Pure Intentions? Chapter 43
Having arrived at Snake Mountain, the Sorceress uttered a cloaking spell so that she and Orko could float around the old temple of Serpos undetected from its current inhabitants.
Sending out invisible tendrils of magic, she let her love for Teela locate her inside the old fortress. Closing her eyes, she levitated mid-air next to Orko who given the dire situation and their supreme need for secrecy was actually quiet. This was so unlike the Trollan magician who was usually extremely boisterous. Teela-Na knew how much her daughter meant to the smaller mage; having always been close to both Teela and Adam since he arrived on their planet.
Exuding the serene patience she was known for, the Sorceress waited for her magic to locate her fiery tempered daughter.
She waited and waited.
Then she waited some more.
Try as she might, she couldn't locate Teela. That meant only one thing. The inhabitants of Snake Mountain were using their own cloaking spell to hide their prisoners. Unfazed by her defeat, she changed tactics.
"Orko", she whispered in a barely audible voice "I can't locate Teela." "I'll try to locate Adam", she notified her partner. Teela-Na hoped her connection with her champion would allow her to zone in on his presence despite the cloaking magic.
"Gotcha, Sorceress", replied the red-floating magician as he allowed himself to get caught by an up-drift of warm muggy air circulating outside Snake Mountain. Knowing the layout of the fortress as he had previously been a prisoner inside, Orko lead the Sorceress to another part of the dungeon.
Once there, they both let their magic locate their loved ones. Instantly, they picked up Adam's aura shining bright through the thick scaly wall.
"He's alone", the Sorceress spoke her thought aloud after realizing that it was only Adam's emanation inside the cell. Her daughter was nowhere to be found.
Again.
Adam awoke to the sound of someone opening the cell door. Confused he looked around getting reacquainted with his surroundings. Memories from yesterday flooded his mind as realization settled that he and Teela were prisoners in Snake Mountain without his sword. Alarmed he startled himself fully awake and shot up off the floor. Looking around the cell, Adam noticed that he was alone.
No longer had that awareness made it to the recesses of his mind, then the sound of Skeletor's diabolical laughter reached his ears. Turning to face the door, Adam glared angrily at his captors. If it wasn't for the fact that he still needed to play the coward, he would have charged through them head-on empowered by Grayskull or not. Adam had just defeated one of Eternia's greatest athletes with his own strength. Having gotten a humongous confidence boost, the Prince knew he could handle Skeletor and his goons, as long as the Lord of Destruction fought like a blood and bone man and not like a wizardly warlord.
Before he could make any final decisions as to his actions, Adam froze as he saw what the evildoers were doing. With a Cheshire grin adorning her beautiful features, Lady Stephania wheeled Teela back into the cell who was strapped down to a gurney. Worry immediately settled in the pit of Adam's stomach. He could only imagine the torture they had put her through. He wondered if she was able to withstand the cruciation without revealing his secret. He knew Teela's resolve was steadfast; however, everyone had their breaking point. He just hoped that they hadn't found hers. Trepidation settled in his gut as he wondered about how much torture Teela had endured at their hands. Adam also worried about the possible consequences toward his family if Skeletor did indeed become privy to one of the best kept secrets in Grayskull's history. He sincerely hoped against that.
To his surprise, other than Stephania grinning and Skeletor laughing like a moron they didn't taunt him with any unnecessary barbs. Rather, they pushed the gurney further into the cell untying the straps to release Teela's limbs as they did so. No one answered the fiery quick questions Adam was throwing at them.
The gurney came to stop at his feet with a thud, while the evildoers sashayed out the door. Adam was left alone in the dungeon, looming over Teela's prone form. Needing to know if she was alright, he scooped her into his bare muscled arms and carried her off the gurney. Returning where they had previously fallen asleep, he cradled her close to his chest trying to offer some warmth to her chilled frame. Lovingly, he examined every inch of her body for any wounds. To his amazement he found none. Adam could only wonder what happened to Teela while he slept.
Rage grew inside of him at their predicament. What could Skeletor want with them? How could he have slept through Teela's removal from the dungeon? How could he so stupidly leave his sword behind? These were the questions that plagued him as he whispered to Teela to raise her from her slumber.
When his whispers didn't work, Adam contemplated letting her sleep. Teela was serene in her sleep as if she hadn't experienced any torment. However, unable to withstand not knowing what happened to her, Adam decided to wake her. Shaking her shoulders lightly, he waited with bated breath for her to open her eyes. When she didn't, fear gripped him that she wasn't conscious. Bending over her body, he brought his head closer to her chest as he scanned for a rise and fall of her diaphragm. Simultaneously, his hand hovered over her nostrils. With his eyes he discerned a slight but steady inhale and exhale pattern while her soft breath tickled his palm.
Cognizant of the fact that she was indeed just sleeping, Adam turned his head so that he could now face her. Recalling a fairy tale from his childhood, courtesy of Queen Marlena, he placed a loving kiss upon her pursed lips.
In the fairy tale, a beautiful sleeping princess was awoken from love's true kiss by her prince. Well Adam was a prince, this was his true love in his arms, and Eternia was full of magic wielders. Lingering over her lips, Adam willed for Teela to wake up.
Nothing.
A wry snicker left his lips as he recalled his mother describing the difference between Eternia and her home planet. "So much for stupid fairy-tales!", Adam muttered.
Long moments passed with Adam continuing to sit on the cold damp dungeon floor, while Teela continued sleeping peacefully. Unsuccessful in his attempts to awaken his love, all he could do was to scoot backwards so that his back rested against the wall as he cradled Teela to wait until she woke up on her own.
Just as he was about to drift off to sleep himself, a change within the cell's temperature startled him to full wakefulness. On instinct, he bend over Teela's sleeping form covering her with his larger body shielding her from the cold. When the temperature in the cell returned to normal, Adam raised his head to see he now had visitors.
"Skeletoor", he ground out through gritted teeth.
"Ohhh, would you look at that." "I've angered the cowardly Prince", goaded the faceless fiend who necessitated Adam's deception toward his loved ones to ensure their safety.
If Adam were He-Man right now, he would have sucker punched Skeletor's windpipe by now, effectively ending his insulting diatribe. Not having his Power Sword, Adam felt helpless against Skeletor's verbal onslaught.
Not perceiving the enraged prince as a viable threat, Skeletor gloated in his victory. He had managed to not only capture King Randor's Heir, but also the Captain of the Royal Guard all in one attempt. What he, Marzo and his brat had planned next would ensure that Skeletor got what he wanted. With a clap of his blue gnarly hands, Skeletor made the room brighter. With a wave of his index finger a magic tendril left the tip of his black nail to circulate around the room. Wherever the tendril touched obscured metal objects took form covered by long black sheets.
Adam watched pensively as Skeletor weaved his magic, wondering what ploy the criminal mastermind had thought of now. Deciding it was best he continue shielding Teela, he held her tightly within his embrace.
When it seemed that Skeletor was pleased with the effects of his magic, he invited Stephania and Marzo back into the cell who took seats that had magically appeared (presumably from their own magic) just slightly inside the prison. Additional seats had also appeared outside of the cell, the rest of Skeletor's crew joining them. What appeared next, surprised the valiant Prince. With eyes wide he watched as several cabaret tables decorated with red velvet tablecloths and adorned with glass vases holding single red roses appeared in front of the spectators . A final table and chair appeared in front of Skeletor, but this one was not adorned with the flowered vase. Once the last of the furniture was set up, Skeletor turned around in the cell and with a flip of his cape over his shoulder sat down regally in his chair. With a clap of his hands, loud music permeated the dungeon.
Now Adam was really confused. Were he and Teela going to be audience to a dance show. Not wanting to spoil his fun by waiting any further, Skeletor turned to Stephania holding a hand out to her in a suggestive matter.
"My dear, why don't you announce to our guests the contents of tonight's activities", he stated sarcastically.
Standing graciously from her position behind the self-proclaimed Overlord of Evil, Stephania twitched her nose to make a microphone with a stand appear before her. Clearing her throat, she waited till Adam's eyes were on her before she spoke.
"Ladies and gentleman", she addressed the crowd in a loud and clear voice, "tonight we present to you a special show." Taking in a deep breath, she let her eyes roam the room before continuing "A show so special, it is sure to ensure my seat on the Throne of Eternia", she stated before snapping her fingers together to remove all of the sheets covering the previously obscured metal objects set up in the cell.
Adam's eyes scanned his environment, discerning that the objects revealed were video cameras poised on top of tripods. The prince was overcome with continued bafflement, his confusion showing on his aristocratic face.
"Nehhheee", Skeletor laughed at Adam's look of confusion. Deciding he needed to have more fun Skeletor addressed his prisoner. "My dear prince", he stated his nasal voice further irritating Adam's nerves, "you seem so befuddled." "I thought that Lady Stephania's presentation was very forthcoming, but it seems that you are as deft as you are a coward", Skeletor stated angrily. The Lord of Destruction hated speaking to those he perceived as inferior to him. Which in his opinion was the entire population of Eternia.
'Keep calm, Adam', the Prince addressed himself inwardly. Remembering his teachings from both Man-At-Arms and the Sorceress, Adam forced himself not to respond to Skeletor's teasing. Calling on years of self-discipline and denying his needs Adam ignored Old Bone Face's insults. Adam was sure that a time would come that Skeletor would face his comeuppance. He was equally confident that he in his transformed state would be the one to bring about the necessary justice and freedom to Eternia's people from Skeletor's tyranny. Therefore, he allowed himself to be seen as helpless by his captors.
"Stephania and Marzo have prepared a special presentation for you tonight, my cowardly Prince", Skeletor continued. Turning his head he addressed Count Marzo "Tell the prince-fool of our plans."
Following Skeletor's command, Marzo stood next to his beauteous daughter as he raised his amethyst colored amulet off his chest holding it out in front of his chest steadily. Speaking into the stone, his words brought the cameras to life with a soft whir. The lights in the cell dimmed as the music grew louder filling the cell with a sensual synthpop melody, the snare drum tapping out the steady beat.
To Adam's surprised relief, Teela began to stir in his arms. Slowly, her fingers began to move then her legs before finally her lashes fluttering widely. The more Marzo spoke into his amulet, the more enlivened Teela became to the point that she sat upright in front of Adam opening her eyes. The Prince locked gazes with her expectantly, hoping to find realization that she was truly alright within her gaze. However, to his disappointment Teela stared at him through a blank trance-like gaze, her blue-green eyes not registering any emotions. That's when the Prince understood their captors' intentions. Teela was hypnotized under their spell and would be the show. No sooner had the thought entered his mind then Teela stood completely up from the floor and in one smooth movement removed the bed sheet covering her nakedness. The Prince's eyes bulged from his eye sockets at her action. Teela now stood near nude in front of Skeletor, Marzo, Stephania and the rest of the goons that inhabited Snake Mountain, the music pumping from invisible speakers, the cameras recording her movements.
No sooner had Teela stood on her own two legs, then her head bowed towards her chest her long red tresses cascading forward. She then began undulated her chest in isolated semicircles, her head slowly joining the movements, then finally her curvaceous hips. Adam watched horrified as his bodyguard began swaying seductively to the beat of the music her movements slow and languorous as she moved side to side. Before Adam could make a move to stop her, Teela bend her upper body over her impossibly long, graceful, shapely bronzed legs. Her movements left her almost bare bottom in the air, pointing in her audience's direction. Although not exposing her nether regions, the lacey green hipster thong, she had slipped on right after their sexual tryst in his grandfather's villa left little to one's imagination.
Adam couldn't allow this to continue. If Teela's sexual dance was being televised all over Eternia, there was no way the Royal Court would sanction a marriage between the two of them. Adam knew that his father's court expected his bride to exult a high degree of decorum. Eternia had long ago abandoned the notion that the Princess/Queen Consort should be virginal; however, the Royal Court did expect that the woman chosen for Eternia's next monarch hold a level of self-control, something that at the moment Teela lacked. Adam now understood Stephania's words. Truly, their scheme would work unless Adam did something about it.
With a wild lunge, he propelled himself toward the nearest table attempting to grab hold of the tablecloth so that he could cover Teela's sumptuous and gyrating body. Meanwhile, the nimble Captain spread her bare legs letting gravity work its magic as she sensually slid into a scissor split. From there she reached forward with her arms laying almost flat against the cold bare stone floor, before bringing her legs together to close them. Teela then proceeded to flip herself over throwing her arms overhead as she tilted her torso, pushing her naked firm breasts upwards into the air.
"No, No, No", he heard Skeletor yell as he held up his right palm, a magic beam shooting out of its center to head directly for Adam's chest. Foregoing his cowardly clumsy act, Adam agilely propelled himself into the air turning his body in a 180 corkscrew flip effectively avoiding Skeletor's beam. If he had his Power Sword with him, Adam would have pulled it out of its sheath by now to fight back. Not having it, the Prince was just happy that his motion carried him out of harm's way.
"You think acrobatics will save you", Skeletor sneered as he cast another beam of magic. This time it was not directed towards the Prince, but rather the magic was cast so that Trap-Jaw and Beastman were now standing directly behind the Prince. "Trap-Jaw, Beastman secure the prisoner", Skeletor directed as he sat back down.
Always eager to do their master's bidding, the two goliath humanoids detained a struggling Adam against the grimy wall, but not before Adam was able to free one hand and curling his mighty palm into a fist he brought it up forcibly in a upper cut blow to Beastman's chin. The force of Adam's punch surprised the bestial henchman whose large frontal incisors tore through his tongue at the impact. With a loud growl, he returned Adam's blow landing it at the Prince's midsection causing the latter to bite down on his bottom lip to keep from crying out loud.
Not to be left out and before the Prince or Beastman could recuperate, Trap-Jaw decided to join the assault against the Prince. Holding the Prince by one of his arms ,as Adam grappled his abdomen to staunch the pain of Beastman's blow, Trap-Jaw proceeded to sweep Adam's legs from under him so that the Prince fell to the floor. Jumping atop of him, Trap-Jaw straddled the struggling future potentate, placing his massive blue legs on either side of Adam's head. With a throaty cackle, the dismembered Gar proceeded to pummel Adam's face with quick successions of right-left hooks. Gritting his teeth, Adam took each blow to his face feeling the skin above his cheekbones crack, blood seeping out in rivulets. Despite the immense pain, Adam never wavered from his resolve and kept his head still staring up at Trap-Jaw unblinkingly, as he rained hell upon him. Adam was thankful that Skeletor's minion was so far ignoring his bandaged ribcage, because if he had unleashed these powerful strikes there he would surely cause irreversible damage.
Skeletor found the entire scene extremely amusing. His nemesis's son was being beaten to a pulp while the King's Man-At-Arms brat daughter was exposing herself to the world as a dirty slut whore. Things couldn't have gone better for the Lord of Destruction. Tonight would surely bring about his victory. If he played his cards correctly, his special live reportage would unsure the Prince's and Captain's exile. Surely, Randor would disinherit his cowardly son after these events. Skeletor was aware of the Monarch's disdain for his scalawag heir. To add to the bone-faced warlord's delight, He-Man had not yet attempted to rescue his love interest and future king. Skeletor wondered at that as he was sure that Duncan would have enlisted Grayskull's Champion to rescue his daughter by now.
Speaking aloud to no one in particular, Skeletor muttered "Let him come, he can't stop me now" as he raised his blue-muscled arms into the air triumphantly. Regally sitting back down, he proceeded to watch his very entertaining show.
A/N: I couldn't help myself but to make a reference to Disney Princesses in this chapter. I do not own, have any holdings, nor profit from anything Disney.
The song I have Teela dancing too is 'Self-Control' from Laura Branigan. I think it's lyrics are apropos in describing her current predicament.