Skeletor's cackle grated on He-Man's already-frayed nerves. Just that morning, Duncan had confided that Randor's patience was at an end. He-Man felt as if a deadline were looming, and he still didn't know what to do.
Skeletor was just the distraction he needed, a perfect focus for his pent-up frustrations, but that internal tension made He-Man vulnerable, and the hero knew it. He was far more likely to make a mistake when he was aggravated. Not to mention this was the first attack on Castle Grayskull since he had lost his sword—his first fight without it. He-Man stood in front of the raised jawbridge, Battle Cat at his side. The Sorceress wasn't even around-it had been the Spirit of Grayskull that had summoned him.
"Out of my way, muscle head," Skeletor snapped.
"Give it up, Skeletor," He-Man retorted easily, hiding his inner turmoil through years of practice. "You know you won't win."
"I know nothing of the sort," the villain denied.
"Don't you get tired of losing, bonehead?" He-Man asked as he waited for Skeletor to make his move. The goon had to have a plan; he always did when he came here. Some new weapon, magical or technological, no doubt.
"Yes," Skeletor agreed, "which is why I won't lose this time!" He raised a red jewel and pointed it at He-Man and Battle Cat, releasing a ray of maroon light. He-Man resisted the urge to jump out of the way; he had no way of knowing what this thing would do to Grayskull if he let it hit the magical defenses, and without the Sorceress here to reinforce them, he couldn't risk Skeletor managing to neutralize them. Instead, He-Man blocked the ray with his armband; to his dismay, it bounced off and set a nearby tree on fire.
Battle Cat roared and ran at Skeletor. Evil-Lyn yelled something about turning him into a kitten and blasted a magical beam at him, but he dodged out of the way.
"You fool! You missed!" Skeletor shouted.
Taking advantage of Skeletor's distraction, He-Man sprinted towards him. Skeletor caught the sudden motion, however, and fired at He-Man rapidly, laughing maniacally the entire time. He-Man somersaulted through the air in an attempt to avoid the shots. Still, one of the rays singed his upper left bicep. The pain seemed to encompass the upper half of his arm, and He-Man hissed in surprise as he landed right in front of Skeletor and grabbed the villain's wrist.
"You lose again, Skeletor," he taunted him, using his right hand to squeeze Skeletor's wrist so hard that the blue-skinned criminal was forced to let go of the jewel.
"Oh really?" Skeletor sneered. With his free hand, he dug his nails into the fresh burn on He-Man's left arm. An involuntary yell let loose from He-Man's mouth, but he didn't lose focus. He swung Skeletor around, forcing him to let go.
"Uh!" Skeletor yelped as He-Man knocked him against a stone archway. He-Man pulled out a pair of power cuffs and got them on the villain before Skeletor could move.
"No!" Skeletor gasped faintly. "You can't do this!" He coughed harshly, then went still.
"Funny," He-Man grunted. "It looks like I just did." He frowned. He hadn't been as careful as usual, and it looked like he may have actually hurt Skeletor. He hoped that wasn't the case.
A roar reminded him that Battle Cat was facing off against Evil-Lyn. Turning, he saw Evil-Lyn right behind him, her hands raised. He dove out of the way, realizing too late she hadn't been aiming for him. Skeletor disappeared, and Evil-Lyn followed him in a ball of fire.
"Blast," He-Man muttered. He smashed the jewel with the heel of his boot and blew out the fire the rays had caused, ignoring his injury for the moment. When the last tongues of fire had been blown out, he raised his arm slightly and looked at it, hissing both at the pain the movement had caused and at the sight of the injury. The ray had actually cut into his muscle and burned it so badly that the muscle itself had blistered. He cast a glance at Grayskull; unfortunately, the Sorceress was on a mission of her own right now, and wouldn't be back for hours.
"Come on, Cat," he said reluctantly. "I'm going to have to ask Duncan to take a look at this."
Duncan whistled when he saw He-Man's arm. "That's painful-looking."
He-Man grimaced. "It doesn't feel too great either." Every movement caused sharp pain to radiate throughout his body, originating from his arm.
"I've got a salve that should help some," Duncan said doubtfully, "but that arm's going to be nearly useless for a while unless the Sorceress heals it." He ducked under the counter, rummaging around.
Teela entered the workshop. "Hi, He-Man," she said a bit shyly, not sure if he was still angry with her. Then she caught sight of his arm. "By the grace of Eternia, what happened?"
He-Man frowned at her reaction. "I got hit with one of Skeletor's rays," he answered, keeping his tone even as Duncan popped back up with a tube in his hand. He-Man half-heartedly wiped at his brow; it seemed to be getting warm in the workshop.
Teela's eyes were wide with something akin to fear. "I've never-I mean-," she stopped. She had seen him unconscious and/or imprisoned before, but for some reason, this was shaking her more than any of those times.
He-Man hissed through clenched teeth as Duncan applied the salve. "I thought that stuff was supposed to help?" he complained, striving to keep his voice light.
Duncan smiled sympathetically, wrapping a loose bandage around He-Man's arm at the same time. "It will. Give it a few minutes." He folded his arms as he stared at He-Man. "Now, do you want to tell me why you went out there by yourself, instead of asking me or Teela to go with you?"
"It wasn't intentional," He-Man assured him. "I was already near Grayskull when the castle's spirit called to me. The Sorceress was out on a mission; there was no time to lose." He swallowed hard; his throat seemed to be terribly dry. "Besides, Battle Cat was with me."
Teela looked from one to the other curiously. "Why would you worry about He-Man being out there alone?" she asked, confused. "He's faced Skeletor alone dozens of times."
"But never without his sword," Duncan grunted.
"Oh," Teela said, her brow furrowed. "I didn't realize that was such a big deal."
"It deflected magic," He-Man said brusquely. "So do my armbands, but they're not as maneuverable as my sword." He blinked hard a few times.
"His sword also healed him when he was injured," Duncan added, then, seeing the hero squeeze his eyes shut and open them again, he asked in concern, "He-Man, are you all right?"
This wasn't the time for false nobility, He-Man knew. Something was really wrong. "My vision got blurry for a few seconds," he replied, putting a hand to his head.
His face was getting flushed, reddening at a fast rate. "Father..." Teela said worriedly.
Duncan took off his glove and felt the other side of He-Man's head. "You're burning up," he exclaimed. "We've got to get you to Grayskull."
"Sorceress isn't there," He-Man informed him weakly. His skimpy attire was suddenly chafing at his skin; he knew it was the fever, which was suddenly causing every joint and muscle to ache. His head began spinning. "Can't believe this came on so fast," he added in a mumble.
"He-Man, I'm going to give you a shot to keep the fever down until we can get to Grayskull," Duncan said, already filling a needle.
"No drugs," He-Man protested.
"You sound like Adam," Teela said impatiently, though her eyes were worried. "Don't be stupid; whatever Skeletor did to you could probably kill you if we don't do something."
He-Man heard her voice and felt the prick of the needle as if from a great distance. His head tipped forward and he jerked it upright, trying to keep his eyes open.
"He-Man, you've got to contact the Sorceress and tell her to meet us at Grayskull," Man-at-Arms said anxiously.
He-Man shut his eyes out of habit. "Sorceress, can you hear me?" he asked aloud, his breathing harsh as he tried to hold on to reality.
Her concerned voice came back immediately. 'I hear you He-Man. What is wrong?'
" I-" Without warning, he collapsed, sliding unceremoniously onto the floor.
"He-Man!" Teela cried out, dropping beside him.
'Man-at-Arms, what is going on?' the Sorceress demanded.
"He-Man was hit with a ray from some sort of jewel Skeletor was trying to use to get into Grayskull. It burned him, and we thought that's all it was, but he's suddenly developed a high fever, and he just collapsed," Duncan answered as best he could as he ran about, gathering up the few supplies he suspected they would need. "Battle Cat!" he yelled, knowing the cat was right outside the door.
'I am on my way to Grayskull now,' the Sorceress returned. 'I will meet you there. Hurry, my friend!'
Between the three of them, Battle Cat, Duncan, and Teela managed to get He-Man into the wind raider. Battle Cat roared as they took off; with He-Man lying down in the back seat, there wasn't room for him. He hesitated only a second before running towards Grayskull on his own.
Teela sat in the back, He-Man's head on her lap. She stroked his hair away from his face tenderly, then pressed a cold compress to his forehead. She had always been too focused on her career to really look for a man; then He-Man had burst into her life like a tornado, sending her emotions into turmoil. She'd had a crush on him for years now, although she tried hard not to let him know. She knew it wasn't love; it was more of a mixture of hero-worship and profound respect and awe. But sometimes she wondered if it could develop into love.
Her mind wandered even as she turned the compress over and patted his face gently. He was so secretive, even about his emotions. He had admitted she meant a lot to him, had even dared to ask her whether she'd prefer someone like him or someone like Adam. Teela smirked as she recalled her answer, "I guess I'm looking for a man with Adam's wit and your courage. But where would I find him?" Part of her was honestly not sure how she felt about him. Part of her had been determined to keep him guessing, since he seemed inclined to do the same to her. Of course, she hadn't understood then what held him back.
In spite of those conversations, she still didn't know exactly how he felt about her-if he would ever consider her more than just a friend. But after their discussions over the last few days, she felt she had a better understanding of him than she ever had. And she thought she understood why he had never moved forward on what she had believed was an interest in her. He-Man would never marry. He wouldn't be able to keep his wife and children a secret, and they would be endangered because of who he was. At least, that's how he would see it.
He-Man moaned. The fire encompassed his entire body as if someone had replaced his marrow with lava. There was a roar in his ears that was painful, but he couldn't open his eyes to see where it was coming from. A soft voice spoke to him, and he tried to focus on it, but it was hard through the haze of heat, the ache throughout his body and the sharp pains that seemed to be stabbing him everywhere.
And everything was a mess. Pieces of pottery were scattered all over the floor. Adam looked up at Marlena, his big blue eyes wide with fear.
"Don' be mad," He-Man mumbled. "It was an acc'dent. Cringer didn' mean it." He shifted and moaned again.
Teela frowned in confusion. Obviously he was having a random dream due to the fever, but why would He-Man dream about Cringer? Teela talked soothingly to him as she shifted her legs, which were starting to fall asleep from his weight. He-Man's breathing was labored, coming in harsh gasps through his clenched jaw. Sporadic spasms gripped his muscles. She looked around and saw that they were near Grayskull. 'Thank the Elders.' If He-Man started hallucinating with this fever, he could hurt himself or her.
Skeletor laughed with glee, holding Randor by the throat in one hand and Teela in the other hand. Fire traveled from his hand down the length of their bodies.
"No!" He-Man moaned, clearly distressed. "Can't let them find out. Skel'tor...would hurt them." His hands clenched, and one came up towards his chest. Teela watched it warily, hoping she wasn't about to get a left hook, at the same time wondering about his words.
"Shh," she said softly. "Everything's all right, He-Man. No one knows anything. Everyone is safe."
"I'm proud of you," Teela said, then she started to cry. "But why didn't you tell me?"
"Wanted to tell you," He-Man said, dropping his hand. His eyes opened for a few seconds and stared directly into her eyes. "I always wanted to tell you," he said clearly. With that, he passed out completely, his head dropping slightly to the side. Teela stared at him, wondering what all of it had been about.
From the front seat, Duncan listened carefully, his jaw tightening. "It sounds as if that fever's getting worse," he said aloud, implying that he wanted a status report.
Teela looked up, feeling as if she had awoken from a dream. The cool evening air stung her eyes a little, waking her from her trance-like state. "I think it is," she said, her voice unusually thick. Not because He-Man's soul had seemed to touch her own in that one statement, of course. She was just worried about him.
The Sorceress didn't even wait for them to come inside the castle. Duncan landed on one of the towers, and she met them there.
"Oh no," she gasped when she saw He-Man. "He-Man, can you hear me?" Getting no response, she motioned for Duncan to lay the hero down on the ground, then kneeled next to him and laid her hands on either side of He-Man's head. "Both of you, place a hand on my shoulders," she commanded. "I may need more strength than I have to heal him."
The two of them did as she asked, and the Sorceress bowed her head. Her hands began to glow, and the soft white light encompassed He-Man. Ever so slowly, his breathing eased. Teela and Duncan could tell the moment the Sorceress started using their strength. There was an odd, tingling feeling, as if their muscles had fallen asleep.
Twenty minutes passed before the Sorceress finally removed her hands from He-Man, shaking slightly.
"Will he be all right?" Teela said worriedly.
"Yes, Teela," the Sorceress replied, her voice breathy. "He needs rest. I think it would be best if he stayed here for tonight." She frowned lightly, wondering how they would get him into one of the bedrooms. She was going to have trouble walking herself, and Duncan and Teela weren't in any shape to carry the hero, although they didn't seem to realize that yet.
A roar from below seemed to answer her question. The Sorceress bid the jawbridge open, and a few minutes later Battle Cat joined them.
"If we get He-Man into your saddle, can you carry him down to one of the bedrooms?" she asked the tiger.
"Of course," he growled at her.
Somehow, they managed to get He-Man down to a large room with several beds in it. Duncan sighed, exhaustion setting in.
"I'm sorry about how tired you are," the Sorceress apologized. "Grayskull's magic was all focused on He-Man; I had to draw on your strength to sustain myself through the spell. Why don't you all stay here tonight? There is plenty of room."
Duncan was too tired to argue; he called into the palace immediately. Teela was secretly relieved. She wanted to make sure for herself that He-Man was all right when he awoke. Besides, he was her only link to Adam now, so she didn't want to leave him.
He-Man woke to find himself staring at a vaguely familiar ceiling of gray stone. He frowned slightly as he tried to remember what had happened. Recalling only that he'd been talking to Duncan and Teela as Duncan bandaged his arm, he rolled onto his side as he prepared to get up, and found Battle Cat's intense yellow eyes right in front of him.
"He-Man, you're awake!" the cat growled gratefully.
"No offense, Cat, but your ugly mug isn't the best sight to see two inches from my face first thing in the morning," He-Man quipped as he sat up quickly to get away from Battle Cat's breath. His head spun with the sudden movement, and he gripped it in both hands in a vain attempt to stop it. "Whoa. Stop the whirlwind, would you Cat? What happened?"
"You almost died," Duncan informed him succinctly from where he and Teela were seated, eating a late breakfast.
He-Man's head jerked up in surprise, then Duncan's words sank in. "What?" he exclaimed, his jaw slack with astonishment.
"I'm afraid Duncan is right, He-Man," the Sorceress said, entering the room. "It took all of my power to save you. Whatever Skeletor hit you with contained some sort of deadly magic. It poisoned you."
He-Man grunted. "And to think I felt bad for hurting him." He stood slowly, then nodded his heartfelt appreciation to the Sorceress. "Thank you, Sorceress."
"You're welcome, He-Man," she said with a warm smile.
Teela poked at her food, then looked up at He-Man as he walked over to the table, a bit unsteadily. "How are you feeling?"
He sat down and grabbed a roll with some kind of dark brown meat piled onto it. "I'll be all right, Teela. I'm just a little woozy yet." He began adding meat to another plate.
"What did you mean, you hurt Skeletor?" Duncan asked.
"I slammed him into a rock, and thought I cracked a rib or two. I had him handcuffed, actually," He-Man said in a frustrated tone. He put the plate of meat on the floor for Battle Cat. "Evil-Lyn managed to get him and herself out of there, though."
Battle Cat growled. "Sorry, He-Man." He tore into the food.
He shook his head. "It's not your fault, Cat. Don't worry about it."
Teela's eyes seemed to wander over to He-Man of their own accord, no matter how she tried to keep her focus on her food. The automatic way he took care of Battle Cat and talked to him reminded her of Adam and Cringer. For some odd reason, all the worry she had felt for He-Man during the night now transferred itself to Adam. She not only wondered where he was, but she wished more than anything that she could be with him. Just to make sure he was all right. Then she'd beat the Elders out of him for worrying her so much.
The next two days settled into a routine, without any interference from Skeletor. He-Man and Battle Cat would go out on patrol in the morning, and after lunch he would "assist" Duncan with whatever project the inventor was working on or go out on a call for help. Because of his recent ordeal, his parents and Teela stopped hinting and badgering him with questions. It gave He-Man a chance to relax and even enjoy himself for the first time since he had lost his sword. Although he missed the closeness with his family, he was finally able to admit that he did not miss the disappointment and frustration that had so often appeared on his father's face...or Teela's.
He frowned as he glanced up and down the hall. Of course, he couldn't stay there forever if he decided to keep his secret. He-Man's very presence would put them all in danger. And he had to make the decision soon. He sighed. It was late at night, and everyone seemed to be asleep. He wanted to get a book he'd been reading before this whole mess had happened. He was too keyed up to go to sleep yet.
He-Man quietly opened the door to "Adam's" room. His hand automatically reached for the light switch, but before he could turn it on, he froze. The soft light from the hallway fell across the bed, and he could see a figure lying there. He let his eyes adjust to the light and took another step, still holding the door open. Familiar red hair spilled onto the pillow, and even though her back was to him, he could see that Teela was holding a pillow in front of her, her chest rising and falling steadily.
He couldn't move for a moment. The idea that she missed Adam this much, to sneak into his room and fall asleep in his bed, made him feel as if the floor had just disappeared beneath him. She had obviously fallen asleep by mistake; she still had her uniform on and wasn't even under the covers. He-Man felt an unfamiliar swell in his chest that had him taking an uncharacteristically clumsy step back. His heel banged into the door, and Teela jerked awake and rolled over, forgetting for a moment where she was.
Teela saw a figure standing in the doorway, but with the light coming in behind him, she couldn't see who it was. "Adam?" she asked, hope and joy mingled in her voice.
"It's me," He-Man answered, his own voice a bit hoarse from the strangle of emotions running through him.
"What are you doing in here?" she demanded, scrambling out of the bed, her face flaming.
He could have asked her the same thing, but He-Man quickly decided that wouldn't be wise. "I couldn't sleep. Adam told me about a book he was reading, so I thought I'd see if I could find it. I didn't know you were in here."
"Oh," Teela said. She glanced at the rumpled bedspread and tugged it into place, gently laying the pillows back at the head of the bed. He heard her sniffle a bit.
"Are you okay?" he asked hesitantly.
"Adam's rarely gone for more than a few days," she confessed, not meeting his eyes. "Every time he is, I'm always glad when he gets back. I know I usually give him a hard time, but the truth is, the palace seems to be missing something when he's not here." She looked to him, tears shimmering in her eyes even in the dim light. "He is coming back, isn't he?"
He-Man's quick assurance died on his lips. He couldn't promise that. "I know he plans to," he finally said, his voice heavy.
Teela caught the wording, and she stared at him almost fearfully. "Plans to? Then there really is a chance he may never come back?" In spite of their earlier conversation, she hadn't truly believed it. But now, with Adam missing for twelve days…reality was setting in.
He-Man's mouth opened and closed as he struggled with a truthful answer. But Teela evidently didn't need to hear the confirmation.
"What could be important enough to keep him away from us?" she demanded, moving closer to He-Man, obviously determined to get some answers for a change.
"Your safety," He-Man answered softly, mesmerized by the worry in her eyes.
"But you said he's not in any danger," Teela countered, confusion coloring her voice.
"He's not, Teela, I promise you," He-Man said, reaching up and grasping her upper arms tenderly. "There are things I can't explain right now, but you will understand someday. I promise." Like when she took the Sorceress' place at Grayskull.
Teela seemed to be trying to look into He-Man's soul as she stared at him, the fear and worry gradually fading.
"Are you all right?" she asked abruptly. "You look tired, He-Man. I've never seen you tired. Are you sure you've recovered? Or maybe you're getting sick?"
'I already am. I'm sick of pretending,' he thought. Aloud he said only, "I think I'll look for that book tomorrow. I'm getting pretty tired after all."
Teela walked back over to the nightstand, and grabbed the book. "Here," she said, holding it out to him.
He-Man took it, surprised she had known what Adam had been reading and where it was. "Thanks."
"He-Man!" Orko called as he and Battle Cat headed out on patrol the next morning. "Wait up!"
"Hey little buddy," He-Man greeted him. "What's up?"
"I just wanted to go with you," Orko admitted, "so we could talk."
"Oh? About what?" He-Man asked as Battle Cat moved forward.
"Well, when you almost died the other day, it got me thinking," Orko said. "What if you did die without your family knowing the truth?"
It was a good thing Battle Cat was doing the walking, because He-Man found he suddenly couldn't move. "What do you mean?"
"Well, would you turn back into Adam if you died? Would they know the truth then? Because if they did, then the last thing they would know is that you were here with them all along, and didn't tell them. And they would have missed all this time with you. And even if they didn't know the truth, Man-at-Arms would have to explain why Adam's not coming back when you said all along that he is," Orko concluded breathlessly, having gotten these complicated thoughts out of his brain at last.
Amazement filled him. Orko's ramblings sometimes came out with the deepest thoughts. "I-I didn't even think of all that," He-Man admitted quietly. "Thank you, Orko."
They walked in silence for a few moments. Finally Orko asked, "So what are you gonna do?"
"I...I'm still not sure," He-Man said, his voice still low. "But I think you've almost made up my mind."
Randor was waiting when He-Man and Battle Cat returned from patrol. "He-Man, could I speak to you?"
"Certainly, sire," he said, following his father to his study.
"Have a seat," Randor said, motioning to a high-back winged chair with a dark blue-and-green checkered pattern. He-Man sat and waited patiently.
"He-Man, I know I said I wouldn't ask you to break your word to Adam," the king said, fiddling with a pen on his desk. "But the fact is that I'm very, very worried about him. It's not like Adam to disappear for this long. He's been missing for nearly two weeks now, and you are the only one who knows anything about it." Randor met He-Man's eyes, and the anxiety on his father's face shook He-Man to the core. "Isn't there anything you can tell me, other than that he's safe?"
"He's not far away," He-Man offered softly. "And he would be here if he could."
Randor's confusion had his brow furrowed and his hands tapping the pen faster. "He-Man, what is this all about? I would think as the king of Eternia and Adam's father, I would know what's going on."
He-Man swallowed hard. "I can't tell you right now. Give Adam just a few more days, Your Majesty," he requested.
Randor sighed heavily but nodded. "Very well," he said reluctantly.
He-Man stood out on his favorite balcony that night, relishing the privacy he needed to think things through. There had been times he had come close to transforming in front of someone in order to save a life, but he had never considered revealing his secret to save anyone emotional pain. He'd been careful to avoid that situation. The only one who had gotten hurt in that regard was Prince Adam, as he was chastised and belittled for his tardiness and laziness.
The hero sighed at that thought, but he still believed that keeping his secret had kept his family safe. The more people who knew, the greater the chance that Skeletor would learn the truth. Tonight, however, the worry in Randor's eyes and the sight of Teela hugging Adam's pillow weighed on his mind. Orko's words, too, echoed in his memory.
"Hello, He-Man," Marlena's voice came from behind him. He-Man swallowed hard as he brought his face under control, then turned to face the queen with a smile firmly in place.
"Good evening, Your Majesty."
Marlena smiled serenely as she came to stand next to him. He-Man glanced at her warily as he turned back to the view before them, the sun now settling behind the mountains in a brilliant array of color.
"How is my son doing?" Marlena asked, her voice casual and her stance relaxed. But He-Man noticed her hands were playing with her royal robes.
"He's fine, Queen Marlena."
"Good." There was a short silence, and He-Man wondered if she expected him to say more. A few firebugs danced by and the two of them watched them idly, the silence lengthening.
"You know, a mother knows her son," Marlena commented, finally turning to face He-Man. "And what he is capable of. I've always been very proud of Adam."
He-Man turned startled eyes on her, trying to understand the underlying meaning to her words. "Your Majesty?"
"I think Adam needs to let us know what's going on," Marlena said, her direct gaze freezing him to the spot. "His father and Teela have suffered enough, don't you think?"
"This hasn't been easy for Adam either," He-Man said a bit defensively as his mind raced over her words again and again. She seemed to be implying that she was not having the same struggles as Teela and Randor. But how was that possible, unless...his eyes narrowed. 'Unless she knows the truth, or thinks she does. It couldn't be...could it?'
Marlena's face softened. "I know. But it seems to me that Adam will not be able to return to us any time soon, and perhaps not at all. His loved ones should know why, shouldn't they?"
"Why would you say he might not come back?" He-Man asked, trying to figure out what she believed.
Marlena's hand started to come up as if to touch his face, but then she dropped it. "Actually, I believe he's already back," she said steadily. "But he hasn't told us yet, because he's struggling with who he's become."
He-Man swallowed hard, convinced now that she somehow knew his secret. "You know where he is, don't you?" he challenged her quietly.
"As I said, He-Man, a mother always knows her own son," she said, expertly skirting his question. She smiled sweetly at him. "Good night, He-Man." There was a slight emphasis on his name.
"Good night, Your Majesty," he replied. In a daze, he watched her go, then turned back to look into the darkness. 'If she knows, why hasn't she said anything?' He gave himself some time to digest the idea, then reflected back on his conversations with Orko and Marlena again. After more than an hour, he closed his eyes, hoping the Sorceress was awake in spite of the late time.
'Sorceress.'
'Yes, He-Man?'
'I've made my decision.'
A/N: You might recognize Marlena's line from "The Rainbow Warrior." Since this AU occurs before that episode, I couldn't resist using it.