ra commanded. With a whinny of assent, the unicorn lowered himself to the ground and began keeping effortless pace with Bows stallion.
The golden horse gleamed with sweat, its mouth frothed with spittle, its chest heaved. It was obviously tired but continued pushing itself beyond exhaustion. She-ra placed her hand to her head and tried to contact the beast with her mind. It's thoughts were simple and light, full of love and devotion; not the dark multifaceted hate and rage of the Horde Steed. She shivered, recalling how- as She-ra, she had been forced to subdue the beast before mounting him as Adora.
My friend…hurt…heart sad…I run fast… take him away from sorrow…" The disjointed images that came with these thoughts branded themselves in She- ra's mind. Bow burying his head in Arrows auburn mane. Silent tears, hot and heavy streaking a salty path of emotional fire down his cheek losing themselves in Arrows mane. Not a sound passing his lips but his manly frame shuddered once. Twice. Arrow nuzzling him. Arms tightening around the equines neck. Then he mounted turning his horse towards the beach where his four-hoov-ed friend struggled to distance Bow from the heartache inside him.
"Bow! Stop!" Bow gave no indication of having heard her but began slowing Arrow to a halt. The wind erased all evidence of crying from his face leaving his expression closed; the angles of his face seemingly carved of rock. But the image was there in her mind, haunting her. He sat erect, stiff, unmoving. His voice like a whip, harsh, stinging lashed its way across her reverie.
"Is it true? Has Adora betrayed us?" His full bottom lip compressed into a flat line as he awaited her answer. At a loss, she didn't know how to respond. To delay the inevitable she threw her leg over Swiftwinds saddle and slid to the ground.
"Bow… walk with me?"
"Answer me!" Bow snapped. His dark eyes blazing angry fire at the warrior woman. She-ra arched one blonde brow at him and placed her hands on her hips, tossing her hair over her shoulder she waited. After a moment Bow grunted, before dismounting. In one fluid motion he leapt to the ground, landing lightly on the balls of his feet. He stood eye-to-eye with her. Not something many men could brag about. Her cerulean orbs lowered, her gaze fell to the ground.
"Well?" He snapped.
"From one point of view you could say Adora has betrayed us all. But from my perspective she is doing what she has always wanted to do. She is uniting her people."
"She-ra, don't play word games! She's working for the horde now!"
"Yes." She replied, evenly, her steady-eyed gaze piercing his soul. "But you know why. She is going to kill Leech." She-ra turned away, wrapping her arms around her middle, rubbing her hands over her elbows as if cold. She began walking. Her golden boots making light indentations on the soft mud of the shoreline. Bow fell into step alongside her. They were both quiet a moment. Then he spoke.
"You know Adora has never killed before."
"I know."
"What if she freezes?"
"She won't." She-ra answered softly.
"How can you be sure?" Bow queried a thoughtful frown on his face. She-ra stopped walking so Bow did as well. He looked at her. Her face had gone white. Her eyes haunted- causing the lavender flecks in their sapphire depths to be more pronounced.
"When Adora told me what happened to the boy in the forest she climbed on Swiftwind and together and we searched for Leech. We did not find him. We found only the trail of death and sorrow he left behind. Five more children dead." She-ra's voice trailed off at the remembered horror, "Adora was responsible for it all. If she hadn't underestimated Leech, if she had taken him seriously as the threat he was instead of laughing at him, this would not have happened." Bows mouth dropped open as he gazed in astonishment at his friend. When he found his voice, however he launched into an attack to dispute her poisoned logic.
"How can you say that! Adora made an error in judgment, I agree, but she is not to blame for Leeches actions!" She-ra gazed into his eyes for a long moment before responding.
"Regardless of what you or I think, she believes she is and she has appointed herself as the avenger of these children. She is willing to pay what price she must."
"But at the expense of our entire world?!" He ran his hands through his hair in frustration, "I just don't understand." Bow looked out over the azure sea of Sigh, his thoughts crashing together like the waves crashed against the sand at his feet. "If this is all about guilt then I have to go to her! I have to convince her that it is not her fault." She- ra glanced at him sharply grabbing his arm.
"You must not do that!" Bow looked pointedly at her grip on his forearm. She relaxed her hand and he pulled away.
A first.
He had never pulled from her touch before. She stepped back. "I have spoken to her. Her position is tenuous right now. Hordack is all that stands between her and failure. The rest of his armies are not happy at her return. She has many enemies. Give her time, Bow. She will come to us." Bow searched her face for a moment, finally his shoulders slumped.
"I don't want Adora as an enemy." She-ra raised a hand to cup his cheek softly, for a moment their eyes locked. Then she cleared her throat and stepped away.
"I have to go." She mounted Swiftwind. "Have hope my friend. It is the one thing we must never lose, else the darkness that struggles to claim Adora will take us all. Up, Swifty!" She-ra and her unicorn flew into the afternoon sky disappearing from sight. Bow turned to Arrow. He was trembling. Guilt flooded his heart.
"I'm sorry boy, let me rub you down." Bow cared for his steed lost in thoughts of Adora's redemption. If Adora was doing this out of guilt, she needed a friend to help her see the truth of things. He was that friend. He vowed then and there no matter what he would never lose faith in Adora.
A fierce orange orb, brilliant and golden, white rays of light filtered through fluffy pink clouds in exuberant abandon. A benign sun sat high in the sky, gentle deity of the afternoon heavens. It was warm, it was quiet, it was beautiful. Such a perfect day. Of the sort Bow enjoyed sharing with Adora.
But Adora was gone.
Possibly a traitor.
His gut clenched. Curling callused hands into fists he walked without purpose, without destination, retaining the vague idea of finding She-ra, but mainly he just needed to move. His stride was long, his gait sure. He should have grabbed Arrow, but he hadn't thought; his emotions were chaotic, confused, in wild disarray. He needed to find She-ra. She would know what to do.
Problem was he had no idea where to look. Adora would know. But Adora was the reason he needed to find her. Stopping abruptly, he sat down. Trying to maintain control, he breathed unsteadily. With a loud moan between gritted teeth, he slammed his fist into the soft, sandy earth. Pain shot up his arm, sharp hungry needles, distracting him, briefly, from the flames of hurt disbelief raging in his heart.
Adora was his friend. His stomach tensed as what he heard that morning flowed through his mind, pounding in his skull. Curling up, placing his head between his knees, rage and pain and disbelief rolled over him in equal measure. Sweating, trembling, gasping for air, he struggled for calm.
Nothing was certain.
Adora, one of the few people to see beyond his playboy persona, beyond the jokes and facade of carelessness he showed the world was a member of the horde.
He shuddered.
Adora looked inside him and saw someone no one else did. She saw Bow, the man. A man who wanted freedom for his people and was willing to pay any price, even play the fool just to bring them a little joy for a brief time. She recognized the burden of sadness he carried within him, soothing it with her easy acceptance of him. Because of this his feelings for her ran deep.
Yes, he was conceited, he was a braggart; he had many skills, all of which made him extremely proud. Since the age of twelve he dedicated himself to becoming an adept fighter for his people. For years he studied Archery with the greatest archers on Etheria. Ondi-amites, wood elves of the meadowlands. Their name meant 'harmony' in a forgotten language. A race of beings who made the trees of the forests their homes, their spirits were in fact part of the trees. When Hordack tried bombing them, their collective spell casting abilities erected a magical barrier over the woods and meadows, keeping the Horde, their bombs and flames out of the meadowlands.
When Hordack couldn't conquer the meadowlands, he blockaded them. Setting up a mine field along its borders which ensured none could go in and none could come out. Being a race of pacifists, the elves stayed in their forests and rolling meadows; choosing not to contest the dominance of the horde in Untakki. Later the Horde conquered the agrarian towns and vast wheat fields of the north. They installed an overlord and formed a dark alliance with the Kulketnich and other dark spawn of Ugaua.
After studying four years with the Ondi-amites they named him master archer; a title they rarely conferred on humans. He also became proficient with the staff. With them he developed his appreciation for music. There he discovered his marginal talent for illusion and magic. He also learned to read people and understand them.
People as a rule were suspicious and untrusting; he learned brooding in silence and holding his pain close to his heart would earn him nothing; but often, many would open up to the effulgent and gregarious. A warm smile and friendly jest accompanied by a willing ear and tankard of ale could earn him much needed information about the horde and local sympathies. Hence his alter ego the laughable, teaseable, loveable, rogue.
Many times that was all people saw when they looked at him. It wasn't so bad because over the years the persona had become part of who he was; but not all of him. He was so much more. Somehow Adora had seen that. She saw his skill, his commitment and dedication and talked to him as a person.
Until Adora and She-ra joined the rebellion he had despaired of ever being seen for who he truly was. Glimmer, then the leader of the rebellion, often scolded him like a child. He couldn't blame her. It was the image he cultivated, flirting with all the women in the rebellion- including her. Adora knew differently. Almost from the beginning. Adora took the time to dig beneath the layers of defense and deceit to find out about the man behind the fool.
Adora knew him.
He thought he knew her.
Maybe he was wrong.
On both counts.
Inhaling deeply, he smelled spring and sun and honeysuckle, he felt the gentle touch of warm afternoon air. What if it were true? What if she had betrayed them all.
That would make her his enemy.
He hurt. He needed to ride. Turning he headed back to the woods. Arrow at least, was one friend who would not betray him.
She-ra flew low over the woods, Swiftwinds hooves lightly grazing the lofty carnation-hued bows of the pastel paradise. Hidden in the trees, listening to the meeting below, she observed the rebels chart their future course. She gazed on Peekablue's weak form in concern. She bore witness to everyone's reaction to Adora's betrayal. Her eyes misting over with tears which fell, unimpeded. She was able to pinpoint the exact moment Glimmer, disillusioned by her former leaders act of terror, lost faith in her.
Bow's reaction hit her hard.
Of all the rebels she worried about him most. Bow was special to her. His life had not always been easy. His was a dual personality. The world knew him as carefree and happy and fun-loving and lightheartedness personified. Adora recognized him as a man committed to the cause of freedom to the marrow of his bones and the depths of his soul. He carried the tragedy of his parents in his heart as a constant reminder of why he fought the Horde. This gave him a trace sadness, barely detectable in his eyes unless looked for.
Adora sensed it immediately. Possibly because she carried her own personal torment inside her. She felt a kinship with him; a connection of shared sorrow. Both of them having lost their families to the Horde- for though hers was not dead, her family had missed twenty-one years of her life. Twenty-six, if one counted her years with the rebellion. Twenty-six years she could never regain. And if the Horde were not defeated soon, they would miss the next twenty-six.
As She-ra she needed to find him and offer what comfort she could. But it would have to be a swift comfort. Hordack was expecting to capture She-ra this day near the Sartyrn forest, unaware.
Adora's price, paid for the dubious honor of becoming supreme Horde Commander. She-ra shivered. The beast Adora had ridden that morning left his odor on her. Swiftwind had balked, refusing to allow her to mount until after she had bathed the stench of Horde-steed from her body.
Suddenly snapping from her silent musings, she spied the object of her thoughts and search. Bow, on the beach, pushing his mount hard, racing across the wet sands.
"Down, Swiftwind!" She-ra commanded. With a whinny of assent, the unicorn lowered himself to the ground and began keeping effortless pace with Bows stallion.
The golden horse gleamed with sweat, its mouth frothed with spittle, its chest heaved. It was obviously tired but continued pushing itself beyond exhaustion. She-ra placed her hand to her head and tried to contact the beast with her mind. It's thoughts were simple and light, full of love and devotion; not the dark multifaceted hate and rage of the Horde Steed. She shivered, recalling how- as She-ra, she had been forced to subdue the beast before mounting him as Adora.
My friend…hurt…heart sad…I run fast… take him away from sorrow…" The disjointed images that came with these thoughts branded themselves in She- ra's mind. Bow burying his head in Arrows auburn mane. Silent tears, hot and heavy streaking a salty path of emotional fire down his cheek losing themselves in Arrows mane. Not a sound passing his lips but his manly frame shuddered once. Twice. Arrow nuzzling him. Arms tightening around the equines neck. Then he mounted turning his horse towards the beach where his four-hoov-ed friend struggled to distance Bow from the heartache inside him.
"Bow! Stop!" Bow gave no indication of having heard her but began slowing Arrow to a halt. The wind erased all evidence of crying from his face leaving his expression closed; the angles of his face seemingly carved of rock. But the image was there in her mind, haunting her. He sat erect, stiff, unmoving. His voice like a whip, harsh, stinging lashed its way across her reverie.
"Is it true? Has Adora betrayed us?" His full bottom lip compressed into a flat line as he awaited her answer. At a loss, she didn't know how to respond. To delay the inevitable she threw her leg over Swiftwinds saddle and slid to the ground.
"Bow… walk with me?"
"Answer me!" Bow snapped. His dark eyes blazing angry fire at the warrior woman. She-ra arched one blonde brow at him and placed her hands on her hips, tossing her hair over her shoulder she waited. After a moment Bow grunted, before dismounting. In one fluid motion he leapt to the ground, landing lightly on the balls of his feet. He stood eye-to-eye with her. Not something many men could brag about. Her cerulean orbs lowered, her gaze fell to the ground.
"Well?" He snapped.
"From one point of view you could say Adora has betrayed us all. But from my perspective she is doing what she has always wanted to do. She is uniting her people."
"She-ra, don't play word games! She's working for the horde now!"
"Yes." She replied, evenly, her steady-eyed gaze piercing his soul. "But you know why. She is going to kill Leech." She-ra turned away, wrapping her arms around her middle, rubbing her hands over her elbows as if cold. She began walking. Her golden boots making light indentations on the soft mud of the shoreline. Bow fell into step alongside her. They were both quiet a moment. Then he spoke.
"You know Adora has never killed before."
"I know."
"What if she freezes?"
"She won't." She-ra answered softly.
"How can you be sure?" Bow queried a thoughtful frown on his face. She-ra stopped walking so Bow did as well. He looked at her. Her face had gone white. Her eyes haunted- causing the lavender flecks in their sapphire depths to be more pronounced.
"When Adora told me what happened to the boy in the forest she climbed on Swiftwind and together and we searched for Leech. We did not find him. We found only the trail of death and sorrow he left behind. Five more children dead." She-ra's voice trailed off at the remembered horror, "Adora was responsible for it all. If she hadn't underestimated Leech, if she had taken him seriously as the threat he was instead of laughing at him, this would not have happened." Bows mouth dropped open as he gazed in astonishment at his friend. When he found his voice, however he launched into an attack to dispute her poisoned logic.
"How can you say that! Adora made an error in judgment, I agree, but she is not to blame for Leeches actions!" She-ra gazed into his eyes for a long moment before responding.
"Regardless of what you or I think, she believes she is and she has appointed herself as the avenger of these children. She is willing to pay what price she must."
"But at the expense of our entire world?!" He ran his hands through his hair in frustration, "I just don't understand." Bow looked out over the azure sea of Sigh, his thoughts crashing together like the waves crashed against the sand at his feet. "If this is all about guilt then I have to go to her! I have to convince her that it is not her fault." She- ra glanced at him sharply grabbing his arm.
"You must not do that!" Bow looked pointedly at her grip on his forearm. She relaxed her hand and he pulled away.
A first.
He had never pulled from her touch before. She stepped back. "I have spoken to her. Her position is tenuous right now. Hordack is all that stands between her and failure. The rest of his armies are not happy at her return. She has many enemies. Give her time, Bow. She will come to us." Bow searched her face for a moment, finally his shoulders slumped.
"I don't want Adora as an enemy." She-ra raised a hand to cup his cheek softly, for a moment their eyes locked. Then she cleared her throat and stepped away.
"I have to go." She mounted Swiftwind. "Have hope my friend. It is the one thing we must never lose, else the darkness that struggles to claim Adora will take us all. Up, Swifty!" She-ra and her unicorn flew into the afternoon sky disappearing from sight. Bow turned to Arrow. He was trembling. Guilt flooded his heart.
"I'm sorry boy, let me rub you down." Bow cared for his steed lost in thoughts of Adora's redemption. If Adora was doing this out of guilt, she needed a friend to help her see the truth of things. He was that friend. He vowed then and there no matter what he would never lose faith in Adora.
