11/?: The Morning After They Returned/Breakfast With the Queen.

Morning found Adam sitting alone on his balcony off the main room, sipping coffee and working his way alternately through a light breakfast that had been delivered and the morning's missives. Returning to a familiar routine was judged necessary by both Himon and himself in order to re-acclimate himself to Eternia. Teela had concurred, and set about it herself by rising before him that very morning and returning to her rooms. Adam knew without asking what her intentions were, content that she would return to him once satisfied of their mutual security.

It was well into the morning when the announcing chime sounded, followed by "Captain Teela requests admission." Adam smiled at hearing her voice, almost amused at the oh-so-formal tone she took. Back home, their other home, she would have announced herself as "It's me, you old fool!"

"Enter," he called out, the door unlatching and swinging open to admit Teela, clad in her normal uniform and tiara. Adam watched her march across the room, but had to quickly avert his eyes. That blasted uniform…he'd never realized just how revealing it was, which brought to mind memories from their first days and moons in that other place. Memories that, when mixed with his now-renewed testosterone levels, made it very hard to stand up without…well…

Teela herself was no less affected at the sight of Adam clad it seemed in only a dressing gown and pajama pants. She likewise was remembering moments from the distant past, ones rendered all the more vivid thanks to her own rejuvenation. She cursed Adam under her breath upon realizing her uniform had become decidedly damp in places not easily explained. She'd have to change clothes again, which while hardly a trial could conceivably lead to questions better left alone.

Shaking her head clear – or a reasonable approximation thereof – Teela muttered a single word, activating the glamour stone in her palm, then came to stand what could be judged an appropriate distance from her sovereign lord. She offered a perfect salute and held out an ordinary looking folder. "The report you requested, Your Highness," was her only word as Adam took the pro-offered document.

"Sit," Adam directed quickly, suddenly and inexplicably worried Teela would bolt from the room. "Coffee?"

"Some, yes," Teela nodded, allowing Adam to pour for her. She added creamer and a half-spoon of sugar, which if anyone saw would have thought odd given she'd normally drink her's black. Teela remembered this herself and cursed again; it was a small thing, yes, but experience had taught them both how small things could quickly grow and overwhelm them.

Adam saw her distress and instantly realized what was behind it. His mother had remarked on his drinking his dark now, whereas he used to use copious amounts of cream. Yes, they would have to watch themselves very, very carefully and at least try to keep from rousing more suspicions than necessary.

He knew he didn't need to voice these thoughts aloud, certain that Teela already had them in mind, and so instead flipped open the folder and began scanning the pages bound within it. "That covered plate is for you," Adam said, eyes on the words before him. "I figured we should make this a working meal."

"Thank you," Teela replied, uncovering the plate, gratified to see simple fare for once. Their last seasons had been ones of elaborately prepared meals, the sort befitting their status in that other world. Teela had complained – more than once, in fact – at the abundance often given them, her…no, their frugal habits being very hard to break from.

Several mouthfuls of spiced egg and a toasted roll later, she looked up to see where Adam was in his reading. Page three, she judged, if his expression of dismay was anything to go by. She'd had difficulty herself remembering written Eternan, and so her reportage tended towards the long-winded. "I detected several points of vulnerability in the catacombs. The details are on the last page."

Adam took the hint and paged to the end, his frown deepening. Teela had written it using the other alphabet, ensuring only the Prince and herself could read it correctly. To anyone else it would look like meaningless scribbles and shapes. Someone clever might think it was some new encryption to protect secrets, an amusing thought in and of itself.

"Why did we not know of these before?" Adam's voice took on a quiet but thunderous quality to it.

"Because we simply didn't know to look for them before," Teela said, placating and calm. "I doubt Orko or my mother even thought to look for such things."

Adam looked up at her, a quizzical expression to him. "I think that's the first time I've ever hear you say that."

"What?"

"You referring to her as 'my mother'."

"Ah," Teela snorted, then nodded. "I think you're right there, too." She chewed another forkful of egg and asked "Do you think that's why she's been so quiet?"

"You've called to her? Telepathically, I mean."

"Several times. You?"

"Once or twice, all without result."

"Do you think we should be worried?"

Adam had to chew on that one, even as he chewed the remains of his breakfast. He picked up his coffee and looked into it for a moment, then said "I don't know, Tee. She's the servant to the Elders directly. Perhaps we're…perhaps I'm no longer judged worthy…"

"I assure you both that is not the case." The Sorceress's voice audibly rang in the room. Both Teela and Adam looked up in surprise. "I apologize for my extended silence. It was only when you both awoke that I realized what had happened to you. Once I did…it was best I wait and see…"

"How different we now are? And how much we now know?" Teela finished for her.

"In a sense, yes."

"Very wise," Teela nodded, then returned to her meal. Adam waited a beat before speaking.

"Are you angry with us?" he asked the room.

"No, Prince Adam."

Adam heard what wasn't spoken between those three words, and heard it clear a morning bell. "There was nothing you could have done, Sorceress," he said gently. "Even we never learned where we were, never mind what power took us there. And trust me, we looked for a very long time." He drank down the rest of his coffee and stared into the empty mug.

"Does my father…knowing who I am now…does that change anything?"

"Insofar as your role as Champion? I…do not know. That is for the Elders themselves to decide, and they do not communicate to me. At least, not with the clarity of ordinary speech."

"We rather suspected that was the case," Adam responded dryly. "Should we come to Grayskull ourselves?" Teela noticeably went utterly still at the question, but offered no objection.

"Unnecessary at the moment, Prince Adam. Unless there is a reason you feel you must come here?"

Adam shook his head. "I've no reason. Tee?" Teela mirrored his refusal, albeit silently, pointedly refusing to look up from her plate.

"I would appreciate it," Adam continued in saying. "If in future you would respond when we're calling out for you. If only to assure us we haven't lost your favor."

"I…understand, Prince Adam."

"Please, just Adam. I've grown to seriously dislike titles."

"Only because you have too many to remember," Teela gently teased.

Adam smirked in reply and drawled "Whereas you find being called 'The Queen of All Spheres and Great Serpents' any more comfortable than 'War-Mistress of the Hordes of Duneseas'?"

"You must admit, it's less cumbersome than 'Reign Lord and Marshal of Armies of Acryn, Antocq, and Sireeyah.'"

There was a whispery gasp that cut through the air, stopping further such exchanges. "Sorceress?" Adam called to the air.

"She's gone," Teela observed.

"You're sure?" Teela nodded, leading Adam to frown once more. "Odd." Teela merely shrugged and pour the remainder of the coffee into their respective mugs.

"Another concern for later," she pronounced, which Adam did not dispute. "We were discussing the catacombs."

"I take it you've already developed a countermeasure?"

"Two possibilities," Teela began, only for the door chime to sound.

This was followed by an announcement of "Queen Marlena."

"Enter," Adam called again, his mother fairly gliding into the room after a moment. She appeared visibly surprised at Teela's presence as the two rose at her approach.

Teela quickly vacated the chair she'd been sitting in, holding it out for Marlena to sit down. The Queen was clearly hesitant, but quickly overcame it and settled herself across from her son. "Shall I leave?" Teela asked after several seconds of silence.

"No!" Marlena fairly shouted, and quickly calmed herself. "No, please, stay. What I have to say…this is for both of you."

Adam and Teela nodded as one and the Captain drew another chair over, settling it and herself on Adam's left. Marlena suspected this was old habit, given how smoothly Teela had positioned herself. Probably it had been borne of her having lost sight in the left eye and Adam his entire arm, the two instinctively moving to cover the other's blind spot; God alone knew how long they'd had to operate like that. Recalling Adam's words in the Surgery, whatever span Marlena might've thought up would likely be too short.

She shook her head and refocused. "I…" she began, only to have her voice fail, unable to meet her son's eyes. Instead, the Queen leveled her gaze onto the table between them, finding some strange comfort in the unwashed plates and cooling coffee. It was so normal, so ordinary, she very nearly forgot for a moment how very far from 'ordinary' matters now were.

Truth be told, Marlena had come without any clear plan, or even a vague idea. She had awakened in her bedchamber, Randor at her side and still slumbering. It took a full minute to recall the events of the previous day, and a good hour before her breathing was calm enough to risk getting up. It was nothing shy of a miracle that her shaking hadn't woken Randor.

Getting herself dressed proved a bit of chore itself, what with her hands shaking as badly as they were.

God in heaven, what must Adam and Teela think of her now?

It was Adam's voice that shook her from her useless ponderings. "Mother? Mother, please look up." Despite herself and her once-inconceivable fears, Marlena did as bade, meeting eyes that were far too old to reside in so young a face. "Mother, it's still me. I'm still your Adam…"

"No," Marlena shook her head vigorously. "No, you haven't been my Adam for a long time." Adam and Teela both discerned what was behind those words immediately, both looking poleaxed at the realization.

Adam could barely speak through his shock. "How…how do you know…?"

"I've known, well, almost from the start," the Queen stated flatly. "God, Adam, why did you ever think anyone would believe you'd suddenly turned into a coward? Were we such terrible parents that you didn't think…what?!"

Adam had sat back and was actually chuckling. "Goddess," he said with an honest smile. "I was wondering where Artemis got her ego."

"Well it wasn't from my side of the family, Love," Teela smiled, reaching for her coffee. "Mind you, Nyssa was worse still."

"Fair point. But at least she grew out of it."

Neither of them were blind to the Queen's eyes going saucer-wide as she listened to this exchange. It was at once fascinating and terrifying, as if one were watching some alien ritual whose meaning was intuitively understood, yet the words and gestures were beyond comprehension. Adam and Teela sobered at once and gazed at her with a shared look of apology. Adam looked especially chastised, although Marlena had yet to say anything.

"I know this…we are…aren't…" Now it was Adam's turn to avoid his mother's eyes, and in turn struggle for words that simply would not come. It was a rare and unwelcome state of affairs, one which Teela characteristically leapt into and smoothed out.

"We know this must all be very…strange to you, Your Majesty." Had Marlena not had her clearly in sight, she would have sworn Teela's words came from a woman easily twice her own age and ten times the experience. On both her native Earth and there on Eternia, Marlena Glenn had fought wars, built houses and homes, tended crops and gardens, explored distant and exotic lands...and all that was but a child's backyard playing compared to the age and experience in her voice.

Marlena could only nod and agree saying "Strange? That's...yes. Yes, it is."

"It's no less for us, Adam and I." Marlena heard the subtle note of reproach in Teela's words, and she had be quickly swallow a thick lump that formed in her throat. Teela pursed her lips and dropped her gaze as well, taking a shaky sigh and tried again. "It's...Goddess...this is so…hard…"

This is insane, Marlena wanted to scream. I can't talk to you...either of you...and you can't talk to us...and there's so goddamned we need to say to each other...and I'm going to loose my goddamned mind if I can't get this all out of my head...!

"I'm sorry," the Queen of Eternia blurted out, catching the pair across from her off-guard. She swallowed her anxiety whole and continued "I'm sorry I acted so…badly to you in the infirmary. I…it must be…very hard for you to have gone to sleep in one place and woken up…here."

"It was a shock," Adam admitted, voice still subdued. "I owe Roan an apology." His mother frowned, the question in her eyes obvious. "I, ah, attacked Guardsman Roan when I first woke up. This was before I realized where I was."

"I nearly stabbed some poor maid who was looking in on me," Teela confessed, looking suitably mortified.

"You didn't…?" Marlena began, horrified on both Teela and her unintentional victim's behalf. It was clear that whatever else she might have become, a bloodthirsty murderess wasn't among them; she wouldn't have believed her brave and noble Teela would've gone that route anyway.

Talk between them died there for a time, leaving Marlena to reach for some other topic to revive it. The only one that came to mind was, oddly enough, one she dreaded learning of. "You mentioned grandchildren?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"Um, yes," Adam admitted, clearly reluctant. Teela reached down and took his right hand into her's, shoulders clearly tightening in a manner Marlena knew well. How often had she girded herself the same way whenever she saw Adam charging into danger as He-Man?

"Artemis? Was she...?"

"Your oldest granddaughter," Adam stated flatly. There was more to it, that much was clear, but whatever it might be Marlena couldn't begin to guess and had no desire to press. It was clear it was distressing to both Adam and Teela (and that was putting it mildly).

"Nyssa?"

"Her younger sister." Neither seemed inclined to offer more than this, and Marlena knew better than to press.

"It hurts, losing them." Marlena had no idea what possessed her to say such a thing. It was a foolish move by her, and a very dangerous one, risking inviting questions she didn't dare entertain. Thankfully neither Adam nor Teela appeared to catch this.

"Yes…yes, it does," Teela answered, head bowed. Marlena cursed herself a fool for treading this ground before she was ready…before any of them were ready, truth be told. Randor and Duncan unloading upon one another the other night, including Randor threatening to club Duncan upside the head with a pike while Duncan promised to geld his sovereign with a dinner fork, seemed a small feud indeed when compared to the sudden dislocation of their collective ease. However restored they might be in body, Marlena was far from blind at how wounded her children were in spirit, and hated herself for adding to their injury (however unintentionally). She could continue to sit there and berate herself, likely adding to the children's own dismay, or offer what small sliver of comfort she might and try to soothe the same.

"I…I just wanted you to know…yesterday in the infirmary…" She sighed and tried again. "What I said was…Adam, please look up." Her son raised his eyes as asked, and Marlena steeled herself. "You are my Adam. You've always been that. There's just…just more of you than I…than anyone else sees." She chuckled. "And now, with all this happening…" Her voice died there, her momentary courage fading as well in the face of the thousand and ten questions Marlena was desperate to ask, but didn't date.

Instead, she elected for the middle course. Reaching out across the table, she quietly implored "Give me your hands." Adam and Teela did as bade and without the slightest hesitation. Marlena gripped the offered hands and took a visible breath, steeling herself to say "Whatever happened to take you…wherever…it's over and you have been returned to us." The Queen silently cursed herself a coward for not being able to meet their eyes as she spoke. The truth was she simply wasn't ready to do so, and so did not.

"There is…much that I don't know. Much that I want to know, but I…I'm not ready to hear yet." She took another fortifying breath before raising her eyes to those of her son. "No matter what has happened, what you've lived or done…you are my son, Adam. Nothing will change that." Marlena quickly slewed her eyes to the woman sitting across from her. "The same for you, Teela. Randor and I have always se…felt you to be our kin. All this doesn't change that at all."

"Mother…"

"No, Adam!" Marlena shook her head. "No. I…forgive my cowardice, but I need more time to sort this out in my head. I can't…can't know any more just now." She gave their hands a final squeeze, then released them and stood. "I just wanted to apologize to you for how I acted yesterday, and…and I'm beyond relieved you're both returned to us. Everything else…all that can wait. So, please forgive any future moments of hysteria on my part."

The Queen of Eternia spun on her heel and sought to beat a hasty retreat, only to be halted when the nominal Captain of the Guard called out "Majesty?" To the untrained or unfamiliar ear it would have sounded completely respectful and earnest, which indeed it was. To Marlena's more practiced and familiar ear, there was a hint of reproach and a second hint of command within those three syllables. The former was so uncharacteristic as to make her pause, but the latter was so carried and absolute she could only halt dead.

Teela continued after a beat. "Call yourself a coward again within my hearing, and I'll slap the spit from your mouth."

Marlena had no doubt in her soul Teela would do exactly that. She very nearly turned to snarl a response of her own, but was stopped some internal voice that said Good! The Queen took a calming breath, uncertain what her response could or should be then, and so elected to give a quick glance back over her shoulder. "Thank you, Teela," she murmured with a visible nod. Her intent was to quit the room quickly, but was held an instant longer at Teela's equally quiet response.

"You're welcome…Mianthri."

It was all Marlena could do to stumble out the half-open door and into the hall beyond. Sheer will and unconscious authority kept her from collapsing or knocking into anyone, despite the busybodies all about her. That would have to wait until she was in her own chambers, where she was safe from prying eyes and ears.

It wouldn't do for a Mianthri, "Mother of Heart" in First Eternian, for one such as Teela to been seen by any for the babbling and unworthy load of nerves she'd become.

TBC...

De Author Seez: Well, that's it for the moment. Back into my cave to chase inspiration. Drop me a line and tell me to drop dead, if you wish. Or that you actually like what you've been reading and tell me to get writing. Either way, please review. My Muse tends to need the kick in the tail. Later, or sooner, or whenever.

Cheers.