"I'm so pleased with the progress you've made in such a short time." The Sorceress beamed with pride in her daughter.

"Thank you so much," Teela replied with a warm smile toward her mother.

"I think now is the time to start working on honing your scrying abilities."

"Ugh," Teela groaned. "Couldn't we do something else? Like maybe you could teach me to open dimensional portals like you do. That way if I ever need to get somewhere quickly like I did to get Adam out of that cage, I can do it on my own."

"Not until you become more adept at scrying," the Sorceress argued. "The two go hand in hand. Opening dimensional gateways is a tricky business and could end up taking you somewhere you don't want to be if you're not able to first visualize your destination."

"But I'm terrible at scrying! I learned that the hard way the day I took over for you."

"You've only done it once and that was when you were under extreme pressure in an emergency situation. You simply need keep working at it to improve."

"But what if I never get any better at it?"

"Teela, my dear, this is just like anything else you've learned, it takes time and practice. Did you instantly know how to fly a Sky Sled the first time you got behind the controls or know the proper way to duel with a sword the first time you picked one up?"

"Well, no, of course not. I had to work at those things." She sighed in resignation. "I get your point."

"Good," her mother said. With a wave of her hand, she produced a glowing crystal and sent it floating toward her daughter. "I think it's best for you to use the same crystal you did last time as you're attuned to it now."

"Okay, I'm ready to try," Teela replied with more confidence than she felt.

She cleared her mind and focused on the red-orange glow of the scrying crystal. As she'd done the last time, she tried to hone in on one specific thing, last time it had been the bridge outside the castle, this time she decided to focus on something more personal as she wanted to see how Adam was doing since he was closer to recovering from his ordeal.

She was elated to find that it worked when he came into focus. He was standing in his bedroom beside his father who was adjusting a cape across his son's shoulders.

" There, don't you look like the dashing prince," King Randor declared as he admired his son's wedding attire.

"I don't know," Adam shrugged skeptically as he looked into the mirror. "I still look like me, just in fancier clothes."

"You just need one more thing to complete the ensemble and you'll be ready for your wedding day." King Randor gestured to a nearby rolling table loaded with velvet-lined boxes that stood open waiting for his inspection. When Adam made a face, his father asked, "What's the matter now?"

"Those things are heavy and I'm still so wiped out from that cage." He sat down on the edge of the bed and let out a deep sigh of frustration. "And taking the full force of Skeletor's energy blast didn't help."

"Funny, you seemed okay last night when we were talking about your alternate identity. And when you were arguing with Duncan about being able to transform again. You had plenty of energy for that," the king quipped. "Why can't you just admit you don't like wearing these?"

"I didn't want you yelling at me again," Adam confessed. "Or to hear another tired lecture about how I need to do more to live up to my royal duties as the future King of Eternia."

"No yelling and no lecturing, I promise, but we don't have much time left to get things done. It's just this one last thing. Pick out one of the crowns I brought from the vault to wear for your wedding and then you can get on with your day."

Adam nodded and walked to the table to peruse the selection. "I think this one," he picked up a gold coronet with a row of blue sapphires around its circumference.

"Good choice since your outfit is mostly blue." He lifted it from its box and placed it on his son's head. "I think that's just the thing and since Teela will be wearing your mother's bridal tiara, this one will match it nicely. Take a Look for yourself."

Teela smiled at watching the father-son interaction and felt her heart swelling. The blue in the crown accentuated Adam's bright blue eyes. She couldn't help thinking of how the king was right and it was a perfect match to the tiara she'd be wearing on their wedding day. She relaxed as she ended the connection. "Wow."

Noticing the bright smile on her daughter's face, the Sorceress asked, "Did you see something you like?"

"You mean you didn't see what I saw?"

"No, I was trying to stay out of it unless you needed me. As I said, you're attuned to that crystal now and I didn't want my energy mixed with yours and making it any harder for you to sharpen your skills."

"You mean I did that all in my own?"

"Yes, you did," her mother stated with a glowing smile. "I'm quite proud of you."

Teela flushed at the praise. "I guess you were right. I just need to keep working on it. I mean, this time it was easier because I was focusing on Adam, not trying to force a vision of the past or the future, just the present. I was just thinking how I wanted to check on him since he's still recovering."

"That's a good start. Do you care to share what you saw?"

"It was Adam and his father. King Randor was helping him try on his wedding outfit." Her smile widened. "Despite him still looking tired, he looked so good in it, so handsome. I can't wait until I get to see him in it in person when I'm walking down the aisle toward him to become his wife." And out of it on our wedding night, she mentally added as she imagined herself taking it off his body piece by piece. She smiled at the thought that in only two more days, they would officially be husband and wife and could freely make love to each other.

The Sorceress couldn't help feeling the same excitement at seeing the joy in her daughter's eyes. "I'm so happy for you, my darling daughter," she hugged her tightly. "But if we're going to get to that day, I suppose it's time we head to the palace since the queen is expecting us for a final dress fitting. On that note, I should look more appropriate." She clapped her hands together and in a flash of light, her typical falcon outfit was gone and she was dressed as she had been the day she'd first discovered Castle Grayskull.

"Wow, I don't think I've ever seen you in normal clothes before," Teela commented admiringly and for the first time, she saw where her own looks had come from. "I never realized how much I look like you. If I'd seen you like this years ago, I'd have always known who my mother was."

"I think we both know by now that on some level, you've always known who I am and that I have always wanted to be with you as a mother should."

"I suppose that's true," she finally admitted. 'I guess we should go. I've got my Wind Raider outside."

"Let's go then," her mother agreed.

In Adam's room, the king was still admiring his son's attire while Adam was making faces at himself in the mirror. "I don't know, Dad. Do you really think all this looks okay?"

"Well, it might look better if you weren't making those goofy faces," his father laughed. "Try a smile instead."

"It's hard to do when I still feel so weird after what Skeletor did to me," Adam grumbled. "And I've been busy packing today to get moved down the hall so that hasn't helped."

"But you said yourself you're feeling better every day," the king argued.

"I am, just still not feeling completely back to my old self again."

"That's too bad." King Randor replied with a mirthful grin and continued, "If you're feeling that bad, perhaps we should postpone the wedding for another week or so until you are feeling like your old self. I mean, the way it sounds, you may not have the stamina to endure the exertions of a typical wedding night, let alone the honeymoon trip that follows."

"What? No! We can't postpone the wedding now when it's only two days away and Teela and I have been waiting to-" Adam broke off when his father started laughing uproariously at his discomfort.

Adam shook his head and protested, "That wasn't funny."

"It was to me. You should have seen the look on your face."

"That was just mean."

"Oh, come on, you know very well it's already too late to change your wedding date. Your mother would murder me when she's been working herself to the bone to prepare for this day. That is, if your bride didn't kill me first."

"True." Adam couldn't help laughing with his father. "But you know, I don't care what I have to do between now and then to get myself back in shape. I will be having a typical wedding night with my wife." He grinned broadly.

"See? That looks better." Randor gestured to Adam's reflection. "Just do me a favor and spare me the details of whatever dirty thoughts just crossed your mind."

"How do you know I was thinking dirty thoughts?"

"Because I've been where you are, Son, and you wouldn't believe the utterly filthy thoughts I had about your mother in the days leading up to our wedding and anticipating our honeymoon."

"Ugh," Adam made a face at the thought of his parents having sex.

"What? She's a vibrant, beautiful woman and much like you with Teela, I find it very difficult to be a gentleman when we're alone together. I have since the moment I met her."

"I get it and I see the way you two still look at each other after all these years. It's a little nauseating at times, but I'm happy you have that. That's what I want with Teela; a love that lasts like yours has."

"I have no doubt you will. I see the way you look at Teela and it reminds me so much of myself when I was your age and engaged to your mother."

"Oh, yeah. I guess I didn't think about that; that you were the same age I am now when you and Mom got married."

The king nodded. "She wasn't though. She was twenty-six when we said our vows."

"That's not a bad thing though. I mean, Teela's going to turn twenty-five before I turn twenty-three."

"No, I think it's a good thing actually. I've always heard it said that women mature faster than men do and I definitely know it to be true in your mother's case. I did some rather stupid things when I was your age and she was always there to keep me in line. I needed someone like her in my life and I can't imagine what my life would be like now if her ship hadn't crashed here."

"Well, for starters, we wouldn't be having this conversation because I'd have never been born. I mean, you might have a different son with someone else, someone who wouldn't already make you crazy the way I do."

"Hey, I thought we were done with those kinds of thoughts. I don't care that you sometimes make me crazy. I'm sure I do the same to you. But no matter what, I love you and I wouldn't want any other son except you. I know I was angry to learn you'd been keeping secrets from me, but I kept secrets from you as well. None of that matters anymore though. I am so proud of the man you've become, my son."

"Thank you, Dad," Adam smiled warmly and hugged his father, elated that he no longer had to hide his true self.

"Oh, my word!" the Sorceress exclaimed as she saw her daughter in her wedding dress as she went through her final fitting before the wedding. "What a vision you are, my beautiful daughter."

Teela smiled at her. "Thank you. It's a lovely gown, isn't it?"

"It is, but I was talking about the lovely young woman wearing it."

Teela flushed and twirled slowly in front of the mirror, examining herself from every angle that she could. "Do you think Adam will like it?"

"Oh, yes," Adora chimed in. " I'm quite sure my besotted brother won't be able to take his eyes off you."

"We should put the finishing touches on it," Marlena suggested as she reached for the veil. "Sorceress, would you like to do the honors since she's your daughter?"

Teela-Na beamed. "Of course."

"Maybe you can help decide what to do with my hair for the big day as well," Teela suggested. "For days, the queen and I have been debating on whether it would look better up or down with the veil. I know Adam likes me having my hair down, but it's more practical to have an up-do as I normally do since I also have to wear a tiara. What do you think?"

"Hmmm..." The Sorceress looked at the veil as she pondered the question. "I think a little of both." She stood behind her daughter and pulled out the pins holding Teela's signature bun in place, releasing her hair so that it cascaded down her back.. "Hold these for a moment." She handed the hairpins to her daughter and reached for a brush and worked it through Teela's long locks. She swept a potion of her hair back up and held it in place with one hand while reaching to take the hairpins from her daughter and secured the half-bun in place on the top of Teela's head. "Queen Marlena, the veil."

Marlena handed it to her and Teela-Na secured it to the back of the up-do and then Marlena removed the sapphire tiara from its velvet-lined box and placed it on the front of her head and stepped away so Teela could see it in the mirror. "For the big day, we'll have to secure the tiara in place so it won't slide off your head, but this should give you a good idea of what it will look like."

"Wow!" Teela exclaimed.

"Wow is right," Adora gushed at the completed look. "You look more like a princess than I do."

"Just for now," Marlena put in as she indicated a stack of boxes she'd brought from the vault. "I brought these out here for you to choose one of your own to wear for your brother's wedding."

Adora made a face. "Do I have to?"

"Yes, Adora, you're a member of the royal family and you must look the part and while you look lovely in your dress, it's not enough. People expect you to look like the princess you are."

"I guess I never really think about the fact that I'm a princess when I was raised to be a warrior."

"There's no reason you can't be both," Teela told her future sister-in-law. "Look at me, I'm about to become a princess by marrying your brother, but I'm still also Captain of the Royal Guard and there's your mother; she may be a queen, but she's also a warrior as she proved when Skeletor attacked."

"I suppose that's true," Adora nodded and then turned her attention to her mother. "I am still impressed by how you tossed your crown aside and jumped right into battle the other night."

"Thank you, my dear, but it's no more impressed than I am every time you fight for those you care about," her mother replied. "Now, let's pick one of these out for you." She opened one of the boxes to show it to her and said, "I think with your blonde hair, this one would look lovely on you."

Adora examined the gold tiara with a ruby set in its center and shook her head. "I agree that it would be fitting for me, but I worry that it looks too similar to the headpiece I wear as She-Ra and I can't take the chance that someone will recognize me and put the pieces together."

"That's fair enough," her mother replied and reached for the next one. "How about this one?"

Adora smiled as she gazed at the shiny gold tiara set with a row of amber stones. "Let's try that one. Since my dress is a pale gold, I think it will work."

Marlena helped her daughter don the tiara and stepped back to admire her. "Perfect! But we'll need to do something with your hair too. Since you have the shorter bangs in front, perhaps we could curl them and then style them so that they frame your face."

Teela stepped away from the mirror to allow Adora to look at herself. "This is a lot of work for just one day," she commented. "Maybe Adam and I should've just eloped."

"NO!" both mothers exclaimed at once while Teela Na linked her arm with her daughter's and added, "I know it seems stressful now, but just think about how much it would hurt yours and Adam's families if they'd missed out on the biggest event in your lives. I feel so privileged to be a part of this with you when I've missed out on so many other things."

Teela leaned her head against her mothers. "I know. I wasn't seriously suggesting it. It just seems it would have been simpler if we'd eloped the second I learned that I'm pregnant. If we had, we wouldn't be going through all this worry about keeping our private life private when everybody and their brother seems to want to stick their noses where they don't belong. Not only that, but Skeletor wouldn't be trying to stop the wedding and Father wouldn't be so worried about my safety and driving me nuts trying to get me to back down from my job."

"Even if there weren't a wedding, Skeletor would still be up to something," the Sorceress pointed out. "He never gives up."

"I know. I just sometimes wish we could be a normal couple. If we were, then no one would even care about our wedding except us." She let out a deep sigh. "Queen Marlena, how did you deal with it when you were engaged to King Randor?"

"Well, it wasn't easy," Queen Marlena answered. "Especially since there were a fair few people who disapproved of his choice in brides simply because I came from Earth and some of those same people are the ones who dislike Adam just because he's half-Earthling."

"They must hate having an Etherian-raised, half-Earthling princess them," Adora commented sadly.

"Don't pay it any mind, my darling daughter," the queen said reassuringly. "You may be half-Earthling and may have been raised on Etheria, but you were born here, just as Adam was, which makes you just as big a part of the royal family as he is."

"I wish I could take that advice, but since I've been here these past few days, I can't help thinking Teela is a bigger part of the royal family than I am. After all, she was raised here in the palace while I wasn't." Adora slid the tiara off her head and gingerly placed it back in its box while Marlena made a face at her action.

"You know, Mother, I think we need to find the seamstress. Your dress could be taken in a bit at the waist," Teela suggested sensing that Adora could use some one-on-one time with her mother. "Maybe while we're at it, you can help me figure out the best way to secure this tiara." She linked her arm with her mother's and led her off.

"Did you not like this one after all?" Marlena questioned as she picked up the discarded tiara, hoping it might help her daughter open up. "Perhaps we can find a different one. There are plenty to choose from."

"It's not that tiara; it's the idea of wearing one at all when I don't feel anything like a princess."

"Do you think I instantly felt like a queen the day I married your father? I grew up in a country where we didn't have royalty so I knew nothing about how to behave properly in the royal court. Much like you, I trained to be a warrior and so did Teela. The difference with Teela is that, as you mentioned, she grew up here in the palace, so she was raised learning court protocols and manners while neither you or I did."

"I guess you and I have at least little something in common," she half-smiled, but then let out a sigh. "I want to be here for Adam, but maybe it would've been better if I'd stayed on Etheria. I feel so out of place here, especially when I see you and Teela together and how close you are. I saw that look on your face when you handed off her veil to the Sorceress and it was obvious you wanted to do it yourself."

"Only because I've had such a big hand in planning all of this, including helping her pick out that veil."

"And giving her your own wedding tiara," Adora added.

"Did Teela tell you about that?" The queen frowned.

"No. I've been to the hall of kings in the Royal Museum and saw your wedding portrait there. I recognized the tiara when you took it out of the box."

"Just so we're clear, I've only loaned it to Teela and she knows it's not hers to keep. We're having one made for her of her own design and she prefers emeralds to the sapphire. If you would like to also borrow it someday, you're more than welcome to or we could also have one of your own choosing made for you."

"I don't care about tiaras at all; it's more the idea that you have this bond with her that you and I just don't have. I mean, with her red hair, she even looks like you more than I do."

"Oh, I don't think so. There's just a superficial resemblance at best. We may have the same hair color, but that's where it stops. You just saw her with her own mother and she's a perfect replica of the Sorceress."

"Still, I don't look like either you or father. You add to that the fact that I didn't grow up here and it makes me feel like I am an outsider in my own family. It seems like I don't belong."

"But you do belong. You and Adam both take after my side of the family in your looks."

"But Adam at least resembles father a bit even with different hair colors. They have the same height and build, they even walk the same, but you and me…we're not even close. You have red hair and brown eyes while I'm blonde with blue eyes. I'm even a good two or three inches taller than you are."

"I blame your father for that one; the fact that both of my children grew up to be taller than me," Marlena joked. "He's a big man. But listen, you shouldn't worry about things like how much you may or may not take after us. Genetic traits are funny things, sometimes certain traits skip several generations and then show up again when you least expect them to. But, if it makes you feel any better, you, my dear, look just like my mother other than your height. She was shorter like I am, but she had the same blonde hair and bright blue eyes that you do."

"Really?" Her eyes lit up.

"Yes, you do. It's a shame that you couldn't have known my parents. They were wonderful and supportive people. When I was growing up, they often told me I could be anything I wanted to be and I have always wanted to be that same kind of mother myself."

"I wish I could've grown up here with you. Maybe then we'd be as close as you and Teela are."

"I won't deny that Teela and I share a close bond, but you're my daughter," Queen Marlena argued. "I have loved you from the first moment I knew that you were growing inside me. No matter how much time we've spent apart or how much affection I have for Teela, that will never change. If you knew how much I cried the day you were taken from me or how I cried the day we were reunited, only to have Hordak and Skeletor take you from me again, and how much I wept again when you decided to return to Etheria, you would never question that I love you."

"You said you understood my mission on Etheria and why I felt honor-bound to return," Adora reminded her mother.

"I do and I'm proud of you and your desire to do your part to free your home from its tyranny. As Teela said, I'm still a warrior at heart, so I applaud your efforts as a fellow warrior, but as a mother I still worry about your safety and I can't help selfishly wanting my daughter home with me instead." She hugged her tightly and told her of the day she'd visited the Sorceress and had pleaded with her for news of her daughter's welfare.

"I had no idea. I guess I never thought about what it must be like for you never knowing what's going on with your own child."

"I didn't get to raise you to be a princess and teach you all the things Teela grew up learning or do all the girly things a mother should do with her daughter. I get so little time with you, so can't you indulge me just this once and let me treat you as the princess you are?" She gently stroked her daughter's long hair as she held up the tiara with the other.

"I suppose so," Adora agreed as she took the tiara from her mother. "So, what were you saying about my hair?"

Marlena reached for a brush and began working on her daughter's hair, combing out and parting her bangs. "Something a little like this. Add a little curl and then place the tiara just so…" She demonstrated by placing the tiara back on Adora's head and gently turned her to face the mirror. "What do you think?"

"I like it," Adora nodded with a smile.

"Good."

"How pretty you look, Princess!" the Sorceress gushed as she and Teela returned to the room, the Sorceress back in her normal clothes so the seamstress could work on her dress.

"Thank you," Adora flushed at the compliment.

"Maybe we should have the Sorceress bring your boyfriend here from Etheria so he can be your date for the wedding," Queen Marlena suggested. "It would be such a shame to waste this look on just your boring old family," she added in a light, teasing tone.

Adora turned to face her mother. "How do you know I have a boyfriend?"

"I'm afraid your brother let it slip to your father last night, but don't be angry with Adam. He thought we already knew since he was one of the many friends you brought with you from Etheria to celebrate your birthday."

"Sea Hawk is his name, right?" Teela asked with a curious grin. "I remember you mentioning him when we were on Etheria and I have to admit that I was surprised it wasn't Bow. It seemed like he had a little crush on you."

"Ugh! No!" Adora grimaced. "Bow has a crush on She- Ra, not me. He doesn't even notice me as Adora unless I'm barking orders at him. Sea Hawk, on the other hand, loves me for who I am as a person."

"You sound just like Adam," Marlena said. "I think maybe we should invite him if he means so much to you. Besides that, it might help your feelings of being an outsider if you had him here with you and it would be better than you being a third wheel to your brother and Teela."

"Well, if you think I'm going to let Father bully me into getting married as he did with my brother, you can forget it. I love you, Mother, but there's no way I'd give up my dreams for marriage the way you did."

"Who says I gave anything up? My dream was to explore the universe and I'd say that crash-landing on a strange planet that was so different from my own qualifies. I just happened to find the love of my life in the process and began a new dream. I may tease your father about giving up a career as an astronaut for him, but make no mistake, it was my choice. I could've left once Duncan had repaired my ship, but I fell in love with this planet and with your father. We may have our struggles from time to time, but that's part of life and I wouldn't change a thing. I love my life here."

"So, you do understand why I can't leave Etheria permanently? I love you all, but my life is there. I have a mission, good friends, and a man that I love."

"I'd very much like to meet this man of yours," Marlena pressed.

"But you have met him," Adora protested further. "As you said, he was here for mine and Adam's birthday party last year."

"But we met so many of your friends then and you didn't introduce any of them as your boyfriend. I don't even know for sure which one Sea Hawk is."

"Oh, I think I remember him," Teela chimed in helpfully. "Isn't he the one I commented about because he had brighter red hair than mine? The one with the beard?"

The Sorceress laughed and added, "Well, that seems to be a family trait, being attracted to redheads. First your father, then Adam and now you, Adora."

"I was just thinking maybe she just takes after her mother in having an attraction to a bearded man," Marlena laughed as she slipped an arm around her daughter's waist. "There's something else we have in common."

"I just wish we could spend more time together to discover what else we might share," Adora said with a hint of sadness in her tone.

"Well, perhaps one of these days, I could come visit you on Etheria. I'd love to see where you live."

"I live in the woods and sleep in a tent," Adora laughed. "After living in a palace, I doubt you'd find it very impressive."

"You should see Air Force barracks," the queen joked. "I didn't always live in a palace, you know."

"Still, as much as I'd love to see you more often, I worry that it could be dangerous for you. Etheria is not at all like Eternia. While we've freed several kingdoms, much of the planet is still under Horde rule."

"I told you the day you decided to leave that I'm not afraid of the Horde. In fact, I owe Hordak a little payback for taking my baby girl from me."

"No!" Adora shook her head. "Launching an attack on the Fright Zone just out of revenge could get you killed."

"Who said anything about launching an attack? The way I understand it from your brother, he's constantly attacking you. I'd like to be there one of these days to help you fight back. Besides, I'd very much like to properly meet this young man of yours if you won't allow us to invite him to the wedding."

"Okay, okay, we can invite him here if you insist as long as the Sorceress is willing to bring him here." She'd much rather have that than have her mother putting her life at risk.

"That can be arranged," the Sorceress agreed with a smile.

"Good, then it's all settled," Queen Marlena smiled. "I'll have the staff prepare a guest room for him."

"And I'll have to return to Castle Grayskull to bring him here," the Sorceress added as she shifted into her falcon form.

"Now, that's the part I want to learn," Teela commented, impressed by how seamless her mother made it look.

Give it time, my dear, her mother replied in her head as she flew off.