2/?: What the Maid Saw.

Maureen Caltal, Maid to the Queen, began her day's duties a bare hour before dawn. Queen Marlena had asked her time and again to cease with the "early bird routine" and just follow the same schedule as the rest of the palace, and Maureen ignored her each time. This wasn't out of petulence or because she made a habit of disobedience. Rather it was simple practicality; the Queen's Maid was amongst the busiest roles in the Royal Court, its responsibilities encompassing far more than Her Majesty's wardrobe and toilette. Correspondence, scheduling of petitioners, updating the information and content of Her Majesty's own petitions, reports and so on. Marlena's chiding of her was mainly for fear Maureen would run herself down and need a replacement; she considered the girl as nigh unto irreplaceable and didn't look forward to trying to train a replacement any day soon.

In the days since the Prince and Captain Teela had both fallen unconscious, Maureen had amended her path slightly so she would pass the chambers of the aforementioned pair. She, like so many of the staff in the palace, had grown up alongside Adam and Teela; the Royal Couple were never the sort to segregate themselves and their offspring from the world beyond where official protocol required, one of the many reasons they were so beloved by the people, and why the current rift between Randor and Adam was more troubling than most realized. The Prince didn't lack for partisans, something Adam and his father both appeared unaware of, and they weren't shy about voicing their dissatisfaction. They were discrete and cautious in the doing, true, but they were already numerous and growing moreso as the seasons wore on.

That the bone of contention between King and heir was the latter's radical shift in behavior. One of the hardest, busiest bodies in the palace suddenly becoming a self-centered, shallow pleasure-seeker, one who fled from the first hint of danger? The only fools to believe this was reality were the season's band of courtiers, Captain Teela, and the King himself. Those who knew the Prince, even in passing, could see it for the utter fascade it was, and pondered endlessly what the cause of it was.

The current theory was there was some kind of sorcery at play, given Adam's change coincided with the first appearance of He-Man. Few had seen this era's Champion of Grayskull closely enough to see and recognize the familiar features Maureen had. It as a secret she held close to her heart and never gave hint of knowing, rather watching everyone else carefully to see if they'd made the connection as well, relieved that it appeared confined to the Man-at-Arms and the Queen herself. She had suspicions about Orko, but the Trollan was a hard read even at the best of times.

What puzzled her most, beyond trying to divine the nature of the connection there was between the Prince and the Hero, was why Captain Teela seemed blind to the obvious. She spent more time in the company of both personas than anyone else, yet she missed no opportunity to publically berate the Prince for vanishing from sight when battle approached. At first Maureen thought she was simply 'playing along' with the Prince's (presumably necessary) deception, but soon realized that the Captain was as ignorant of it as the King. Others had already taken note of this and were becoming more vocal of their disapproval of her, which boded ill for the future as there was little question in Maureen's mind precisely who the next Queen of Eternia would be.

All that might well be rendered moot given both the Prince and Captain had been struck unconscious by something no-one could identify. The commotion in the infirmary two nights ago, sounding for all the world like an attack from Skeletor, put the entire palace on a razor's edge. Even the seeming serenity with which the King and Queen resumed Court felt as much an act as one of Orko's tricks, and the Court was positively abuzz with speculation and idiotic rumors.

Maureen was realistic enough to recognize there little she herself could do to smooth these troubles. She'd made it a point to walk past the Prince's and Captain's quarters several times a day, just on the off-chance one or the other awoke. It was as much for her own peace of mind as an official duty she now considered her own; it was her role to be the Queen's eyes and ears, and having the Prince or Captain finally rouse would be vital (and welcome) news indeed.

That morning appeared the same as the prior one: nothing but silence and stillness within both chambers. At least that was first impression. Maureen found herself pausing at the Captain's doorway, sensing something...different. There was no audible sound nor any visible threats in the first shadows of dawn, yet she had the feeling that something had come to pass.

Her feet moved of their own accord, carrying her past the door and into the suite proper. The Captain was not a woman known for artistic tastes or an interest in décor, so it was no surprise the front room was sparse of ornament. Even her workdesk was clear and organized as if it had never been used. There was nothing amiss there, and while she hesitated to invade the Captain's bedroom, Maureen felt there was little choice but to check there as well.

Keeping to the long shadows, she crept forward to the bedroom door, anxious to be done with this and without creating a fuss. The chamber's door was open, affording clear view of both the bed and chest to one side. Maureen felt her breath catch at the sight of rumbled, empty bedding. She did not rush forward however, but kept her pace slow and relaxed, intuition warning her there was danger nearby and she would do well to imimitate the shadows. Fearing the worst, Maureen crouched by the door and ever so slowly peered around its solid bulk.

Her heart and breath shuddered in time at the sight of Teela standing aways from the bed, clearly awake if not aware. Maureen frowned to herself at the Captain's actions, or more accurately her lack of action. She stood in the middle of the floor, slowly circling in place as if she'd never seen the room or its walls before, her body language all but screaming exactly that. Her hands clenched and unclenched, fingers darting about in odd but deliberate patterns.

Maureen watched, fear lessening to mere confusion as the Captain appeared to catch sight of the full-length mirror near the room's long wardrobe. Her stance and movements were slow and uncertain as she approached it, staring at her reflection there with what seemed both confusion and anxiety. She ran her hands over her face and arms, looking at herself close up, then in profile, body visibly shaking and chest heaving the longer she stared. If Maureen hadn't known better, she would have sworn the Captain was starting weep at the sight before her.

Over the years Maureen had seen Teela in nearly every emotional state. Indeed, she prided herself on being among Teela's few confidates. But never in living memory could she recall seeing the Captain of the Guard shed so much as a single tear in either pain or sadness. Yet here she was, looking for all the world like some maiden from an overdramatic sonnet, a world removed from the confident, invincible warrior Maureen had known her whole life.

She could nought be watch as Teela crouched down and gather up the hem of her nightshirt, straightening up and bringing the gown up so her stomach was exposed. Maureen felt a bit of a voyeur watching as Teela ran her free hand over the toned skin; there was noting remotely sexual in the action (despite her lack of underwear), but still Maureen felt as if she were witnessing something private, not to be sullied by other's eyes.

Maureen felt a fool and worse for having to debate her next move for even a second. She rose to her feet, intent upon backing out of the suite as silently as she'd entered. Unfortunately she misjudged her weight slightly and, wholly without meaning to, stumbled partially into view from the door. Normally she would have quickly apologized and bowed her way out.

She wasn't given the chance to even draw breath as Teela spun and threw something directly at her. Maureen found herself frozen in place as the projectile sped towards her, little more than a blur in the air, targeted unerringly for her head!

Then...it stopped, a bare finger-width from her eye. Maureen could only blink, once, at the sight of pencil-thin blade that hovered directly before her. After that, other background details penetrated her awareness: the large hand that held the blade away from her, the equally muscular arm behind that hand...

Prince Adam standing beside her, appearing as if by magic, left arm outstretched and weapon in hand.

His chest heaved once, twice, then flipped the blade and nimbly caught it in mid-air between his thumb and forefinger. He let go another shuddering breath and growled "Fetch our parents. Go!" Maureen quit the room with all haste, nearly colliding with one of the Guardsman as he was coming out of the Prince's chambers at the same moment. She quickly recognized him and began babbling the same time as he did.

"Maureen? The Prince, he's awake..."

"Roan, she's awake...Teela's awake..."

"He's...he's...run somewhere..."

"In there...with her..."

"He threw me across the room..."

"She threw a knife at me..."

"Something's wrong with him!"

"Something's wrong with her!"

This last was all but shouted simultaneously, the two actually hearing each other for the first time. "You get..."

"The King!"

"Duncan!" They exchanged a quick nod and set off in opposite directions in a desperate run, both praying to the Elders the pair wouldn't fall unconscious again – or worse – while they were gathering their parents.

TBC...