Chapter 3
Teela was already in the practice ring, warming up, when Adora walked in with Adam at her side. The prince gave his sister a quick hug, then turned and gave Teela a wave and a thumb's up. The captain grinned. Rooting for both of us, are you? Well, I guess he's entitled. She waved back and winked at him. Don't worry, your highness. I won't hurt your darling sister... much. While Adam could get away with cheering both of them on, the rest of the spectators were clearly taking sides.
Cheering sections had rapidly developed as guards, servants, a handful of Masters and numerous courtiers filed in to fill the seating around the edges of the room. The king and queen had both shown and were, not surprisingly, sitting in what Teela thought of as Adora's zone. But that was okay too. After all, Man-At-Arms was sitting in Teela's zone. Family is family, Teela thought, grinning. Only Adam was making an undeniably neutral statement by sitting exactly on the border of the two sides.
In addition to the stands for the spectators, several weapons racks had been scattered across the ring floor with a variety of weapons on each one. This wasn't looking to be just any ordinary sparring bout. More like an exhibition match. Perfect, we can embarrass ourselves in front of lots of witnesses instead of spreading it out, a few at a time.
There was a lot of noise - whistling and loud talking. Teela strongly suspected that some enterprising guard either had already or soon would start a betting pool. She also had a strong suspicion that the odds would not be in her favor. She frowned. If everyone is so impressed by Adora's Horde training then why did they all work so hard to kick the Horde out in the first place? We're just as good as they are! I'm just as good as the princess, any day.
As Adora took up a position on the other side of the ring and began to stretch, Queen Castaspella of Mystacore walked in. Teela saw the wizardess scan the crowd and then move immediately to the prince's side. Adam smiled warmly at her when she sat down beside him. The captain watched surreptitiously as the two chatted amiably. As she finished her stretching, she couldn't help but note how very close together the prince and the Etherian queen were sitting.
Why doesn't she just climb into his lap, already? That hussy is on my last nerve, I swear. Teela scowled and turned to look at Adora, eager to start their match. Catching sight of her, the princess first smiled at her and then looked startled as she clearly became aware of Teela's bad temper. Frowning, Adora strode over.
"Teela, is something wrong?" she asked worriedly. "You look ready to explode."
"Nothing's wrong," Teela snapped. "Why should there be anything wrong? After all, this is just a friendly little sparring match?"
Adora growled. "Teela, don't be so mulish! I can see that you're very angry about something."
"Mulish?" Teela repeated witheringly. "Just prepare yourself, princess. Now you get to see how a real Eternian Guard works her magic."
Adora sighed, then scowled and stomped away. "Fine," she said as she turned to go. "Be that way, but know this. I will stop any time you ask me to."
"Not likely."
As soon as Adora was in position, the guard that Man-At-Arms had selected as their referee stepped forward. "This will be a standard exhibition bout," he announced, confirming Teela's suspicions that their sparring match had grown beyond all expectations. "Standard scoring procedures will be observed - three out of five points wins the match!"
Teela groaned. A five point match? Whose bright idea was this? She glanced in Adora's direction and saw that the princess looked as perplexed as Teela felt. Why do I have a sneaking suspicion that a certain visiting dignitary may be responsible for this slight misunderstanding? She turned her hostile gaze, hopefully hidden beneath an inscrutable expression, on the queen of Mystacore. Oh, well. Nothing to be done about it now.
The two women took up their positions on opposite sides of the ring, and the referee blew his whistle. Teela immediately circled to the left and found her move being mirrored by Adora as they each headed for weapons racks on the opposite ends of the ring. Teela watched her warily, and then it happened. Without ever reaching her apparent destination, the princess barreled across the intervening space and dived at Teela.
The captain dodged, rolling to the right and coming up on one knee. The princess spun in place, kicking out with one leg and Teela flipped backwards landing a safe distance away. She feinted toward the nearest weapons rack. Adora dashed to block her and Teela immediately veered toward her actual target, a rack on the far side of the ring.
Teela came to a rolling stop beside the rack and grabbed up a blunted practice sword. Not live steel. Well, that's good - at least they didn't completely lose their minds when they set this match up. She turned toward the center of the ring and nearly fell over as a deafening cheer assaulted her ears.
Good grief. Teela glanced quickly around, being certain to keep Adora, who was still unarmed, in her field of vision. Her cheering section was going wild, and Man-At-Arms was stomping his feet and whistling. GOOD GRIEF!
Adora also seemed startled by the sudden applause and, for a moment, she and Teela exchanged mutually astonished looks. The princess shrugged, reached into a nearby weapons rack and withdrew a bolo. She held it up high, where the captain could see it clearly, and Teela threw her head back and laughed. For a princess she is quite irreverent. Swing her like a bolo indeed... Grinning, the women began to circle each other again. Teela held her sword loosely in her fingers, ready to strike in any direction, while Adora swung the bolo in a slow circle at her side.
Then, in a flash, they were both moving. They collided in the center of the ring, a blur of motion. A moment later, the whistle blew, and the two combatants broke apart. Adora was rubbing a spot on her shoulder while Teela stretched one of her arms. "First point to Captain Teela," the referee cried. Teela eyes widened, and she smiled broadly as her side of the ring roared in response to the announcement. Her father's voice was just barely distinguishable over the general cry of the crowd. Scanning the room, Teela saw that the king and queen were also clapping enthusiastically - guess they forgot which side they're on - and Adam was whistling.
Her gaze caught his, and Teela flushed as the prince whistled more enthusiastically and began to stomp his feet like a maniac. Castaspella was also clapping, but in a decidedly less fervent manner. Teela snorted. What's the matter, sweetie, hard to cuddle up to a man who's flailing his arms for another girl? Teela turned her back on the prince and his friend and saw that Adora was also watching them.
The whistle blew again, and the captain and the princess returned their attention to the matter at hand. The next point went to Princess Adora, and Teela wound up on her backside on the floor mats, a bolo wrapped around her boots. Her pride was smarting, but it was not mortally wounded. It could have been worse. Adora could have gotten the first point. Teela smirked. But she didn't.
While a damaged rack was hastily removed from the ring - one of Adora's high kicks had reduced it to splintered shards - Teela had time to scan the crowd. Adam was once again cheering like a lunatic, and, this time, Castaspella was also cheering. Well, that clears that up. The Etherian queen is rooting for Adora. Gee, what a shock. Glancing at the rest of the onlookers, she saw that the king and queen were speaking animatedly with the people sitting around them while Man-At-Arms had begun to scribble madly on a datapad.
Suddenly realizing what her father must be doing, Teela quickly trotted over to Adora's side. "Did you notice that my father is taking notes?" she asked. Adora shook her head and turned to look in Man-At-Arms' direction.
"What is he writing?"
Teela laughed. "My guess - he's critiquing us. Be ready to receive a written assessment of your performance." Adora's eyebrows shot up as her eyes widened. "He doesn't mean anything by it," Teela hurriedly explained. "It's just his way of saying that he wants you to be a better warrior so you'll be less likely to get hurt."
"That seems sensible to me," Adora agreed, grinning, instantly winning Teela's approval with her unruffled attitude. "Will he expect us to train with him to address any problems he sees?"
Teela tilted her head and considered the question. "He might. I know that he - " The referee blew a warning whistle, and the combatants quickly returned to their previous positions.
Ten minutes later, the score was two to one in Teela's favor, the captain had traded her sword for a staff and Adora had abandoned her bolo in favor of hand to hand combat. Teela's left ankle was beginning to ache from a twist she'd suffered dodging one Adora's blows, and the princess was noticeably favoring her left arm.
Two more weapons racks had been reduced to kindling, and the crowd was going absolutely wild. King Randor was bouncing around in his seat, gesticulating frenetically while Queen Marlena laughed and ducked. He was clearly enjoying himself. Whatever he was saying had captured the attention of the people around him and apparently started a loud debate. Man-At-Arms was - Ancients help us - still writing, though not quite as frantically as he had been earlier.
Adora laughed and joked with a group of palace guards on the other side of the ring, and Teela found herself unexpectedly close to Prince Adam and Queen Castaspella. Walking over, she waved a greeting. Looking amusingly like his father, Adam was also bouncing around in his seat. Castaspella appeared quite put out.
"Teela!" he cried as she came closer. "That was amazing! That last point you scored - I never knew you could jump that high!" He was smiling from ear to ear and Teela smiled back, knowing that he wasn't even noticing the sweat that trickled down the sides of her face and dribbled down the small of her back. That's got to be one of Adam's nicest qualities. He doesn't care about pretty faces and fancy clothes. So when did he kiss Frosta?
"Yes," the wizardess drawled. "That was quite an amazing display of soldierly skills. Still, a well-placed spell could - "
Teela bridled, but before she could even open her mouth, let alone supply a suitably scathing retort, Adam burst in. "You've got to show me how to do that trick where you disarmed Adora and stole the bolo! I've never seen anything like it!"
Teela came within a hair's breadth of announcing that Adam was too lazy and unskilled to ever be able to learn the Boranzo Strategy, but some inner voice told her to hold her tongue. For once, she listened. Gazing at the prince's face, and at the happiness shining out of it, she found herself wondering why her first instinct should be to say something that would wipe away that joy. When did I become such a creep?
The captain smiled broadly, and said, "I'll show you how just as soon as the surgeon clears you to return to practice." Adam' smile dimmed slightly and, with a start of guilt, Teela realized that he was waiting for her to make some belittling comment about his illness. Uncertain how to reassure him, Teela merely continued to smile down at him. Ancients, I am a jerk. Sorry, Adam.
Gradually, when no snide remark followed, the prince's smile returned to it former brightness. They continued to chat, Castaspella listening and watching every word and gesture, until it was time to begin again. When the referee blew the whistle to continue, Adam cheerfully wished her luck and Teela stepped back into the ring feeling unaccountably lighthearted.
There were still two of five points up for grabs in the match, but if Teela could only score on this set then the entire exhibition would be over and the captain would be the undisputed champion. Teela wanted the victory so badly that it made her teeth ache. Why it mattered so greatly that she defeat Adora was... unclear even to her. But the drive to win was overwhelming.
The minute the whistle blew to signal the start of the set, Teela twirled her staff to get back the feel of the balance, rammed one end of it into the floor, and launched herself into the air. Adora wasn't prepared for the move, and Teela nearly scored on her right then. But somehow the princess managed to dodge at the last moment. The match dragged slowly on, each of them achieving several near misses.
Face it, Teela. Princess or not, Adora is a first-rate warrior. Maybe even a great one. This was never going to be the easy win you wanted it to be. She considered the idea as they orbited around each other. Teela had spent years complaining that Adam needed to be able to defend himself. It would be hypocritical to be annoyed because Adora was capable of defending them both. Be glad, she told herself. Be glad that she's good at what she does. Teela smiled. Her defection must make Hordak absolutely rabid.
Fifteen minutes passed with neither of them scoring a successful hit, then - it happened. The captain pretended to slow down, feigning just a little more exhaustion than she actually felt. She was winding her way slowly toward one of the remaining weapon's racks, her goal a new staff, when, over the mutter of the crowd, she heard, quite distinctly, the sound of a woman's bell-like laughter. A familiar, yet foreign laughter. Hackles rising, Teela whipped her head around to see Castaspella running her fingers through Adam's hair while the prince blushed furiously. That woman! For a moment, Teela saw red. Then, suddenly, she saw nothing at all.
When her vision returned, Teela was lying on her back, her heart pounding in her chest, staring up at the ceiling far overhead and wondering what on Eternia she was doing on the floor. Adora's face abruptly appeared, hanging in the air over her, and Teela gasped and jerked instinctively away. "Are you all right?" the princess demanded. Before the captain could reply, Adora was joined by Adam and the referee.
"Teela! Are you hurt?" Adam asked, his urgency making his voice sound rough as he knelt beside her. She bit her lip. His hair is a mess.
"Captain, do you require medical attention?" the referee asked, concern evident in his voice as well.
Teela impatiently shook her head at all three of them, then levered herself into a sitting position. Glancing past her would-be rescuers, she saw that most of the spectators were leaning forward, worried looks on their faces. Great. It couldn't get much more embarrassing than this. Scowling, she waved away offers of assistance from Adam and got slowly but steadily to her feet.
Fully half her muscles seemed to ache abominably, and those that didn't probably would soon. She was, as far as could tell, actually undamaged, however. The prince hovered as she stood there, obviously determined to catch her if she showed signs of faintness. Teela scowled ferociously at him. He didn't appear to notice. Growling, she turned to Adora and said, "Did you score?"
The princess blinked repeatedly, then turned to the referee, a quizzical look on her face. "Did I score?" she asked, her tone clearly indicating that she didn't give a fig one way or the other.
"Yes, your highness. You did," the referee replied instantly. "The match is now two to two. This next point will determine the winner - that is, it will if Captain Teela is able to continue."
"Of course, I can continue," Teela barked, ignoring the growing complaints from her bruised and aching body.
"Teela, please, that was a bad fall. You shouldn't - " The prince cut off his request as Teela turned on him, her countenance suffused with fury.
"Stay out of this, your highness! It's not your business!" Adam's eyes widened in dismay as he backed a step away. He did not, however, give up.
"Teela, please, this isn't - "
"I forfeit."
The captain whirled around, nearly knocking the referee over in the process. "What did you say?" she demanded, stepping up to Adora.
"I said I forfeit," the princess repeated calmly. Teela took a deep breath, desperately fighting to maintain her composure.
"May I ask why?" she ground out when she found her voice again.
"You're limping, Teela," Adora noted, not backing away an inch as she looked directly into the captain's eyes. "You could have other injuries. And I can see that you're going to insist on continuing the match; therefore, I forfeit."
Adam glanced back and forth between them, so clearly alarmed by the animosity he saw in her face that Teela found some small portion of her anger draining rapidly away. The referee watched in stunned silence as Teela, her eyes very wide, balled up her fists. "I do not accept," she said as calmly and reasonably as she could manage.
Adora addressed the referee though she never removed her gaze from Teela's face. "Does she have the right to refuse my forfeit?"
"No, your highness."
"Fine," Teela snapped. "Then I forfeit as well. The match is a draw." The referee nodded and stepped away. When he was several feet removed from the combatants, he blew the whistle and announced the results. The entire room vibrated with the roar that followed his announcement, but Teela could barely hear it over the pounding of the blood in her temples.
How dare she humiliate me like this! How dare Adora take pity on me! How dare that woman touch - Teela turned to walk away and found the queen of Mystacore's eyes upon her. Castaspella was watching her with such intense scrutiny that, for a moment, Teela found herself wondering if the wizardess could read her thoughts. But then the Etherian turned, stepped around Teela and placed a hand possessively on Adam's arm. Teela snarled at her, then twisted her features into something more pleasant for the trip through the milling spectators.
Without another word to Adam or Adora, she turned and marched toward the exit. Her father met her halfway there. "Come on, sweetheart. We need to have one of the surgeons take a look at you." Teela nodded, gingerly accepting his arm, determined not to let anyone see just how much she really needed the support.
"You did very well, Teela," he said, his delight ringing in his voice, easing some of her wounded pride. "I just have a few suggestions for things we might want work on. For instance..."
The next morning Adam was down at breakfast bright and early, eager to congratulate Teela on her brilliant performance the night before. But the party of the previous evening was sadly reduced. His parents were at table along with Queen Castaspella. Cringer was still abed and no one seemed to know where Orko had taken himself off to. Worse, to his great dismay he found that both Teela and Duncan had been called away on urgent kingdom business, investigating rumors of usual activity in the Mystic Mountains. Adora, not unexpectedly under the circumstances, had gone with them.
"I'm so proud of her," Randor said, beaming as he poured more milk into his chai. "Such a skilled warrior, and she has shown a tremendous interest in the running of the kingdom."
Smiling, Adam wilted internally. Here comes the comparison. I can just hear it. 'Why can't you be more like your sister, Adam? She wasn't even raised here, but she doesn't shirk her duties.' The prince dropped his eyes to his plate, mortified at the thought of being spoken to like a recalcitrant child in front of Castaspella. Maybe I should just skip breakfast. I'm not really that hungry.
Blissfully unaware of his son's sinking spirits, the king continued. "Do remember the treaty you mediated with the Randolvians, Son?"
Adam looked up, his eyes widening in puzzlement. "Yes..."
Randor nodded as if his son had just confirmed some unspoken point of logic. "That was a masterful piece of work." Marlena hummed agreement as she chewed her toast. "I told Adora that, if she's serious about getting up to speed on current kingdom policy, she should review that document along with the other treaties you've negotiated in the last few years."
Adam gaped at him while The queen of Mystacore ventured a polite, "Hmmm?"
His father smiled at her, and said, "Adam has a gift for handling people who are already upset and on edge. They just seem to trust him, and he always knows instinctively how to get to the heart of the problem. He is quite gifted."
He gave Adam an encouraging nod, and the prince grinned back happily, too overcome by the praise to say anything at all. Gifted? Father thinks I'm gifted? When did that happen?
Then, suddenly, the prince blushed as Castaspella said, "That's no surprise to me, your highness. I've always suspected that Adam has many hidden talents." She flashed him a smile, and he felt his flush deepen alarmingly.
The wizardess continued to watch him as she absently stirred her oatmeal, and Adam suddenly found something fascinating to stare at on his plate. Intense doesn't begin to cover this. None of my usual tricks for warding off lovesick courtiers are going to work.
"Randor, remember. You must call me Randor. I know you and Marlena use each other's given names."
"Yes, of course. Forgive me, Randor. I assure you my slip is merely a sign of the immense respect I feel for you and for Eternia." Castaspella dimpled at the king, and Adam watched in astonishment as his father melted under the force of her saccharine gaze. His mother, well aware of his father's weakness for courtly manners and feminine flattery merely smiled into her napkin exchanging a quick roll of the eyes with her son.
Adam restrained the urge to laugh and settled for a wide smile as he dug into his breakfast with renewed interest. The four of them chatted pleasantly, discussing the food, the exhibition match, Etheria, Mystacore, the Great Rebellion and a number of other topics. Eventually, Randor excused himself, pleading state affairs, and Marlena excused herself as well.
"I'm afraid I won't be able to give you that tour of the palace today, Castaspella," she said as she rose from her seat. "With Man-At-Arms gone, it's up to me to chair the meeting of the Research and Development Commission. What that august body really needs is a referee, but I'm afraid I'll have to do."
The wizardess laughed, exchanged a quick grin with the queen and assured her that she would be able to manage on her own for the day.
"Nonsense," Marlena scoffed. "I'm sure Adam will be delighted to show you around the palace." She shot her son a significant look from the side of her eyes, but no maternal pressure was really necessary.
"Oh, no," Castaspella half-heartedly protested, watching the prince through her lashes. "Adam is still recovering from his illness, and I wouldn't want to be a bother."
"Don't be silly, Casta," Adam said with complete sincerity. "I'm not sick at all, and I'd love to show you around."
"Well, if you're certain..." She fluttered her eyelashes at him, and Adam's stomach did a minor flip flop.
If Teela ever looked at me like that, I'd just roll over belly up and let her do whatever she wanted to me. His brow furrowed as he nodded at the Etherian and then returned to the remains of his breakfast. I wonder just what precisely Castaspella does want to do with me. She's not being exactly subtle, but how serious is she?
When they'd both finished eating, Adam shoved his plate aside, leaned his elbows on the table and regarded his guest with friendly good humor. "So, Casta, a tour of the palace isn't going to take very long - I mean, not enough to fill up a whole day. Was there anything else you'd like to do?"
Gray eyes sparkling, the wizardess smiled slyly and murmured, "Well, now that you mention it, I would love to - " She broke off abruptly as a large confection of lace, roses and willow bark appeared before her on the table with a soft 'pop.'
"What in Eternia!" Adam was out of his chair and reaching for his sword long before he realized that the intruder was a flower arrangement. What made it all the more embarrassing was the fact that Adora still hadn't returned the Sword of Power to him. Feeling decidedly sheepish, he sat back down and watched as the wizardess reached forward and plucked a small parchment from among the roses.
She blushed delicately, her cheeks turning the palest shade of pink as she read the note. "How sweet," she said, her voice filled with love and warmth. "She's become such a thoughtful child."
"What is it?" Adam asked, leaning instinctively closer then pulling hastily away as he remembered his manners. A gentleman doesn't read a lady's correspondence without her permission. Besides, it's obviously not from another - the prince blinked in startlement. Where did that thought come from?!
Castaspella rolled the scroll back up and tucked it inside her clothing. "It's from my apprentice, Ariel," she explained. "She wanted to wish me a pleasant day on the anniversary of my birth."
Adam stared at her blankly for a moment, then, feeling exceedingly slow on the uptake, he said, "It's your birthday? Today? Your birthday is today?"
"Why, yes," she replied, seeming somewhat bemused by his reaction. "Is that significant here?"
"My family has always celebrated birthdays, my lady." He reached out, grabbed her hand and enthusiastically kissed the back of it. "And I cannot help but feel that your birthday should be a notable and revered holiday no matter where you go."
"Adam!" Castaspella laughed, a genuine chuckle and not one her usual flirtatious giggles. "You're as bad as I am, an inveterate flirt!"
"Why thank you, my queen." He bowed over her hand, and when he looked back up she was flushed a dark, rosy red. "But in all seriousness, we must make a day of it, a worthy celebration of your birthday." He gave his best, impish smile. "Our party may be small, but it shall be a merry one. We will start with the palace tour you requested, naturally, but that is only the beginning," he promised.
True to Adam' word, they began their day with a whirlwind tour of the palace that made up in humorous personal anecdotes what it lacked in thoroughness. I'm going to have to double check some of these stories with Queen Marlena, Castaspella thought in growing bemusement. I simply refuse to believe that one little boy could fall in every palace fountain more than twenty times. The wizardess flashed a smile at her companion, her eyes lingering on his chiseled features and blazing blue eyes. Then again... he does enjoy his mischief, this one.
As they turned a corner, Castaspella slipped her arm through his, gently resting her hand on the inside of his elbow. The prince started slightly and grinned shyly down at her, but he did not pull away. She managed to keep his arm in his for the rest of the rapid tour, her fingers making soft circles on his skin through the thin fabric of his shirt. By the time they reached her quarters and ended the tour, Adam looked nearly as pink as his vest and Castaspella knew that she should give him a little breathing space before they made their way into the city.
"Why don't I meet you at the front palace gates?" she suggested. To her surprise the prince immediately looked crestfallen.
"The front - oh no, I didn't consider - ummm..." As Adam fumbled for words, one of his hands began to worry at the back of his neck.
"Adam, what is it?" the wizardess asked, stepping closer and gazing into his eyes, allowing her heartfelt concern to show in her warm gray eyes. "You can tell me?"
Though she wouldn't have believed it was possible, the prince looked abruptly more embarrassed under her direct gaze. "Ummm... Casta, I, well, I - oh, Ancients, I forgot!"
She blinked. "Forgot what?"
Adam sighed and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'm afraid it doesn't merit the alarm I've caused you, Casta. It's just that, well, I'm not supposed to leave the palace without my bodyguard, and Teela is away on a mission."
"Is that all?" she asked, relieved that it was nothing more serious. "It's all right, Adam. We can just stay here and - "
Adam straightened abruptly, looking extremely serious and heroic for a moment. Something inside the wizardess melted as she saw the change come over him. Why, at moments like this, he almost reminded her of He-Man. Which is just ridiculous because Adam is so much more attractive.
"I will not hear of it, my queen," he intoned solemnly. "I promised you an outing, and an outing is what we shall have." He deflated slightly and, looking chagrined, said, "It just means we'll have to sneak out one of the side entrances and try to avoid the places where anyone is likely to recognize me. Do you mind?"
Castaspella seriously considered the question for a moment. Annoying Adam's parents will not help my cause, she thought bleakly. Still, turning down such an offer from so fine a gentleman hardly bears considering.
Tilting her head slightly, she regarded him with evident consideration. "I was not under the impression that you were forbidden to roam without a guard. In fact, from what Adora has told me of your adventures, I was given to understand that you enjoyed considerable freedom of movement. Was I wrong?"
The prince flushed. "No, you weren't," he hastily assured her. "It's just that my father recently started receiving death threats, directed against me, I mean, and he's been a little paranoid about the whole thing. So I - "
"Death threats!" Castaspella cried, only to be immediately shushed by the prince.
"Not so loud," he whispered urgently. "We aren't exactly announcing it."
"But, oh my dear Adam, death threats?"
The prince glanced about, obviously worried that someone might be listening. Then, returning his gaze to her face, he asked, "Can we talk in your sitting room for moment?"
Without a word, the wizardess opened the door and gestured for him to enter. Once inside, Adam stood in the center of the room, looking far too antsy to take a seat on any of the furniture.
"Thanks," he began. "I just - the last thing I want is for the servants to overhear about the messages I got. Most of them are old family retainers, and they can nag worse than my parents do. They're very protective." He grinned, the look a strange mixture of fondness and exasperation. "The truth is, the threats only lasted for a few days and they stopped weeks ago, but Father is being absolutely paranoid. Meanwhile... I've got a serious case of cabin fever."
Taking her cue from him, Castaspella chose to remain standing. But instead of getting close to him as she usually did, she propped herself casually against a wall, knowing that the position would show all her... charms off to the best effect. But her movements were automatic and without conscious choice, for her mind was occupied solely by the prince's words. Death threats... He takes it very lightly.
When she did not speak, Adam continued, his hands held imploringly out at his sides. "Honestly, Casta, it's nothing. I think the only reason that father even took this seriously is because the threats actually appeared inside the palace, little notes left in odd places."
"That is awfully alarming, Adam," the wizardess ventured at last. "What makes you so certain that the hazard can be disregarded?" Handsome, brave, courageous, and... reckless? I wouldn't have thought so. Castaspella watched him closely, studied his reaction to her question, and knew the precise moment when he decided to lie to her. He opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him with a raised hand. Then, very softly, she said, "Please do not lie to me, Adam."
The prince flushed a dark red, his eyes widening. For a moment he simply stared at her, then, with a loud thump he dropped onto a sofa looking thoroughly ashamed of himself. "I've developed some bad habits," he muttered disgustedly. Then, looking up at her through his long, beautiful lashes, he said, "I'm sorry." The sincerity of the apology was undeniable.
"Accepted. Now, why were you about to lie to me?"
Adam's lips quirked up in a lop-sided grin. "You know, for someone who's spent so little time with me, you can read me appallingly well."
Castaspella dimpled at him, pleased that he'd noticed. "I pay attention," she purred. "Now, quit evading the question. What are you hiding, dearest?" What would drive someone as sweet natured and inherently honest as you to lie?
The prince's flush had begun to recede, but at her endearment he pinkened once more. Ancients, he's just adorable. Walking over, Castaspella made to sit beside him. Adam hastily sat up straight and made room for her, scooting to one end of the sofa. Sitting a comfortable distance from him - comfortable for him that is - the Etherian queen turned toward her beloved and folded her hands demurely in her lap, doing her best to project her understanding, her willingness to listen, and her utter faith in him. You can confide in me, Adam. Open your heart to me, love.
"Well?" she asked.
Looking thoroughly vexed, Adam ran hand through his hair, groaned and rubbed his face in frustration. "The problem is that to tell you the truth, dear lady, I would have to break my word to another."
Castaspella knit her brows. That is a problem. Hmmm... I could just let the whole thing drop. After all, I do trust Adam's judgment, so there's no reason not just go along with his plans to sneak out. Yet, what an opportunity to strengthen the bond between us. If he takes me into his confidence... "Well, why don't I ask questions, and you answer the ones that won't endanger your pledge?"
The prince considered the suggestion for a moment, then said, "All right. That seems reasonable." He watched her steadily, his gaze unwavering. A slight smile played at the edges of his lips, and Castaspella found herself wondering what was amusing him.
"So, you received threatening notes that appeared mysteriously here in the palace. The intimidating message stopped weeks ago," she said, tapping one finger against her cheek as she summed up what she knew so far. "King Randor is worried, but you don't believe there's any further cause for worry."
"Correct," he said, flashing her a brief smile before his face became studiedly neutral. "To be specific, the death threats stopped a little over three weeks ago. They lasted for a total of eight days."
"Now, as I see it," she continued, "the question is why you think there's no longer any danger." The wizardess stared into the distance, trying to imagine the scenario from Adam's perspective. "The most logical conclusion... is that you aren't worried because you know who was sending the threats."
The prince said nothing, did not respond in any way, and Castaspella turned her gaze back to his face. He was so still, so very blank that the Etherian was reminded of a portrait of him that she'd seen on their rapid tour of the palace. "Adam? Surely that can't be - but if you knew who made the threats you would tell your father, wouldn't you?"
The prince lowered his chin toward his lap, his hair falling forward into his face, obscuring his eyes. By the Ancients, that's it! He knows. He knows who made the threats. So why isn't he telling anyone? On an impulse, Castaspella reached out and lifted his chin. The look she surprised in his eyes was decidedly unexpected. Embarrassment?! Why is he self-conscious? What possible reason could he have to be embarrassed for being threatened?
She released his chin, pulling her fingers slowly away. Adam shivered slightly, and Castaspella felt her own skin tingle in response. So you aren't indifferent to me after all, she thought. Not too late. It's not too late... Teela or no Teela.
Inhaling deeply to clear the cobwebs from her mind, Castaspella smiled slyly at the Prince of Eternia. "So, I think it's safe to assume that you do in fact know the identity of, shall we say the author of the threatening letters." Adam tilted his head and regarded her somewhat nervously. "And, for whatever reason, you do not wish to - " She stopped suddenly and shook her head. "No, that's wrong. You are unwilling to reveal the identity of the culprit."
Adam continued to watch her, his demeanor unreadable but for the faint flush that clung to his skin and the minute contractions of his pupils. "If you don't want the guilty person to be known, it further stands to reason that you are protecting them." A muscle in the prince's jaw twitched, and Castaspella knew that she was on the right track.
"Now," she went on, "here's where the entire scenario becomes stiflingly complex. It is complicated because it concerns your extremely personal rationalizations, my prince." Getting caught up in the mystery despite herself, Castaspella crossed her legs, leaned her elbows on her knees and rested her chin in her cupped hands. "I cannot speak to the poison pen's motivations, but I hope that I know you well enough to make a few astute deductions." Adam made a sound somewhere between a grunt and pffft, and Castaspella quickly flashed her dimples at him before continuing.
"Perhaps the culprit is a friend," she suggested. "One whom you would do anything to protect." The prince looked mildly intrigued by the notion, but he showed no strong reaction at all, and the wizardess discarded that theory. More's the pity. What an easy way to get rid of Teela that would have been. "Or the writer could have been an enemy. In that case, it's likely that the person has some sort of mysterious hold on you. Something that prevents you from publishing their infamy. But in that case, I would expect you to seem more worried." Again, the prince looked intrigued, but he did not look caught out. "A complete stranger seems unlikely. If there was sufficient evidence for you to track down a total stranger, then that same evidence should also have led King Randor's guards to the culprit."
Castaspella caught glimpse in a mirror across from the sofa - Adam was watching her with a wry twist to his lips and a distinct twinkle in his eyes. "What?" she asked, naturally wondering what he was thinking.
Grinning, his smile show rows of incredibly white teeth, he said, "Your mind works in a twisty sort of way, doesn't it?"
The Etherian's eyes widened in startlement. "Adam! Good gracious! Do you say such sweet things to all the girls you scheme with?"
Laughing, the prince leaned close and whispered, "Only the pretty ones."
Flushing as red as her hair, the wizardess swallowed convulsively. "Ahh, yes, well... ahem." She cleared her throat noisily as he pulled away. "As I was saying, the culprit seems unlikely to be a friend, an enemy or a stranger. That leaves... someone known to you, but not a friend. Someone for whom you feel, perhaps, a degree of responsibility? A servant, shall we say?"
The prince became still so suddenly, that it was as if someone had disconnected a power pack from his back. That's it, then. A servant. Ancients, no wonder the poor dear is embarrassed. The poison pen was probably a lovesick maid. I bet she even still works here. That's why he doesn't want King Randor to know, and that's why he isn't worried about being attacked out in the city. An attack would be far more likely to happen here than somewhere else. Good grief.
The prince's nervousness remained, unabated, and the wizardess decided to lighten the mood a touch. "Well, I suppose there is one other possibility," she said slowly, drawing out each word. "You could have sent the letters to yourself..."
Adam's head snapped up and his mouth dropped open. For several seconds he gaped at her like a landed fish, gasping for air. "What? Why? How? Why would - That's just - "
His tones were so outraged, his indignation so heartfelt, that the Etherian found herself unable to contain her mirth. Peals of laughter escaped from her lips and the prince's outrage grew with each chuckle. "Castaspella!" he cried, leaping to his feet. "It's not funny. Those messages, they were disturbed! I'd have to be completely off my rocker to write something like that about myself."
"If the letters were so very wretched, then there's only one explanation for your calm lack of concern, Adam. Either you're an idiot - " The wizardess paused dramatically, enjoying his growing perturbation. The prince audibly ground his teeth, but he did not otherwise rise to her bait. "Or, you know with absolute certainty that the writer of the letters is no threat."
"Obviously," he snapped, his deep blue eyes sparkling with the force of his ire. "Sent them to myself... honestly." Striding rapidly to the door of the sitting room, he stopped on the threshold and looked back at her. "Are you going to spend the day with me or not?"
Castaspella stopped breathing for a moment as she drank in the sight of him standing there, quivering with suppressed passion. Admittedly, it's not the kind of passion I'd prefer, but the other will come in time. "But of course I'll go with you, my dear Adam," she purred, rising gracefully to her feet. "I would never dream of missing my own birthday outing."
"Fine," he grumbled. "Meet me at my room in an hour precisely. I'll have the necessary arrangements completed by then." Opening the door, he stomped through it and disappeared from view.
With a mournful sigh, the wizardess sank back onto the sofa, letting her head droop over its back. Why, oh why couldn't I fall in love with a nice, simple farmer? She snorted. But oh no, not me. I have to go for moody princes who're just screaming for someone to cuddle them. Wrapping her arms around her torso, the Etherian queen closed her eyes, imagining for a moment what it might be like to be held by the man she'd chosen. My prince. My lover. My consort. My husband.
Teela sat in the back of the windraider, arms folded across her chest, fuming silently as the wind whipped her hair about her face. The mysterious seismic activity in the Mystic Mountains had turned out to be nothing more than a geological anomaly, and the captain was not pleased to have squandered an entire day going in search of it. What a complete waste of time! No Skeletor. No minions. No monsters. Just some stupid geyser that hasn't erupted in five hundred years! If it had been up to Teela, the party would have returned to Eternos immediately. She had things to do, after all. Quite aside from her usual duties, there was the mid-summer festival to prepare for.
A large event like a festival meant extra security patrols, extra duty shifts to schedule and balance, and a multitude of guests and temporary staff to screen. And I haven't finished my shopping yet, she thought crossly. I hate shopping. I hate shopping at the last minute. I especially hate shopping alone at the last minute. I could have gotten a lot of that done today if only I'd stayed in the capital. I could have dragooned Adam into helping me. He's good at finding the right present for the right person. Sighing dramatically, Teela unfolded her arms and began to tap her fingers, one after the other, on the seat of the windraider.
Besides, Adam enjoys shopping. He has fun shopping. It's not the single most evil chore in the world provided that he's there, cracking jokes and buttering up the shopkeepers. Taking the prince shopping would have meant taking him out of the palace though, and Teela knew that King Randor might have objected. Still, as long as I was with him we really could have skipped a lot of the other security precautions, she reasoned. I am his bodyguard, after all. What could be safer?
Unfortunately for Teela's shopping, both Man-At-Arms and Princess Adora deemed the geyser worthy of further investigation. I should have known the whole day was a lost cause the second Father rubbed his chin and said it was 'Interesting.' If her eyes could have bored holes in her companions' backs, both her father and the princess would have been riddled with perforations by the time they decided to call it a day. Make a note of this, Teela. Jot down that, Teela. Get readings of this other thing, Teela. Arrrg! The captain's hand clenched and her fingers dug into the pliable fabric of the seat cushion.
Laughter drifted back from the front compartment, and she grit her teeth. Apparently Adora and Man-At-Arms were enjoying themselves. They were probably still gushing about the geyser. How two people could find so much to say about something that was, when you got down to it, nothing but water and hot air, Teela could not imagine. But clearly, they were having a fine ole time. "Humph." No doubt they aren't the only ones. And just what do you suppose Prince Adam and Queen Castaspella found to do with themselves, all alone at the palace? Teela snorted. I bet I can guess what that Etherian harpy wanted to do. Too bad for her that Adam treats every girl he meets like his long-lost sister. The captain blinked, her eyes focusing abruptly on the back of Adora's head. Ancients! There's a phrase I'd better eliminate from my vocabulary. He does have a 'long-lost' sister! Ooooooooh...nuts!
Dropping her head into her hands, Teela closed her eyes and massaged her throbbing temples. It didn't much help. Visions of the prince and his playmate danced behind her eyelids. Gack! She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, holding the pressure until she saw stars. But when she eased up, a new vision assaulted her - Adora, standing there, looking so smug and self-righteous as she forfeited their match. Dropping her clenched fists to her sides, Teela tilted her head back, her teeth bared in a grimace. "Oh! For the Ancients' sake!" she ground out through her jaw remained firmly closed.
Teela didn't realize she'd spoken loudly enough to be heard until Adora turned around in her seat, an inquisitive look on her fair face. "Is everything all right?" the princess asked. The captain scowled sullenly at her. For a moment, she actually considered just not answering. But she was just too old to be that childish... especially in front of her father.
"Nothing," she said irritably. "Nothing is wrong." It sounded less than convincing, even to her ears.
"You don't look like nothing's wrong," Adora countered, her eyebrows climbing toward her hairline. "In fact, you look extraordinarily angry." Shooting a quick glance at Man-At-Arms, and apparently receiving some kind of 'go ahead' signal, Adora unfastened her safety harness and quickly climbed over the partition and into the back of the windraider. Once there, she activated the windraider's canopy and then sealed off the back compartment from the front one.
The captain watched these preparations with the gravest of forebodings. Oh no. Oh, please tell this doesn't mean what I think it means. Not girl talk. Please, not girl talk!
"All right, Teela," Adora said, settling herself onto the seat and turning to face her. "What's eating at you? Is this about our match?"
The captain narrowed her eyes, her lips pursed as she bit back on a dozen scathing retorts. Finally, when the princess showed distinct signs that she would just keep staring at her until she answered, Teela settled on a relatively dispassionate, "The entire universe doesn't revolve around you, you know." That's neutral, isn't it? Compared to all the things I could have said, that seems enormously restrained.
"Well," Adora replied, her face a study in wry amusement, "that's a tremendous relief. Here, I thought I was responsible for everything bad that happened in the world." She tilted her head, looking thoughtful for a moment, then added, "Though I refuse to shoulder the blame for bad hair dyes. Women who dye their hair ridiculous colors are solely responsible for their own actions."
Teela blinked, her eyes widening. "Ummm... do you speak from personal experience?" she asked, morbidly curious despite her ill humor.
A conspiratorial twinkle in her eyes, Adora said, "Well, one of my friends did once dye her hair a kind of purplish blue color. Of course, her hair is normally pink, so purple may not have seemed like an unusual fashion statement to her."
"Was it hideous?"
"Utterly. She did the dying herself, and it made her hair all frizzy with split ends flying everywhere." Adora sighed. "You can just imagine what it was like, trying to keep a straight face when she walked into the throne room..."
"But why did she do it?" Teela could understand why someone with pink hair might want to cover it up, but not with purple dye. It was too hideous to contemplate.
Adora shook her head, leaned back in her seat and said, "Why else? She did it to impress a man - a prince in point of fact."
"That's crazy!" Teela exclaimed. "Why would she want someone who didn't like her for herself? This is exactly the kind of thing that I despise in courtiers."
"I suppose, technically, Glimmer is a courtier, what with being the crown princess of Bright Moon and all," Adora said, looking thoughtful. "But she's a rebel too, so she does deserve your respect. I think that one day, when she finishes growing up, she'll be a good queen."
"Oh?" Teela tried not to sound too dubious, but she must have failed for Adora eyed her reproachfully.
"Respect, Teela. It's one thing for us to laugh about her juvenile antics with hair dye, but you should still be respectful."
The captain bristled, glaring frostily at the princess. "Why, because she's royalty?" she demanded.
"No," Adora countered. "Because she's a person, and a good one at that." The princess chewed her lip for a moment, then without looking at Teela, she said, "Glimmer has a crush on Adam, you know."
Teela's jaw dropped open. "Another one! Are there any girls on Etheria who aren't after him?!"