Chapter Four - "The Farmlands"
For these two animals, the memories were quite vivid. They watched with unease and distrust as it played out before them. Their master - their leader - was betrayed and vanished.
"Sit down, Hiss! And stop this madness and maybe I'll let you live!" cried their master.
"Your leadership of this council has ended, Skeletor," said the man with snakes. Their master blasted the man with snakes out of the tent.
"Anyone else want to question my orders?" their master questioned.
"I wasn't finished!" the man with the snakes yelled when he returned. The snakes appeared then, and they bit at their master. The master was filled with poison. "Stay calm, everyone. Just an agreement I made here."
Their master vanished, then, with an ugly, pale man with a red bat on his chest. It was at that moment that Panthor and Screech decided that they must search for their master - Skeletor. His scent was not easy to find and the hunt would be difficult - but these creatures were smart and, if anything, loyal.
Communicating in a sort of instinct and body language, the pair hunted across the Fertile Plains. Working only under the threat that one may kill the other, the pair moved along scattered scents of times long past.
Their relationship was an odd one. Panthor would kill a bovine or some other animal, and would leave some left over for Screech to peck at. Screech would scour the ground from the sky and actually pick out the animal for them to dine on.
These animals, gifted with incredible senses, did not know that it was not Skeletor's scent they had. It was the man that Skeletor was before - Keldor, the fallen son of the king. And they have been going around the Fertile Plains - Eternos, specifically - for weeks now, caught on a cold trail. However, many animals were being eaten and the many men that owned those animals were starting notice.
What did Panthor and Screech care? Not one bit. They were on the hunt.
"Well, well, well, look what the plants dragged in."
Moss Man smiled in return. Prince Adam watched, then, as a very pale and very brown Evilseed was placed into his holding cell. Man-At-Arms, who was also present, tapped his fingers against a keypad across the room. The cell sealed shut. Inside sprinkler that would turn on once a day and a single shaft of light fell that came from the only window - which was some eighty feet above the floor. There was also a bucket of soil - made sure to be free of any spores or seeds - and it contained only the basic nutrients.
"He should be secure. Good job, Moss Man," Man-At-Arms told his fellow warrior.
"Thank you, sir. It wasn't easy, but with Perfuma's help, we were able to take him down."
"Where is Perfuma now?" wondered Adam. He was quite satisfied with the fact that she seemed to be the only woman on Etheria that didn't have a crush on him or He-Man (not counting his sister, of course).
"Back home. It was . . . we had fun."
"Good."
With Evilseed locked away and several guards posted, the trio went into the lift and headed back down to the first level. "So, Adam, what's this I hear about an expedition?" wondered Moss Man.
"I am heading into an unexplored region of the lower Fertile Plains coast, where the Harmony Sea meets the Ocean of Gnarl."
Moss Man grinned. "Bring me back a few plant samples, will you?"
"Sure thing. Potted, right?"
"Right."
The lift came to a halt and Adam, Man-At-Arms, and Moss Man went their separate ways. Moss Man went to find the King, and Man-At-Arms was looking over a report.
"So, what's next?" asked Prince Adam.
"There's been a few strange occurrences in the farmlands. Animal deaths, like they were ripped apart. Bizarre screeches and howls."
Adam furrowed his brow. "Uh, not that I mean to diminish this whole problem, but isn't this a little, I don't know, beneath us? Like, isn't this a case for local authorities and not royal?"
"Maybe, but we're doing this at Rio Blast's request. Besides, you're going to be the next king eventually. It couldn't hurt to show your face around the commoners."
Adam nodded. "I suppose, yeah. Okay. Mind if I bring Cringer?"
Man-At-Arms smiled. "Sure."
At that moment, as they walked across one of the internal lobbies, Adam spotted his faithful companion. Cringer was sprawled belly-up in a sunbeam that fell from a unrepaired hole in the ceiling.
"Cring!" yelled out Adam. "We're heading to farmlands! Wanna come?"
Cringer opened one lazy eye at his friend. "Will there be food?"
Adam smiled. "The best kind, Cringer. Good ol' fashion country food straight from the crops and the fields to your plate!"
The tiger sprung up from his spot in a flash and nearly toppled the pair flat. Man-At-Arms gave out a brief laugh. Adam grinned and patted Cringer on the head. "That got ya, didn't it?"
"Sure did! I'm hungry!"
Adam, Cringer and Man-At-Arms walked through the lobby and into one of the lifts. As it took them down to the hanger bay, Adam leaned against the wall of the lift and sighed heavily. "If you knew just how very little I want to do this . . ."
"It won't be that bad, Adam," Man-At-Arms attempted.
"Please. I love the kingdom, I love the people, and all that. But I have absolutely no desire to spend the whole day hanging out in the sticks looking for some creature that's attacking livestock. I mean, come on, there are more important matters to attend to."
"Like what?"
"King Hiss, the whole gang at Snake Mountain, the reconstruction here at Eternos, and my command of the Great Towers."
"Seriously, Adam, this won't be that bad. Maybe it's part of a bigger picture."
Adam gazed at Man-At-Arms with mild disbelief. "You honestly believe that King Hiss or one of the others is involved?"
"Um . . . no."
Adam scoffed. "I rest my case then."
Cringer looked up at Adam. "Just think of the food, Adam. Just think of the food." Adam chuckled and the lift came to rest. The door came open and the trio traveled down a corridor to the hanger bay, where vehicles of all types sat out in waiting. Rio Blast was also there, leaning against a Wind Raider, a cigarette in between his lips.
"You boys ready?" he asked.
"Ready as we ever will be," Adam replied and coughed a little, choking on the cigarette smoke. Rio Blast flattened the cig with his boot and hopped into the Wind Raider with the other three.
"We're heading to these coordinates," he told them, pointing to a display on the monitor. "It's the home of an old friend named Roman and his family. They suffered a good numbers of these attacks on their livestock. Roman's oldest daughter apparently even saw what did it."
"Did Roman give you a description?" asked Man-At-Arms. The Wind Raider was now hovering off the ground and made for the bay doors.
"Nah. Guess his daughter is some kinda artist. She drew the creature."
"When did you talk to him last?" As Man-At-Arms asked this, the Wind Raider blasted out of the hanger doors and headed southwest.
"This morning. He originally told me all about it at the celebration few days ago."
"He was at the celebration?" wondered Adam absently.
"Yes sir. Figured it won't be a problem if I invited a few friends."
"It wasn't. The more the merrier," Adam replied.
The group chatted a while as the Wind Raider crossed the blue sky. They talked about royalty and Rio Blast told a few stories Adam had heard while he was He-Man (though he had to obviously hide that fact). After nearly an hour, Man-At-Arms began to slow the Wind Raider down and angle in for a descent.
"That's it there," pointed out Rio Blast.
The Wind Raider came down behind a farmhouse. As the exhaust was belched out from the engines, Roman himself came out. Roman was a large man, with a big ball of a belly hanging out past his gut. A thick scruff covered the bottom of his jaw and chin. He was nowhere near ancient, but was older than Adam's father.
"Good morning to ya," Roman greeted the foursome. His eyes then locked onto Prince Adam "Didn't the prince hisself would be here! Put 'er there, your majesty!"
Adam's hand was engulfed by Roman's. It was a thick, hard hand - built by work and strength. Adam smiled with a little amusement and open friendliness.
"Please, just call me Adam."
"Ah, shucks, sire. Sure thing. This here your tiger?"
"Yes!" yelped Cringer. "And I'm hungry at that!"
Roman let out a heft laugh of amazement. "Well, look at that! I did hear that there were still some tigers that knew how to talk, but I never thought I'd see one!"
"Well, you did," Cringer returned.
"I get ya some food in a little bit there, stripy. It's the least I can do for a group of royals comin' out here to hear some tall tales spun from a poor farming commoner."
Man-At-Arms shook his hand then. "It's really not a problem. What affects one part of the kingdom can easily affect all parts. I'm the Man-At-Arms, but you can call me Duncan."
"Duncan then. Good to see you too, Jonas. Don't want you to think I forgot you."
"Not a problem. How are the kids?"
"Just fine, thanks."
Adam was suddenly very confused as Roman shook Rio Blast's hand after addressing him as 'Jonas.' He then realized that Jonas was indeed Rio Blast's real name. He logged that away in his memory and then turned to look out upon Roman's farm. It was wide and hilly, with huge green pastures that spanned as far as he could see. Adam thought he could see the edges of a nearby forest, but wasn't quite sure.
"So, can you give us a description of what you saw?" asked Duncan.
"It was so much me that saw it," Roman replied. "It was my oldest. Let me get here for ya."
Adam was still looking out at the fields when he heard Roman call into the house. "Kathryn? Can you come out here for a few?"
The Prince of Eternos blinked. He turned back to the house and the group just in time to see Kathryn emerge from the door. It was indeed the same girl from the party - the one with the pretty brown-blond hair and the big green eyes. Adam gasped a little. So, he noticed, did she.
"Oh, hi," she greeted innocently. "I thought I heard something. My name is Kathryn. Jonas, good to see you again."
"Hello sweetie," Rio Blast - Jonas - said with the kind of tone a busy uncle would take.
"You must be Man-At-Arms," she said and shook Duncan's hand.
"I am. A pleasure."
She then turned to Prince Adam. "And you're who I think you are, aren't you?"
Adam smiled fully. "I am. I admit I wasn't expecting to see you, Kathryn."
Kathryn touched his hand. "Well, I hope it's not that bad of a thing."
"Oh no, my lady. In fact, it's very much a pleasant surprise." He lifted her hand up to his lips by hold her fingers gently. He kissed softly the back of her hand. Kathryn's face turned red.
"Same here," she said, embarrassment in her voice.
"You know her, Adam?" wondered Duncan.
"We met at the party," Adam told his mentor. "She just kinda grabbed me and started dancing."
At that, Roman let out a hefty laugh. "You should see the look on her face when she told me she was dancin' with the Prince of Eternos! Red as a rose!"
"Da!" cried Kathryn with even more embarrassment. The others smiled and laughed. It was then that Kathryn took notice of Cringer. "Who's this?"
"My name's Cringer. Can I have some food?"
Kathryn's green eyes widened. "And you can talk! That's great!"
"And I'm hungry!"
They all laughed. Roman went up onto the porch. "Kathy, why don't you get these gents some food? Me and Jonas here will shoot the shit. We'll eat and tell 'em what we know about this thing that's been eatin' our livestock."
"Sure thing, Da. Come on, Adam. I'll introduce you to my siblings."
Kathryn led Adam and Cringer into house. Duncan looked to Rio Blast and Roman. "If you don't mind, I think I'll have a look around the farm," he told them. "Get an idea as to where things are before I hear about them."
"Sure thing."
Inside, Adam did indeed Benjamin (age 4), Alice (age 7), and Olivia (age 14). Benjamin was small and seemed to have a big head with a big bush of brown hair on his large sphere. Alice was pretty, with long dark brown that reached to the middle of her back. Olivia's hair, however, was pure blond and she had small, brown eyes.
"Nice to meet you all," Adam greeted.
Olivia looked at Adam with what he gathered was the beginning of puppy-love. Alice was excited to have such a 'celebrity' here in their very own kitchen. Benjamin, however, brandished a short wooden sword.
"I'm He-Man!" yelled the young boy.
Adam laughed hard. "I bet you are!"
"Do you know He-Man?" asked Alice.
"Of course he knows He-Man, Alice," shot out Olivia. "He's the Prince!"
Adam grinned. "Yes, I do He-Man. Nice guy. Saved my life a bunch of times. Even saved the world!"
"I know!" agreed Benjamin. "He stopped that bad man from keeping us all animals! I was a turtle! It was fun and I had a shell!"
"What did you turn into, Prince Adam?" Olivia asked.
"Olivia!" scolded Kathryn. "It's rude to ask that question. The Prince is our guest, so stop bombarding him with questions."
"It's okay, Kathryn," Adam followed. "Why don't you kids play with Cringer?"
Excited by this, Benjamin bounded right over to the tiger. Alice watched and then joined in herself. Olivia found herself walking into another room.
"Sorry about that," Kathryn apologized. "They're a pain. A big pain." She turned back to the stove and began to mix something in a big pot.
"That's okay. What are you making?"
"Shepherd's Pie. Ever had it?"
"Never. Any good?"
She raised her wooden spoon at him. "Probably nowhere near as good as what you're used to at the Palace, but my Da likes it."
I like that, the way she says 'Da' instead of 'father' or 'Dad,' Adam thought to himself. It's cute.
"I'm sure it'll be fine."
She smiled. "Just wait and see because if it is bad, then you'll be stuck with your foot in your mouth."
Adam shook his head. "It'll be good. It looks good."
"Just wait and see, Prince Adam of Eternos. Just wait and see. Have a seat at the table, will you? There's no need to stand here and watch me cook."
Adam did so, and looked at her backside as she stirred the Shepherd's Pie. "It was fun dancing with you, Kathryn. Sorry for cutting out so early."
"No big, sire."
"Adam."
"Adam. It was no big. Got to see He-Man."
"Did you?"
"Yeah."
"What did you think of him?"
Kathryn turned to him, a bit of a observationally disappointed expression on her face. "You know, I wasn't very impressed. Too much bulk."
Adam blinked in complete surprise. "Really?"
"Why are you so surprised?"
The Prince gulped a little. "It's just that, I thought everyone liked He-Man."
"Oh, it's not that. I like He-Man just fine. And I'm happy we have him. It's just . . . I don't know his real name. I don't know who he is. I don't know if I could ever trust him, you know? I mean, I'm sure you know him better than me, but he's mystery to us out here in the sticks." She laughed a little. "I don't know. I like him. I appreciate him. And Ancients knows where we would be if he wasn't around! But . . . I for one would like all the fighting to be over."
"Yeah, me too."
Adam found himself gazing at her, eyes locked over her pretty face with those big green eyes. The sunshine from the nearby window illuminated her features and he realized right then and there that he was falling for her - big time.
NOTE: Dear Reader - please give Kathryn a chance. Don't kill me for trying something different. Thanks.
