So, you can see I've been writing a lot recently (especially if you include my other fandoms). I'm about to go back to work on Tuesday after this nice, long Christmas break, so I'm trying to write at least one more chapter to all of my stories before I go back to work. I know going back will be chaotic, so I don't know when I will be able to update anything. (I won't let it be too long, though.) In any case, I have really been letting this story and "Against Nature" slip. I'm going to try to rectify that problem. "Teela's Visitor" has definitely been distracting, haha. In any case, I hope you enjoy this! Sorry if this chapter seems kind of…jumpy. My sinuses are bothering me so I'm in that state of always having a headache and feeling kind of "blah." That being said, forgive me for any horrible typos that you might find.
Noticing Adam: The Uprising Chapter 21
King Randor knew he was taking drastic measures. He knew that his plan to stop Hordak was extreme and that it didn't even remotely resemble the way he usually solved problems, but he didn't know what else to do. He refused to let this situation with Hordak drag out for years. All he had to do for proof that it would was to look at what had happened with Skeletor. Eternia had been fighting him for over twenty years! If he didn't take some big steps to stop Hordak's tyranny, the same could happen on Etheria.
And, what did that mean?
It meant that he would have to go back to Eternia without his children. He couldn't stay on Etheria forever, after all. He was king. And, of course, that meant he would rarely see Adam and Adora. He found that he couldn't bear the thought. Adam had been within arm's reach for twenty years and with Adora's recent stay at the palace, he got used to having his daughter there again. He didn't want to give that up—he didn't want to lose them. So, this was the only way…
Determined, he stepped through the dimensional gate and found himself in Castle Grayskull within mere seconds. The Sorceress was there to greet him, but he was so consumed with his thoughts that he barely noticed. He began to walk across the room so he could leave until he heard the Sorceress call out to him.
"King Randor."
Abruptly, he turned around and widened his eyes a little. It dawned on him that he had been oblivious to everything except for his desire to talk to Man-at-Arms and get started with his plan. "Sorceress," he greeted. "Forgive me. My mind was elsewhere."
She walked across the room and stopped in front of him. "Yes, I know."
When they simply stared at each other, Randor began to feel a little awkward. He glanced to the side with a slight shrug of his shoulders before meeting her gaze again. "I'm so sorry; was there something you wanted to say?"
She nodded once and said simply, "It won't work."
"What?" he asked, startled.
"Your plan. Adam is destined to bring peace to Eternia and Etheria. Your plan excludes him all together, so I know it won't work."
Randor narrowed his eyes and said, "But it sure will help significantly, I bet. Besides, who said that destiny is written in stone? If it is, then what's the point of living and trying to change anything? Everything will happen as it should without any interference on anyone's part if that were the case."
The Sorceress cocked her lips disapprovingly for a second and replied, "That's not the way it works, King Randor, but I don't have time to explain how it does, nor do you have the years to learn."
The king placed his fists on his hips and stated, "I have to do something. Do you know what that…villain did to my son? Do you know what he made him witness?"
She nodded. "Yes, I do, but that doesn't mean that we become the monsters that we're fighting against."
King Randor looked over her shoulder as if he were dissecting her words to find the truth in them. When he focused on her once more, he replied, "This is war. Sometimes to win, you do have to stoop their level. Sometimes it's the only way to come out on top."
He turned abruptly and marched out of the castle. He had been there so often thanks to everything that had occurred with Adam that he could have found his way out with his eyes closed.
=)=)=)
Teela, Cringer, and Adora watched Adam walk out of the tent hurriedly. Adora took a step forward to obviously follow him, but the captain shot her hand out and grabbed the princess' arm. Adora looked at Teela's hand with a raised eyebrow before meeting the other's stare.
Knowing that she wanted an explanation for her actions right away, Teela said, "Let me go after him alone, Adora."
Immediately, Adora snatched her arm from the captain and stated, "We don't have time for this! Adam is going back to the Fright Zone, so our best option is to work together to keep him here, at least until Father comes back! He'll get him to stay!"
Teela furrowed her brows in frustration and exclaimed, "I know you are his twin, but let me be blunt for a second: I'm his girlfriend! I can get him to stay if you would let me! I can distract him. Trust me."
Adora paused when she realized what Teela was suggesting. She sighed. She hated manipulating her brother, but she also knew it would work. Growling loudly, she relented. "Fine. Go after him, but come and get me immediately if it doesn't work."
"Oh, it will," she said with a grin. Without any more discussion, she ran from the tent, asked several Rebels what direction he went, and then followed.
=)=)=)
King Randor stepped into the throne room and was greeted by a multitude of gasps, which came from the numerous courtiers who were present at court. Working his way through the crowd, he approached his wife who was already descending from the throne rapidly.
"Randor!" she exclaimed.
When they met, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her chastely. "My dear," he said with an amused smile, "you act like you haven't seen me in a year."
She grinned with no embarrassment showing at all. She explained simply, "Well, I wasn't expecting to see you so soon." She looked behind him and then met his eyes questioningly. "Where are the twins?"
He could tell that she already knew and that she didn't like it one bit, but he told her the answer anyway. "They're still on Etheria." When she frowned, he explained, "I'm going back. Don't worry, both Adam and Adora are safe at the Rebel Camp. I'm here because I need to speak with Man-at-Arms. I need his help." He began to glance around the throne room to look for Man-at-Arms when he realized his friend was standing next to him.
"How can I help, Your Majesty?" Duncan asked immediately, cutting off what would have been Randor's greeting.
The king took that opportunity to look around the throne room again. Slightly worried, he asked, "Is my father still here?" At their nods, he grinned at Duncan and stated with obvious relief, "Good. I need your expertise, and then I want you to accompany me back to Etheria. My father can step into your role of helping the queen while you are gone. It shouldn't take long." He looked back at Marlena and asked, "Is that okay, my dear?"
She studied her husband and questioned, "What are you planning? Will it help to bring Adam and Adora home?"
Randor smiled. His queen knew him well. She knew that whatever his plan was, it was big, and that was why she was questioning him on it. He stepped closer to her and answered, "I'd rather not discuss what I'm planning right now, but yes, I believe it will help bring our children home quickly."
She nodded slowly and then replied, "Well, what are you waiting for, then? Go. I'll have a guard send for your father to tell him what is happening."
Randor smiled. He wrapped his arms around her again and kissed her once more. "I love you," he whispered. "Thank you for being so understanding."
"Just bring our children home, Randor. I'll do whatever I can on my side if it helps to make that happen."
They hugged one more time before Randor turned to Man-at-Arms and said, "Let's go to your workshop."
=)=)=)
Teela ran through the Whispering Woods and followed the soft footprints that Adam's boots left in his wake. "I just have to find him," she told herself numerous times until she finally spotted him. He was twenty feet ahead stepping over a fallen log.
"Adam!" she shouted.
The prince immediately stopped and turned to look at Teela. He was currently straddling the log, so he merely sat down as she rushed towards him. When they were within hearing distance of each other, he began to speak before she could, picking up their conversation from before. "Look, Teela, I know that you're worried about me, but I can do this. I have to. Having someone on the inside is a great way to give the Rebellion an advantage over the Horde. You know that to be true. You said so yourself…"
He paused in his speech when Teela merely sat on the log and listened quietly. "What?" he asked suspiciously.
She looked at him calmly and repeated, "What?"
"Why aren't you yelling?" he asked. "I know that you're mad and you want to stop me from going back to the Fright Zone."
Teela sighed and took his hand in hers. "I won't deny that I want to keep you as far away from the Fright Zone as I can, but I'm not mad at you. Not really." When he looked at her skeptically, she replied with a smirk, "Okay, well, maybe I am, but not for the reasons you might think."
Adam squeezed Teela's hand briefly before letting go and then swinging his leg back over the log so he could sit normally beside her. "So, what are your reasons?"
She took his hand back in hers and leaned against him. Resting her head on his shoulder, she whispered almost shyly, "I have to admit it, even though I'm not too proud of the feeling and I understand why it's happening…"
Adam wrinkled his brow in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
She looked down at the ground, squeezed his hand tightly, and admitted, "I'm not feeling much like a girlfriend right now."
He gasped and nearly shouted, "Teela? I…I…what?" He was clearly shocked and at a loss for words. She could tell it was the absolute last thing he had expected to hear and she had wanted it that way.
Sighing, she lifted her head so she could look at him. "Oh, Adam, I know it isn't your fault. It's just that ever since we admitted how we feel, you've been kidnapped several times, you've been hurt, and you've chosen numerous times voluntarily to leave me. We never have any quality time alone and every time I find a moment, you have to rush off to try to save the day." She shook her head. "I know I'm being completely selfish, but I can't help it. I'll try to control myself."
Adam brought a hand up to her cheek and leaned his face close to hers. "Teela, I'm sorry. I don't want to make you feel unimportant or neglected. That was never my intentions."
"I know," she replied miserably.
Closing his eyes, he mumbled morosely, "Do you want to…break up and go back to Eternia? I know a million guys who would love to spend time with you, guys who would have a lot more time and not so much baggage."
She suddenly gasped and jumped to her feet. "So, now you want to break up with me because I miss you?" she cried.
Startled, he jumped to his feet, as well. "What? No! That's not what I meant at all!"
"Then, what did you mean?" She started jabbing her index finger into his chest.
Quickly, he grabbed her hand and said, "Teela, I love you, and if letting you go will spare you any pain, then I'd do it. I'd do anything for you. Trust me, it would hurt like crazy, but it would hurt even more to know that I caused you pain and that I would continue to do so as long as I'm here on Etheria. I couldn't bear that."
Tears glistened in Teela's eyes when she replied, "Losing you would hurt even more, idiot! I love you, too!" She then grabbed the back of his head with both of her hands and pulled his mouth to hers. She kissed him so hard that she thought she might bruise her lips. Breathing roughly, she wondered if she had convinced him of her concern and ended the kiss. To entice him more, she leaned against him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Just stay a little longer," she whispered. "Just stay and spend some time with me before you go back to the Fright Zone." She paused as she bit her lip for a moment and added, "Show me that you still want to be with me."
She didn't feel guilty for playing this card in the slightest and she actually hoped he would take her up on her offer.
=)=)=)
I hope this was halfway decent. =)