AUTHOR'S NOTE: Don't be surprised to see characters from the new show to pop up in slightly different roles in these fics. If there's any confusion, let me know. W

Chapter Ten: "Unexpected"

Teelana stood in a meadow of tall grass. Birds sang to their mates. Bugs buzzed lazily by. She was happy and mortal, here in the world that existed outside the walls of Castle Grayskull.

And then . . . there was a sudden explosion right behind her. Teelana spun and watched a fire spread from a plum of darkness, catching the tall grass aflame and turning it into an inferno. The darkness took shape - tall, like a tower, and with a head that grew two red eyes that burned into her own.

There red eyes warbled and took shape themselves.

Teelana screamed at what the became.

A bat. A huge, red bat.

Teelana awoke with a start, the dream immediately in tatters running around in her memory. She assured herself - tried to - that it was all a dream. Hormones and that's all. Nothing more, nothing less. Teelana was mortal now (or close to it, at least) and that meant there were no more visions or prophecies that came dancing to her in the middle of the night.

Except that was a complete lie and she knew it.

Try as she might, it was something she tried hard to deny simply because she had been having this dream a lot lately. And when that thought came to her as she rolled in her bed and the early sun came down on her from the window, the barrier of denial broke a little and a horrible thought came through.

Inside- deep inside - Teelana knew what this was. It was a warning of what was to come. It was a warning that all the ancient plans that rolled on through the ages had at long last reached the point of manifestation. That something that started with the death of Queen Lara all those years ago was picking up steam and would come to head.

She heard the whispers in the Hall of Wisdom. She sensed the growing bud of tension and anticipation in the walls of Castle Grayskull. And she knew the truth within her . . . and that was where the dream was coming from. Not hormones. Not mortal-life. It was from within her - that part of her that was still beyond time/space.

Teelana knew that it was coming.

The time of when evil and good would clash like never before was coming.

And after that . . . a while after that, but not long afterwards . . . the Swords of Power and Protection would be drawn.

And all those plans - plans both secret and public, both great and terrible - would come to fruition.

"No," Teelana muttered and put her face into her pillow. "Please, I need to forget about all this. I can't deal with this now. Not on top of everything else. Please, I need to forget."

Teelana's plea was answered. Her stomach churned violently. In three seconds flat, the former Sorceress was lurched over the toilet, heaving yesterday's dinner into the bowl. She fell backwards, her stomach still unsettled.

Carefully, she lifted her nightshirt and touched the tiny bit of growth at her abdomen. Taking a deep breath and feeling like it was over, Teelana lifted herself up. She felt a little dizzy, but steadied herself. Teelana examined herself from the side and found this slightly bulge a little disconcerting.

Duncan hadn't noticed - thankfully. She wasn't sure what to tell him. She wasn't sure what anyone was going to say. Teelana feared the worst - that the child she was now carrying, Duncan's child, would be born in secrecy before she took up her role in Castle Grayskull. That the child would be born without a mother.

Putting all of the responsibility on Duncan - who didn't even know about the pregnancy yet. Who didn't even know that he was going to be a father in ten months. He didn't know about the morning sickness or the slight tummy she had developed or any of the other signs that had appeared in the past few weeks.

A wave of nausea came over Teelana and she went to the toilet again and found that she had forgotten to throw up some of yesterday's side dish.

She wasn't quite sure when the child was conceived, but if she had to guess, it would be that first time six weeks ago. They had made love much since then, but she was convinced that it was that time that the baby inside was conceived.

Duncan was clueless and this she knew. She had picked at his thoughts here and there, sensing this feeling and that thought. However - Teelana knew that this couldn't last forever.

"I need to tell him," she said to herself. "He needs to know that I'm having his baby."


Marlena sat out on a bench some six weeks later, a computer pad on her left and a tablet of paper on her lap. The computer was displaying a list of 30 symbols that made up the Eternian alphabet; the tablet was the Earth letters as she tried to match them up.

It was hard. Very hard.

The computer was sounding out far too many "aaaaa"s or "mmmmm"s or "ooooo"s that drove Marlena up a wall. Distracting her, of course, was the crowd of girls that seemed to be huddled around King Randor at the other end of the courtyard. They were giggling and making fluttering eyes. She wasn't sure what they were (something about the Farmer's Daughters Association? Something like that), but all she knew is that it caused a bizarre pang of jealousy in her stomach.

And that really didn't make any sense. Though, in many ways, it was the confirmation of a fear she had been suspecting for the past number of weeks (since around the Kissing Moon Festival) - that she was indeed falling head-over-heels in love with King Randor.

She could chalk it up to puppy love or that whole association that he was the one that rescued her. But she felt it deeper inside of her than any of those things. Marlena Glenn, of Earth, was in love with King Randor, leader of the most powerful kingdom on Eternia.

Randor, at that point, looked over at her and waved. Marlena gave him a little wave back.

"I am in so much trouble," she uttered to herself.

Not far away, Duncan walked over and stood next to Susannah. He saw King Randor covered in women. He then saw Marlena, trying not to look at him.

"Hey," he said, everything finally clicking. "I think she's got a crush on him."

"Ya think?" cracked Susannah. "I figured that out after that dinner you guys had after she first came here."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I think Randor might have feelings for her too."

Duncan perked an eyebrow. "Really? I don't think so."

"Have you asked him?"

"Nope."

"Maybe you should. Have you spent any time with him since your little honey moved into town?"

"Uh . . . not really."

"Like, I said, maybe you should."

Duncan grunted. "At least he dumped that airhead Gina."

"Oh yes. She was dumber than a pile of rocks."


That evening, King Randor was hosting a dinner in which many of his personal and professional friends were invited. Stratos came, along with Man-At-Arms (Rohad) and Captain Dekker of the Royal Guard. Lord Stingrad from Insectia arrived as well, with his son Buzz-Off in tow. Duncan and Teelana (who had changed her appearance, except for the subtle bump) were there too, and Marlena and Susannah came along.

As everyone mingled in the Lounge, Marlena found herself talking to Teelana. As she did (listening to some boring story about the Elders), Marlena realized that she had been stared at Randor the entire time, gazing at those solid blue eyes and that handsome, diviner

"Marlena? Are you okay?" asked Teelana suddenly.

Marlena broke her gaze and looked at her companion. It was right then that she realized something was bothering Teelana, drifting right beneath the surface.

"I'm fine. Teelana, what's wrong?"

Teelana let out a sigh of relief, as if she had been dying the Earthling would ask that. Marlena felt a small bomb of guilt in her stomach go off. Teelana glanced at Duncan, who was laughing uproarsly with Randor and Stratos clear across the room.

She turned back at Marlena and whispered to her: "I'm pregnant."

Marlena blinked. "Are you serious?!"

"Shhhh."

"Sorry," Marlena apologized, keeping her voice down.

"Yes, I'm sure, but Duncan doesn't know."

"Oh Teelana, you've got to tell him."

"I'm afraid to."

Marlena offered her a smile and touched her hand. "Don't worry, Teelana. I'll be here every step of the way."

Teelana smiled back at her, but knew that it was not true. That in one year, the child would be born and the she would be back in Grayskull, separated from that child. She looked to Duncan and fought back a sob. She managed to compose herself as her wondrous lover came and put her hand onto Teelana's shoulder.

"And what are you two gossiping about?" asked Duncan, smiling at both the ladies.

"Oh," Teelana returned, patting that shoulder-laden hand, "never you mind, dear."

Dinner was delicious. A wonderful combination of the right meats, veggies, and fruits. It was a meal unlike anything Marlena had ever tasted - even in the four months she had been here. There was a lot of talk between all them about current events in Eternia.

While the desserts were being produced, Randor stood up and raised his glass in a toast. "To all of you at this table - friends and loved ones, both personal and political - and to the future of Eternia!"

"Cheers!" all said in unison.

Marlena felt a sudden, unspoken bond between all of them. There was an immediate sense of belonging, like they were all meant to be here, together, and were all binded by this moment in time. She had a strange thought in these few, precious moments . . . all them here were quite important and would be even more so in the days to come.

She wasn't quite sure how she knew that, only that she did. And while it troubled her, it also comforted her a whole lot.


Duncan walked Teelana to her apartment on the first level at her own request. They didn't talk much during their walk, which meant to Duncan that there was something on her mind. Whenever Teelana was quiet like this, it was usually because there was something else occupying her thoughts.

When they entered into her apartment, Teelana got them both something to drink. He hadn't noticed that she didn't drink any of the wine at dinner, not even during the toast.

"So . . . what's wrong, honey?" Duncan asked, as perceptive as ever.

"What do you mean?" replied the former Sorceress, playing it coy and innocent.

"Teelana, I know there's something bothering you. What is it?"

"It's . . . I . . ." She paused and sat down across from him. "I have some . . . interesting news. It's . . . I'm not really sure what kind of news it is, whether it's good or bad. It's . . . just . . ."

"What? Are you . . . do have you to return to Grayskull?"

"No. Nothing like that . . . it's just I . . ."

"What is it? What's the matter?"

"Duncan, I'm pregnant."

She watched his face as surprise exploded across his rugged features. Eyes widening, mouth opening a little. Even his ears perked up.

"What . . . ? Preg-pregnant?"

Teelana nodded, tears forming in her green eyes. "Yes."

"I . . . oh, I . . ."

"It's yours, of course. Duncan, I don't know what . . ."

"I love you," he answered, staring at her. "I love you and that's what matters."

"Duncan . . ."

"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl? How far along are you?"

"Six weeks. I'm not sure if it's a girl or a boy yet. I won't know for a while. Duncan, what are we going to do? I have to go back to Grayskull a month after it's born!"

Duncan sighed a little and wiped his face with his hand. He had completely forgotten all about that. "We'll . . . we'll worry about that when the time comes."

"What do we do, then? What are we going to do?"

Duncan got off his chair and leaned forward, putting his hand on the small bump he had at long last just noticed. "We're going to be a family, my love."