- - -
It was dawn before the first of the King's troop was able to make their way out to the front line the alarm having been raised when several of the infantry commanders failed to make their hourly reports as usual. However whatever Man at Arms had been expecting the widespread death and devastation verily took his breath away.
"I don't understand…There is not a drop of blood spilt, the men simply look as if they have been frightened to death?"
"Nor do I my old friend!" He-man replied, leaning down to gain a closer look at one of his fallen comrades. "There are no marks on him, no wounds of any kind not even bruising. What manner of thing could create such havoc and yet leave not a trace."
"My Lords!" One of the young soldiers called out. "There is a survivor…"
Rushing over to where the young man stood, Duncan immediately crouched down by the boy that had managed to hang on whilst all his comrades had perished, pulling out one of his hi-tech devices which began to catalogue the boy's injuries. "I don't understand…"
"What is it Duncan?" He-man asked, his own blue eyes raking over the pale lad noting the painfully slow and shallow rise of his chest and the distinctly green pallor.
"He wasn't attacked like the others….Here." Duncan exclaimed running his hand under the thick armour before drawing his hand away coated in the young soldier's blood. "He was stabbed not…Well not whatever happened to his friends."
"Will he survive?" He-man asked sadly, hoping against hope that he had misread the signs and his old friend would be able to work some magic of his own.
"I honestly do not know, he is so very weak from the blood loss and there is something else keeping his body from fighting back, it could take weeks for our medics to find out what and he doesn't have weeks; he might not even have hours. There is only person who could even attempt to save him."
"The Sorceress?"
Nodding Man-at-arms waved over two medics with a stretcher. "We must at least try to get him to her in time…Whatever the boy has seen, we need to know if we are to have any chance of standing against this new weapon of Skeletor's."
"Then we must leave immediately, it will give us a chance to check on Grayskull, I am sure the Queen and Teela have things under control but I will feel better knowing for myself, although I doubt Teela will be in any mood to forgive me." He-man muttered standing and heading over to gather his things, not noticing a concerned Duncan trailing him until they were out of earshot of the other men.
"Do you really think it is wise for you to be going?" Duncan whispered.
Frowning He-man whirled round to glare at his oldest friend and mentor. "Of course it is wise, who else can protect this boy better than I?"
Sighing Duncan added softly. "That I do not dispute, but there are other's that need protecting, the king for example and how will moral be affected if our champion is seen to be abandoning the field?"
"I am not abandoning anyone!"
Shaking his head at the prince's stubbornness Duncan tried one last time to persuade him. "That is how it would seem! I can just as easily take the boy to Grayskull and check upon the Queen and my daughter and there will be more than enough times for making amends after the battle is won…There are more important things for you to be doing, that is the price of your power and you know it well enough, it is the prince who wants to make amends with my daughter but it is He-man who by necessity must remain on the battlefield."
Sighing He-man had to admit the logic in his old mentor's words. "I just wanted to make sure she is alright…What with all this hanging over us, an adversary we cannot seem to fight and that damned prophecy, what if the two are linked are we even doing the right thing by not…"
"We were wise not to tell her, it would only have unsettled her further and besides she is as protected as it is possible to be, the Sorceress will protect her to her dying breath and we will fight this. The Oracle has been wrong before, it could have only been a shadow of what might be rather than an irreversible truth." Duncan added placing a restraining hand on his old student's shoulders, sometimes he forgot just how young the prince really was and despite all the power of Grayskull he was just as vulnerable emotionally as the rest of them.
"I couldn't bear to lose her, not after everything there is too much left unsaid."
"There will be plenty of time; no-one is going to be lost. Now I must hurry this boy doesn't have long himself and I intend on keeping my promises!"
"Good Journey my old friend."
"And to you." Man-at-arms replied.
- - -
"The first attack proved entirely successful…Our scouts have reported that the entire Western front line was decimated before the sun came up. The Eternian command was spotted visiting the battle site but so far there is no intelligence that they are aware of our new allies." Kharg reported gleefully watching as a rare smile flittered across his master's face.
"Excellent." Skeletor hissed his fingers caressing his staff lovingly as he basked in the glory of his first victory. "Have all agents reported in?"
Pausing nervously Kharg elbowed Beastman forward as it had been decided that he could be the one to give Skeletor this particular report.
"Well?" Skeletor snapped unable to contain the tightening feeling in his stomach as his minions shifted nervously, something was wrong turning his icy stare on to all of his so called lieutenants as his hand tightened reflexively round his staff.
"One failed to report Milord." Merman spluttered as he inched behind a cowering Beastman anxious to avoid any fire.
"Who?"
The question hung in the air for a moment as all tried to avoid meeting his gaze and so escape answering. Normally they would have taken such delight in one of their rival's failure but since they were at war and all supposedly on the same side Skeletor had outlawed their normal petty skirmishes in favour of decimating the enemy.
"Evil-Lyn." Beastman finally grunted, although in his guttural grunts and whines it bared nothing more than a passing resemblance to the witch's name.
"What?" Skeletor roared and all suddenly began to babble unintelligibly, one talking over the other in their nervousness that nothing was making sense. "Silence…Just you!" Skeletor shouted pointing his Havoc Staff at an extremely nervous looking Kharg who shook slightly inside his fur.
"She didn't contact us as usual, at first we thought she was just well…Being Evil-Lyn and making us wait…But then when she didn't check in at all this morning, we had one of our scouts do a sweep around Grayskull they didn't find her."
Scoffing in amusement Skeletor cut in. "Of course you wouldn't I trained her better than that, she would have been hidden!" He added waving the concern aside, of course she would be fine just her usual stubborn self reacting to his refusal to place her in the front line.
"Yes…" Kharg agreed nervously, wishing he could just leave it at that but knowing that things would be worse if Skeletor found out later. "However…The Scouts did find something else. There had been an accident, a hoverbike probably it had been destroyed in the crash and whoever was on it along with it…And they found these on and near what remained of the craft." He added waving an armour clad trooper forward.
Reaching for the container Skeletor reclined back on his throne, pushing the button that released the hatch he glared inside at a melted grappling hook and a decidedly charred looking wand. Knocking the box away from him so it went clattering across the floor Skeletor felt his rage build, this could not be happening she could not have been so foolish? Tightening his grip on his havoc staff he felt his rage build as he turned looking for a target to lash out at, his eyes landing on the unarmed soldier in front of him who seconds later was struck by a brilliant bolt from the staff and fell to writhe in agony at his master's feet.
Sinking exhausted into his throne as his minions scattered Skeletor could not help but smile at the irony and it had been such a good start to the day.
- - -
"Come out Teela, come out and play…" Evil-Lyn called out in a singsong voice as she scanned the surrounding woodland for the King's Bodyguard. The pair had spent most of the night playing a life or death game of tag through the forest, and Lyn had managed to stay one or more steps ahead of her opponent but now her dependency on her magic was beginning to show; her body was simply not conditioned for this sort of exertion. If she did not take a stand now then slowly Teela would gain on her and there might be the remotest possibility of a defeat, Lyn's ego refused to consider the mere girl stood more than a slim chance of besting her.
The small clearing she stood in presented the best opportunity for a clear fight, ring fenced by majestic stone monoliths that looked to be some millennia old it appeared to be a natural arena. Crouching behind one of the stones Lyn reached out with all of her enhanced senses, letting her magic flow through her body replenishing and refreshing her tired and aching muscles. Twitching slightly as her senses sparked blinded slightly by the background hum of old magics, clearly this place had once been a site of great importance if the resonance could still be felt. Perhaps after they had won the war she would come back and investigate the matter further, providing her vaunted master did not simply dispose of her after the victory, she added snorting to herself in wry amusement.
Perhaps it was this pre-occupation or perhaps it was the magical static from the monoliths but Lynn didn't see her coming. One moment the forest was calm the next the undergrowth in front of her was erupting as Teela bodily threw herself at her opponent.
Teela's plan had been simplicity itself she took every scrap of training and threw it out the window then winding up her anger until it was a tight drum in her stomach she waited like a tiger in the undergrowth, slowly creeping forward until coiled she pounced. The witch was clearly taken by surprise, knocked off her feet by the sheer weight of her attacker. Attempting to immobilise her Teela pinned down Evil-Lyn's shoulders bringing up her knee to her solar plexus, literally kicking the wind right out of her. Normally such a blow would have the victim prostrate but the witch had the tenacity of a rabid dog clawing and scratching at Teela's face as if she was trying to blind her. Rearing back from this Teela grabbed at Lyn's shoulders twisting and throwing the witch back against one of the ancient stones, but once again the cunning witch manage to manipulate her using her weight to roll them both past the marker and into the stone circle.
The moment they passed the boundary there was a sudden silence, it was if all noise from the Forest had been shut off and the sheer weight of it pinned them to the smooth grass even the pounding of her own pulse was deafening. Glancing up Teela gasped as the Forest behind the circle seemed to stretch and shimmer, it seemed so far away as if she was staring up at from the bottom of a lake. This distraction was all Evil-Lyn needed to make good her escape pushing Teela away she half rolled half dragged her way to the far edge of the circle to lick her wounds.
"What is this place?" Teela demanded wincing at the way her words echoed and pounded against her own ears, turning to glare at the equally puzzled Evil-Lyn.
Shrugging the witch reached out trying to claw her way back out through the barrier, her own escape more pressing than sating Teela's curiosity, yet the barrier would not give. Gritting her teeth Lynn dug down deep pillaging her already low magical core, things would have been much easier with a wand as it was she had to use all her remaining energy to focus her abilities. Pressing her hand against the barrier again she threw her remaining magic against, and for a moment it seemed to work, the area around her hand became thinner and for a moment the tiny whisper of birdsong could almost be heard but then as if in retaliation for her meddling the barrier began to pulse.
Crying out in pain as she was caught up in a wave of this most ancient of magics Lyn threw herself back, lying on her back she saw the prehistoric stones began to tremble, through the earth she could feel the pooling of power as it circled beneath them slowly building until suddenly there was a blast of violet light and she could sense no more.
- - -
Checking on his patient Man-At-Arms grew increasingly concerned, the medication was having no effect, if anything the general anti-venom toxins seemed to be having the opposite to the one intended. Placing his hand on the boy's forehead he used the long forgotten skills his father had taught him, the long forgotten yore of ancient medicines and natural remedies that once upon a time he had rejected in favour of a more scientific approach. Hot and clammy yet the eyes weren't discoloured, so it was unlikely to be snake venom. The wound itself simply refused to close, it was if the boy's very skin had been set alight, the entry point was scalded and blistered, a reaction he had never seen before.
Glancing at his chronometer Man-At-Arms quickly calculated the remaining journey time, they should be at Grayskull within half an hour, but with the way the boy was fading he wasn't even sure the wounded soldier had that long. Resisting the urge to punch the wall Man-At-Arms settled for merely clenching his fists, a true warrior knew when to give into anger and when not to and now was not the time he needed a clear head if the boy was to survive. Wracking his brain for any connection, any clue Man-At-Arms stared into space then suddenly he had it…Dragons!
Skeletor was using Dragon's in his war; their scouts had confirmed it. The only time he had seen burning like that it had been on dragon victims, their flame was not the same as a normal fire it was caused by some sort of chemical reaction to the air, some flammable gas they secreted then ignited and any poor soul in the way was half burnt half melted by exposure to that very same chemical. Even water had limited effectiveness as it was a chemical burn they were dealing with. What if Skeletor had somehow coated his blade in Dragon's blood, once in the victim it would slowly spread through their own blood burning up the oxygen and raising the body temperature until the poor victim was literally burned alive from the inside.
Choking down the very real nausea at the thought Man-At-Arms cursed the self-proclaimed lord of darkness; only a mind that twisted would seek out and use such a slow and agonising poison. Pushing away his anger, Man-At-Arms simply placed this new atrocity on the bottom of a very long list, one day he would make that bag of bones answer for each and every one but now was not the time to dwell on that. Now he knew the cause perhaps there was something he could do…
- - -
Leaning against the arm of her throne the Sorceress battled against the images of death that assailed her, just holding her mental shields in place required most of her effort but she could not afford to be overwhelmed again. However whilst she was able to protect her mind she was unable to then use her talent to search afield. The people were growing restless without news of the battle, and Teela had not yet returned. That news gnawed in her belly, if she had been conscious she would never have let her daughter leave but the Queen had taken command during her incapacity and naturally had ordered the young bodyguard to deliver the message.
Teela should have returned by now, no matter what the state of the army, as long as King Randor, He-Man or Man-At-Arms lived they would have sent her back at once. This was not her daughter's fight, not this time, she had a far more pressing destiny to fulfil and her very absence placed the whole future of their people in jeopardy.
The sudden clamour of people outside her throne room seemed to signal her prayers had been answered, the messenger had returned, there was news from the front. Sighing as she felt the relief pour of the populace in waves the Sorceress sat up straight gathering her strength so as to present a composed and united front. However her composure cracked slightly when instead of her daughter Man-at-Arms appeared, his handsome face creased in a frown as two soldiers carried in a stretcher.
"Sorceress we need your assistance, I think he has been poisoned by Dragon's blood and there isn't much time…" Man-At-Arms began when he wasn't even halfway across the throne room his frown growing when he caught sight of her obvious exhaustion.
"I will do all I can." The Sorceress answered standing up slowly before making her way down the stairs to the injured boy. Placing her hand on his burning brow she channelled her magic into his body, closing her eyes she could see the poison like a black plague, riddling his every cell, turning his blood into a fiery pitch. Fighting the heat she conjured a shield, purifying as it went it pushed back the poison, slowly removing it from each cell towards the open wound.
It was a long and arduous process and for the already weary Sorceress more draining than it normally would have been. However finally she was able to draw the poison from his body, her noise wrinkling in disgust as the foul smelling drug pooled on the polished marble floor, hissing and steaming as it began to eat away at the dense rock. Opening her eyes she gazed down at the soldier, he was so young, but now at least he would have a chance at a long and happy life. His wound was already beginning to close and with the fever gone it would not be long before he regained consciousness.
"Thank you Sorceress, he was the only witness to Skeletor's new allies, if we had lost him…" Man-At-Arms began, stopping only when the Sorceress suddenly stumbled and placed a balancing hand on his strong arm. "Are you quite well?"
"I am a little tired, I could not sleep for the worry but now you are both back…"
"Both?" Man-At-Arms queried clearly confused.
"You and Teela, she went to find you…"
Realising in horror just who the Sorceress was talking about Man-At-Arms felt his stomach turn over. His daughter was missing.
Catching the look on his face the Sorceress began to panic she had been so certain, now there was only one thing left to do, she had to risk confronting the darkness again in an effort to find their daughter.
"Can you manage it?" Man-At-Arms asked real concern lacing his every word and gesture, he wanted nothing more than word of his only child but he was not prepared to place her mother in any danger to obtain it.
"I can try…" Teelina replied softly leaning far more into his embrace than she would normally allow but right now she needed his strength and support. Closing her eyes she left her mortal form held safe in Man-At-Arms embrace and stretched out her mind searching for her daughter, normally Teela's aura was like a bright firebrand on the landscape, a testament to her bound abilities. Yet now there was nothing. Desperate the Sorceress pressed further searching wildly from one end of Eternia to the other but it was to no avail her daughter could not be found. Collapsing to the floor she buried her head into Duncan's shoulder his grip on her tightening as he guessed the reason for her distress and together alone in the heart of Grayskull they both mourned their lost child.
- - -
Slowly Lyn opened her eyes, a move she automatically regretted the bright light made her head pound even harder. What had she been thinking, hell what had she been doing? Drawing on her magic she tried to ease the headache, shocked when she barely found the energy to correct her double vision. She hadn't felt this drained since….Wait she had never felt this drained before. Always her magic was coiled inside her, a vicious serpent all fangs and muscle just waiting to be unleashed. However this morning her inner beast did little more than blink at her before going back to sleep, clearly if she was going to deal with her dilapidated condition it was going to have to be the old fashioned way.
Rolling on to her side Lyn was surprised to feel grass under her cheek, blinking she squinted against the light, waiting for her eyes to adapt. It didn't take long for the obscure shadows to become tall stone monoliths, or the hazy green blur the forest behind. It was then the previous day and night came back to her. Cursing under her breath as she realised just how much trouble she would be in when Skeletor realised she had disobeyed his orders and left Grayskull unprotected, Lyn forced her body to obey her as she got unsteadily to her feet.
However as she spied a still unconscious Teela lying barely ten feet from her Lyn realised she wouldn't have to face her master empty handed. Staggering over to the Captain she leant over checking the girl still lived, surprised when Teela suddenly woke and she found herself staring into the girl's confused blue eyes.
"Boo!" Lyn joked timing her joke with a carefully timed chop to Teela's neck rendering her unconscious for a few hours more. It would make her more manageable but then as Lyn struggled to lift the bodyguard onto her shoulders, once more cursing her dependence on magic for her poor physical condition, she wondered just what would have been worse actually having to listen to the girls tirade or carrying her heavy carcass all the way back to Snake Mountain?
- - -
Eventually all the tears had been spent. Teelina raised her sleepy head, she had been dozing on and off for hours safe in Duncan's strong embrace. He should have returned to the front line, she should have insisted that he tell the other Masters the awful news but for once she put aside the demands of her title and allowed the woman inside her to be selfish. She had given up everything for her people, the man she loved, the child who would now never know her mother but she could not put aside her grief not even for them, the Elders be damned!
Turning to Duncan she watched his lined and world worn face as he slept. His cheeks were still damp and it reminded her of the tears they both had shed. She had never thought she would see Duncan cry, he had always seemed the consummate soldier, even his love for her had never once compromised his duty to his King but clearly his love for their daughter was another matter. Reaching up she brushed his dark hair slowly from his face, marvelling how she could still see glimpses of the innocent boy she had once known in his lined and creased brow. Yet even in sleep he was still tense, was still anxious, and the almost desperate way he clung to her evoked her most protective feelings.
Leaning up she placed a gentle kiss on his brow, it was barely dawn but he should be leaving and yet part of her wanted him to stay. No one else would understand this grief like he, no one else would even think to comfort her over the loss of a daughter they never knew she had.
Her kiss had stirred him and slowly he blinked his eyes open, for a moment confused but delighted to see her face so close to his own and then realisation sunk in and his eyes clouded over with rage and pain. Unable to bear looking at such misery Teelina flung her arms round his neck burying her face into his shoulder, surprised when Duncan reached up and began to stroke her hair soothingly.
"We'll make him pay..."
Lifting her head slightly at his words Teelina nodded matching his conviction with her own. "That we will!"
- - -
The sensation of being slung over anyone's shoulder was not a pleasant one, and it was certainly not how Teela would have chosen to wake up. The constant lopsided motion combined with being upside down, the blood having rushed to her head hours ago, only contributed to the nausea. However very quickly Teela realised her current queasiness was the least of her problems, the most pressing was just who was doing the carrying.
Keeping her breath measured so that Evil-Lyn would not be alerted Teela waited until the witch stumbled then bringing up her knee she kicked out, forcing the already exhausted witch off balance. Landing hard Teela rolled as she had been taught cushioning her battered body from the worst of the fall. It didn't take long to assess the situation, Evil-Lyn was clearly exhausted and from the way she was favouring her right side still had injuries her magic had not been able to heal. Whereas Teela had the advantage, she hadn't been carrying her enemy for god knows how long and the extra hours rest Evil-Lyn had so kindly ensured she had, had only helped her recuperate further.
If there was ever a chance that she could truly best the witch then it was now.
However that fact had clearly occurred to the witch as well, as the cool-headed Lyn made no attempts to attack or recapture her prize.
"What are you waiting for?" Teela demanded angrily.
"Nothing." Lyn replied nonchalantly moving to lean against a nearby rock. "I am just enjoying the relief of having your heavy carcass off of my back, you're far heavier than you look my dear, I'd go easy on the sugar from now on I doubt He-Man has an interest in the more rotund ladies…Unless of course he is planning on using you as some sort of siege weapon, perhaps you could challenge Ram-man?"
Biting on her lip to try and keep her temper under control Teela refused to give Evil-Lyn the satisfaction of nettling her, of trying to trick her into foolish action. "Is that why your master keeps you around, I suppose Skeletor appreciates a woman who is more bony than he is?"
However instead of barbing the witch Evil-Lyn smiled in appreciation at the Captain's efforts. "Finally my dear it seems you are getting the idea, words are just so much more effective are they not? If only your dear father was here I am sure he would weep with pride, his darling daughter managing to complete an actual sentence, and in context…"
Snorting Teela decided enough was now enough, words were effective but sometimes you really couldn't beat the simplicity of an uppercut and it was a lesson she was looking forward to teaching the witch. Launching herself at Lyn the pair grappled for a moment, Teela using all of her skills to stall each of the witch's moves, allowing her to tire herself further. She was just about to deliver her crucial blow when an authoritative voice demanded.
"Cease. You are surrounded. Lay down your weapons and identify yourselves…"
Freezing the pair rolled apart and Teela sighed when she recognised the Royal emblem on the soldier's uniform. "At ease Private, it is I Captain Teela."
However this clearly did not set the soldier's mind at ease as his eyes darted back and forth between this so called captain and the very pale faced woman who was lying on the grass smirking in amusement. Picking up his communicator he muttered into it clearly calling for back up, not once lowering his weapon which remained trained on both women and from the way his hand shook both women wisely remained still lest the trigger-happy new recruit got even more nervous.
Fortunately they didn't have long to wait, as barely five minute later a troop carrier arrived and a Sergeant-At-Arms arrived. He took one look at the two prisoners and shook his head, clearly in frustration at his subordinate's incompetence.
"Forgive me My lady, the boy is new and well a little over-eager I would be grateful if you didn't mention this…"
Smiling Teela nodded accepting the hand he offered to help her up. "Would you give me a lift?"
"It would be an honour My lady…And the prisoner?" The Sergeant asked sneering towards a smirking Lyn, who didn't resist when two young Lieutenants rushed forward and bound her hands behind her back pulling her to her feet.
"We'd better take her with us, keep her out of trouble for the time being."
"As you wish." The Sergeant replied bowing low instead of saluting. "If you would be so kind to mention me to the King, I would be eternally indebted."
Frowning slightly at the man's flagrant breech of protocol Teela brushed aside the rather flowery language, she was no courtier with whom to curry favour but then she didn't recognise this Sergeant and he clearly misunderstood her position in the Royal household. It was a mistake a few people had made in the past, like when she had received her position as Royal bodyguard, there had been a few malicious snickers over just what new duties bodyguards were undertaking these days; not surprisingly Teela always found a quick uppercut and trouncing the dissenters in the sparring ring silenced most of those rumours.
However she had neither the time nor the place for correcting the Sergeant so she ignored his sycophancy and helping hand into the troop carrier, refusing the VIP seat she sat in with the soldiers ignoring their confused glances. They were clearly all new recruits and she wouldn't trust them to guard Evil-Lyn, the witch had managed to escape their grasp every time but not this time. She wouldn't fail like all the other Masters and when she presented Skeletor's right hand to the King, He-Man and her father would have to acknowledge her ability, perhaps then they would allow her to fight on the front where she belonged?
- - -
Randor sat in his tent brooding. Glancing around his makeshift war room he scowled at the empty places. Where the hell was everyone? Man-At-Arms should have been back hours ago but he had sent no word as to their progress with the young soldier and they needed to know exactly what they were up against. He-Man was as ever unpredicatable, a fierce warrior of that there was no doubt and Grayskull's champion but he wasn't the easiest person to handle and the recent Guerrilla tactics of Skeletor's new allies did not suit their champions fighting style. By the time they arrived at a garrison which was under attack it was already too late, their quarry had vanished into the night without even a trace and He-Man was forced to vent his growing frustration on whatever innocent wall or tree happened to be in the way.
In some way he wished Adam could be here with him. His son was no longer a child and yet he showed little interest in these more unpleasant aspects of kingship, fleeing from any possible fight and yet to a certain extent Randor had to admit he had encouraged this; as a King he could be disappointed his heir was not more of a warrior and yet as a father it eased his heart to know his son was out of harms way. He could only imagine the hell Duncan experienced every time Teela was involved in battle; the prophecy had almost come as a relief to his old friend, an excuse to send his daughter away from the fighting.
However they couldn't rely on the words of an old soothsayer, which despite the assurances of the Sorceress was all the Oracle was. Pulling forward the detailed maps Randor concentrated on moving his remaining forces to try and protect his left flank, hoping that soon one of the Masters would return and tell him something that would tip the balance in their favour. If not he didn't want to think what would happen.
- - -
Passing through the palace a shackled Evil-Lyn following a few paces behind, Teela found her sense of uneasiness growing. Why were they here and not at the front? Was the war over already? The further she walked toward the throne room and the more the simpering courtiers bowed and scraped as she went she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something very wrong here. It was clearly not a feeling that Evil-Lyn shared, as despite her shackles the witch appeared in complete control, smirking evilly at any courtier foolish enough to meet her gaze. Coming to a holt in front of the large double Oak doors Teela waited for the two guards on duty to open and admit them both, surprised when she caught the sound of music and laughter from within the throne room.
Then suddenly the doors were open and both were confronted by a raucous sea of colour, the room was full of elaborately costumed dancers, swirling around the floor dancing to strange and exotic music. Pushing her way through the crowds tugging Lyn after her, Teela was surprised when the dancers parted easily to let her pass. Stalking up to the front she caught sight of Adam lounging by the throne, yet there was no sign of her father or the Queen and the King seemed to be engrossed in conversation with someone, his back was turned towards her.
Suddenly the music came to a end and all eyes were focused on the two new arrivals, even the King looked up from his intense discussions with one of his generals and Teela was aghast to find herself staring into the eyes of a stranger, although he was not as unfamiliar as she had first supposed, she had seen a painting of someone similar once before hidden in an abandoned part of the castle.
"Keldor."
- - -