Noticing Adam: The Uprising Chapter 9

Teela sat on the bed in her tent alone. She wasn't used to it, but she was feeling pretty darn useless. She didn't know what to do. The last time she had decided to do something, it had ended disastrously. She wanted to fix it. She wanted desperately to get Adam back, but she knew she couldn't do it alone and she was pretty sure Adora couldn't stand the sight of her right now. She could barely stand the sight of herself.

Some help she turned out to be. She knew Adam would still be here with the Rebellion if it wasn't for her. He was a prisoner of the Horde, because she didn't follow orders. Adora was right—she did disobey direct orders from her superior. It didn't matter that Adam and she were childhood friends and they were now courting. That didn't magically change the order of their hierarchy. She almost felt as though she should step down from her post, but she knew that wouldn't get Adam back. She had to do that first.

A commotion outside her tent interrupted her thoughts, so she quickly got up to see what was going on. What she saw as soon as she walked out surprised her. Soldiers and people who she assumed were members of the Rebellion were rushing into camp. They were free, but how? As if the Ancients deigned to answer that question at that particular moment, in the distance, she saw Adora riding Spirit towards camp in the distance.

Of course. She-Ra had gotten them out without her.

She widened her eyes. Then, where was Adam? She looked around desperately, trying to spot him. Surely, they wouldn't have left him! When she was sure that he wasn't there, she quickly made her way to Adora. They met slightly outside of the camp.

Adora had immediately glared at her when she had seen the captain walking her way, but Teela didn't let that intimidate her. She had to know. "Where's Adam?" she asked. There was no greeting or asking for explanations.

Adora wrinkled her brow and answered heatedly, "Still a prisoner of the Horde."

Teela looked down at the ground and gulped loudly. She felt tears rush to her eyes, but she wouldn't let them fall, not yet. "What happened?" she asked finally. She looked back up. "Did you see him?"

"No, but Swiftwind did. It appears that they're not keeping Adam in the dungeon. I wish I knew why. Something strange is going on, I can feel it, but I'm not sure what it is."

Teela nodded in agreement and when several uncomfortable seconds passed silently, she then mumbled, "Look, Adora, I know you're angry with me and you have every right to be. I made a horrible mistake that cost Adam his freedom. I know that. I just wanted to let you know that I plan on resigning my position in the Guard when we get back to Eternia, but first I want to get Adam back."

Adora glared at her even more deeply and snapped, "You will do no such asinine thing!"

"What?" She was surprised. She thought Adora would have been pleased with the news.

Instead Adam's twin jumped down from her horse, walked right up to her, and spat, "This is precisely the kind of thing that caused Adam to be caught in the first place! You make decisions without discussing with anyone else what they think! You think you know what's best for everyone when you don't, Teela! If you quit your job that will make things even harder on Adam when we get him back! He would blame himself and he'd worry if your relationship would last. Why would you do that to him? Plus, you love your job. So, you made a mistake and trust me, it should be addressed at some point, but quitting won't resolve anything. It will only cause more pain! So, no, you won't resign from anything!"

They stared each other down for several moments, but the standoff ended when Teela heard one of the officers in camp call the other soldiers to attention. Both women turned around, worried that camp was being attacked somehow, and was surprised to see the Royal Guard members dropping to their knees and bowing their heads.

That could only mean one thing, Teela realized. The Guard bowed like that when a member of the Royal Family showed up on a battleground when they were at war. She gasped and questioned, "Adam?"

With one brief glance at each other, they ran to camp.

=)=)=)

Adam sat at his bedroom window and stared at the Whispering Woods. It certainly was a beautiful place to look at, but he knew appearances were deceiving. The truth was the place was a hideaway for people who broke the law on a regular basis. They used the forest to conceal their awful doings, and of course, to hide his sister.

He raked his eyes across the edge of the forest and tried to see if he could make out anyone approaching the Fright Zone. Hordak said he had sent a message to Adora. He had given her an invitation to come to talk. He knew it was a long shot. After all, why would the Rebellion let her? But he hoped anyway.

Sighing again, he propped his head on the windowsill and continued to stare at the woods. Maybe he should go to her. If they wouldn't allow Adora to come, maybe he could find a way to get to her. Maybe a single person would be able to get into their camp and whisk Adora away. It was possible.

Before he could come to any decision on his thoughts, his bedroom door suddenly opened. He turned around and watched Hordak come into the room. "Ah, Adam, what are you doing, my boy?"

He shrugged as he looked back out the window. "Nothing, really. I was just hoping I would see Adora's approach."

Hordak stepped farther into the room and grasped his shoulder. "Staring at those woods won't accomplish anything. I have the guards on the lookout and they will tell us right away if anyone steps foot in this direction. Why don't you and I do something else to occupy our time?"

Adam looked up at him feeling completely surprised. "Oh, like what?"

"Why don't we spar against one another? We haven't done that in a while. Let's see what Horde skills we can instill into you today."

Adam smiled eagerly and said, "Okay, let's do it."

=)=)=)

Adora ran into camp as quickly as she could. Like Teela, she hoped the Guards' actions signaled that Adam had managed to escape and found his way back to camp. "Adam!" she yelled but suddenly stopped when she caught a glimpse of a blue robe, brown hair, and a golden crown. "Father?" she then gasped.

King Randor turned in her direction and nearly shouted her name. "Adora!"

Quickly, she finished running to him and hugged him tightly. "Father, I can't believe it! What are you doing here?" she cried.

When they pulled back from their embrace, he answered, "I heard about Adam from the Sorceress. I came to help get him back."

Adora bit her lip as she studied him for the moment. Afterward, she looked away and whispered, "I'm happy to see you, Father. I never thought I'd see you set foot on Etheria, so I'm happy to see that you can and that you have…but I think it would be a mistake if you helped us to get Adam back." She met his eyes again and continued, "I couldn't bear to see you get hurt, and neither could Adam. Just like what happened at Snake Mountain, he would be concerned with helping you. We don't want to put him in a situation where he would think he has to protect others instead of taking an opportunity to escape. We already know he'll die for you and…"

The king grabbed her shoulders unexpectedly, held her back as far as his arms could push, and stared into her eyes intensely. "Adora…don't you know? Adam wouldn't try to protect me, not in this situation."

She arched an eyebrow in response. "Yes, he would!" she insisted. "Past actions prove that. I think you would be more of a distraction than anything else! I hate to say that, Father, but it's true!"

Randor suddenly stepped away and said, "Oh, Ancients, you don't know. Sorceress, why didn't you tell her?"

Teela, who had watched the reunion silently, stepped beside Adora and asked, "Why didn't she tell Adora what? Has something happened?"

He nodded as he looked back at them. "Yes, and I thought you knew. Adora, Teela, the truth is Adam won't try to protect me or even you…at least not right away."

"What are you talking about?" questioned Adora fearfully.

He went back to Adora and stared into her eyes deeply and then looked at Teela. "Adam…he's not himself right now. The Sorceress told me that Skeletor and Shadow Weaver had cast several spells on him. He doesn't remember me or his mother. He probably doesn't even remember you, Teela." He looked back at Adora. "But he does remember you. He thinks the both of you have been raised by Hordak and Shadow Weaver. He believes that the Rebellion has kidnapped and brainwashed you. The next time we see Adam, I'm afraid he's going to be fighting against us."

Both Adora and Teela gasped simultaneously. "Ancients!" Teela exclaimed. "This is all my fault!"

Adora glared at her and nearly screeched, "Yes, it is!"

Randor widened his eyes as Adora glared at Teela and took a step in her direction. He could tell she was about to give the captain a lecture of a lifetime, at least that's what he hoped she was about to do. Regardless, he slipped his arms around her waist and held her back against him tightly. "This is no time to blame each other or argue with one another! We have to work together if we're going to capture Adam. And, then it's going to get even tougher. We're going to have to convince Adam that he knows us and that the Horde is evil."

Adora tilted her head to the ground and then nodded slowly. She took a deep breath and then said calmly, "You're right." She looked at Teela to gauge her reaction before she turned around to face her father. He let go so she could. "Hopefully, convincing Adam will be easier than you think. The Sword of Protection helped me break Shadow Weaver's spell when Adam first found me and I'm sure the Sword of Power will do the same for him. We just got to him back!" She then shook her head and hollered in complete frustration, "I cannot believe this is happening!"

Randor nodded. "I know what you mean." He then looked at Teela and frowned.

Adora noticed and turned around to look, as well. The captain was near tears.

=)=)=)

They had been practicing for nearly an hour.

Adam smiled as he swung his sword at Hordak. The clang that occurred as their blades connected was loud and his smile grew even wider when his opponent almost let go of his sword. Hordak scrambled to grip the weapon again, and Adam knew the time was now. He swept his back leg forward, wrapped his foot around Hordak's ankle quickly and jerked his body to the side.

Almost instantly, Hordak fell to the ground while Adam took advantage of his stumble and pulled the bobbling weapon away from his mentor. Hordak hit the mat with a sickening thud. Adam then towered over him and crossed the swords at his neck. One razor sharp blade was on each side and could easily cut into him with the slightest movement. "Do you yield?" Adam asked smugly.

Hordak had widened his eyes temporarily as he fell and he was even more surprised now at how well Adam had taken to his lesson. He grinned at his newfound pupil, laughed devilishly, and answered, "Very good, Adam! Yes, I yield."

Immediately, Adam took the swords away from Hordak's neck and extended his hand to help pull him up. Once he was on his feet again, Hordak said, "I'm proud of you, Adam. You are learning well. Taking advantage of a mistake or any weakness, even if it's a low blow, is what determines the winner from the loser in battle. War is an ugly business and sometimes you have to get a little dirty to win. Do you understand?"

Adam nodded seriously. He no longer smiled. "Yes, I understand."

Hordak stared at him and asked, "How did it feel?" When Adam looked confused, he clarified, "How did it feel when you stood over me and knew you had won?"

He smiled again. "It felt…strange but in a good way. I felt powerful in that moment, like there was nothing I couldn't do."

Hordak nodded. "Yes, I'm sure you did." He then slapped at Adam's back a few times and said, "I think that's enough for now. Perhaps, we can do this again this afternoon or tomorrow at some point."

Adam nodded and replied, "I would love to. Thanks."

As Hordak left the room, Adam smiled again, grateful that Hordak was spending time with him to teach him these things. He knew the skills would come in handy to get Adora back and he was looking forward to that day.