Chapter Text
Once the ceremony concluded, Teela left the throne room. She was expected to accompany her father and Lt. Dian for the inspection. But first, she had to make an important detour.
She found Ileena on the Palace terraces, standing at the retaining wall and looking out over the city, clearly trying to control her anger. The young woman who in such a short time had gone from a dear friend and protege, to the warrior who had saved lives, a founding member of the newly-formed Sisterhood of Eternia, and Teela’s beautiful girlfriend. She deserved better than such disrespectful treatment, and though the redhead was admittedly biased, the looks on various faces around the throne room indicated she was in the majority on this.
Teela cautiously approached her partner, who was visibly seething. Standing next to her and looking out at the bright, sunny morning. “‘Lee? I’m sorry that happened, Dian was wrong to do that to you.”
Ileena spoke without looking. “Suppose I should start packing my bags, then. King Randor has found his new officer. Doesn’t need me anymore.”
Teela tried to get the blonde to look at her. “I know you’re angry, but come on now, I’ve taught you better than that. There are ten Lieutenants that report to the Captain on a daily basis, and the King can always promote more if he so chooses. Your prospects of becoming a Guard officer are as good as they ever were.”
Ileena rounded on her mentor, the red tinge of her face almost matching the colour of her clothing. “Yeah, sure. Everything I’ve done since I came to the Palace has been to win the respect of everyone in that room, to prove that I belong here. What do I get for all that hard work? She humiliates me in front of everybody, kicks me out like some beggar and worst of all, you took her side!”
Teela put both hands to her paramour’s shoulders and looked deep into her eyes, trying to calm her. “No, I took your side. I saw that you were two seconds away from having an outburst in front of the King and Queen. That really would wreck everything you’ve worked to accomplish. So I stepped in and gave you a helping hand.”
Realising the truth of her mentor’s words, Ileena began to relax a little. “I didn’t want to cause a scene, but she just made me so mad!”
Teela grinned slightly. “That makes two of us, ‘Lee. Being at Court is an exercise in biting your tongue. I’ve been doing it for so long, I’ve almost raised it to an art form.”
Ileena let out a deep breath and leaned forward to hug her partner. “I’m sorry for blowing up at you, Tee’. Thank you for helping me.”
“Don’t worry about it, you’ve every right to be angry. Better here with me than in there with royalty watching. Time and place, that’s all, time and place.” Teela patted her on the back, then as Ileena released the hug, put an arm around her girlfriend’s shoulders as they went back to looking out at the view.
“I just came to check up on you. I’ll have to go out to the Parade Grounds shortly for a company inspection, then I’ll be bringing Dian into my office and having a few words with her.”
A wide-eyed Ileena pleaded with her mentor. “Teela, please, we’ve been over this before. I’m always grateful when you stick up for me, but if I’m going to earn respect around here, I need to stand on my own two feet on matters like this.”
“She just pulled a gun on Orko because he surprised her.”
Pleading turned to shock. “Is he alright?”
“He’s not hurt, but she frightened the living daylights out of him. Adam has gone to check up on him. So you see, this goes far beyond you now. This goes to her fitness as a Guard officer and needs to be dealt with.”
Then shock turned to incredulity. “And she’s the shining new standard of what a Guardswoman should be!? Maybe I’ve been going about this all wrong.”
Teela sighed, “It’s not that simple, let me explain. What do you know of Far Westland?”
“Until you told me her story, I’d never heard of it.”
“Yes, that pretty much sums up the place. Far Westland is an outpost garrisoned by the Eternian Guard: the standing army of the Kingdom, of which the Royal Guard forms arguably its most important Division. The outpost protects a mining encampment, but other than that, it's in the middle of nowhere. No towns or villages nearby, not even any passing trade caravans. Outside of scheduled ore shipments or troop rotation transports, the only other visits they get are raids by the Space Pirates or any other gang of thieves who want to try their luck. Think of it, Ileena: you’re cooped up in the one building for months at a time, with nothing but wild country around you as far as the eye can see. The only people you can trust are the men and women wearing the same uniform as you. If you see a stranger, it’s usually an enemy. The kind of enemy who did that…” Teela took her finger and traced a line down from her forehead to match the placement of Dian’s scar. “...to her face, and worse to her comrades.”
She put a thumb and forefinger to Ileena’s chin and tilted her head up so their eyes met. “Put yourself in her boots: after you’ve been through that for long enough, wouldn’t you get suspicious of someone who you didn’t know? Wouldn’t you get jumpy and reach for your weapon if someone surprised you?”
“I guess…I mean, I do respect Dian. That’s why I was hoping to make a good impression.”
“You still could. When I talk with her, I’ll explain about your situation. Her duties as leader of Item Company come first, but maybe you should seek her out. I’m sure her experiences could aid in your training.”
“I’ll try.”
“That’s my girl.” Teela leaned in for a single, slow kiss. Both women savoring the contact, before gently resting their foreheads together “Now, are we good?”
Ileena grinned. “We’re good.”
“Glad to hear, because I believe you have a special study day lined up, assisting the Royal Archeologist.” She patted the aspirant on the arm. “Report to Melaktha’s office. On the double, now.”
Ileena stood to attention and saluted. “Aye, Captain.”
Teela grinned as she watched the blonde head off, who was met by Prince Adam coming the other way. “Are you alright?”
She gave a nonchalant shrug to the man she considered her brother, in spirit if not by blood. “Ran into an ambush, had to fall back and regroup. But I’ll be ready for the next engagement.”
“Well, if you need any help, let me know. We’re all rooting for you. I could tell by the look on her face that mother was not happy with how you were treated.”
Ileena became concerned. “She isn’t disappointed with me, is she?”
Adam shook his head. “Believe me, little sis’, if she’s disappointed in anyone today, it certainly is not you.”
The aspirant sighed with relief. “Thank you, big brother.” She took a glance back at Teela, who was watching with fondness, then addressed her Prince. “I have to go now: duty calls.”
Adam played along with a good-natured command. “Take your post, soldier.”
“At once, Your Highness.” With no further word, she was off down the corridor and out of sight.
Adam approached Teela on the terrace. “Glad to know she’s doing okay.”
“Takes more than ill-advised words to slow her down. How’s Orko?”
“He’s too scared to come out of his room. Best to give him some space.”
Teela nodded. “Poor little fella.”
Adam shook his head. “That new Lieutenant sure knows how to make friends and influence people.”
The Captain sighed. “Dian is rough around the edges, sure, and could use some guidance…but the Guard needs people like her. Item Company are grown men physically, but really they’re not much more than boys standing sentry. They do their duty well, but they need someone tough to turn them into warriors if they’re going to have a chance against what’s coming. We need to put spit and polish to the side for now, set our focus on sharpened steel and well-aimed rifles.”
“Believe me, I’ve seen enough on my trips to Etheria to know exactly how bad it could get.”
Prince Adam then became rather melancholy as he joined Teela at the edge of the terrace, looking off into the horizon. His thoughts consumed, not just with his sister and his friends in the Great Rebellion, fighting for their freedom, but with a woman he had known for a long time. Previously just an acquaintance, they had recently become much closer. She had come with him to Eternia during Adora’s most recent family visit and over two weeks, had rocked his world. Showing him a level of passion and devotion he had never known before. However, soon enough it came time for her to return to Etheria. As himself and as He-Man, Adam had stood with his sister and defended the Rebellion against the Horde’s onslaught. Now the tables were about to turn and the Rebellion would soon make war on the Horde instead. As he kissed his new love, bid her Good Journey and watched her head through the dimensional portal, it was with a grim question repeating in his head: would this be the last time he ever saw her?
Teela could see her friend was troubled. “You’re worried…about Adora, about Castaspella.”
He nodded. “Not that I didn’t worry before, but…”
“It’s different, I know. We both have someone to lose now.”
“Isn’t it kind of selfish to think like that, though? We’ve always had someone to lose. Many someones, in fact.”
“Maybe a person looking from the outside would say that. Doesn’t change how we feel though.”
“No…it doesn’t”
Teela sympathised. “I’m worried about them too, all of them. I haven’t had the privilege of spending as much time with them as you have, but Ileena and I became close with Adora recently.”
That impish grin that melted the hearts of maidens all over Eternia resurfaced. “Very, very close, I can tell.”
Teela blushed and her eyes went wide. The same day that she, Ileena, Adora and their friend Kittrina of the Cat Folk founded the Sisterhood of Eternia - the all-woman group intended to compliment the Masters of the Universe - the four of them had taken an afternoon trip to go skinny-dipping in Teela’s favourite lake, at the edge of the Evergreen Forest. To the surprise of no-one involved, what was intended as a ‘girls day out’ soon became a very steamy, intimate affair. Thanks to a certain flirtatious feline and her free-spirited Princess. Not that Teela or Ileena needed much encouragement themselves. It was an experience that they would all treasure.
Still, how did Adam know about it? “Has someone been gossiping?”
“Not to me, not that anyone needs to. I know my sister, I know Kittrina. When Casta and I finally got out of bed and were told where the four of you had gone, I knew what the result would be. The looks on your faces when you came back were just confirmation.”
Rather than be embarrassed, Teela decided to embrace their hedonistic excursion, flashing Adam a sly smirk. “Call it a team-building exercise…with emphasis on the exercise. You took Casta to that lake, didn’t you?”
Now he turned bashful. “I, uh, I did promise I would show her the sights.”
“And a fine sight you showed her, I’m sure.” She teased, before moving back to reassure him. “She’ll make it, Adam. Castaspella spent more than half her life resisting Horde occupation and overcame a usurper to reclaim her throne. Her and Adora both; they’re tough, they’re survivors.”
He put his hand over hers in acknowledgement. “I know." He chuckled slightly. “It’s funny, I never thought I’d be lucky enough to take a Queen in my arms before I became King.”
Teela smiled. “And I never thought I would share my life with a beautiful woman who has the looks of a Princess and the heart of a warrior. Fate can hand us some pleasant surprises too, sometimes.”
“Sure can.”. His prior angst over Teela’s burgeoning romance with Ileena, worrying that he had lost the battle for her heart, was now a distant memory. They were happy together, and he was happy with Casta. Of that, he was absolutely certain.
Teela went back to looking at the view, contemplating her own relationship. “Tell you the truth, I’m worried about Ileena too. Ever since we got together, I’ve woken up early every day, just watching her lay there asleep. That beautiful face…” The redhead closed her eyes, remembering. “Every morning I think about what Adora told us, that victory on Etheria might mean the Horde will try to establish a foothold on Eternia. I have every faith in He-Man and our armies to win the day, but at what price? I think about the dangers Ileena will be exposed to as a warrior and a future Guard officer. I wonder: will the Horde take her from me? Will they take pieces from her? You saw Dian’s face, she got that from the enemies we already deal with, never mind a full-scale invasion.”
Adam said nothing and let his best friend voice her fears. After a few moments’ silence, she opened her eyes and a dreamy smile adorned her features. “But then Ileena wakes up. She smiles at me, kisses me, says ‘Good morning’ and I remember. I remember that the happiness I feel when I'm with her is worth all of the risks. I get out of bed motivated to continue giving her the skills she needs to avoid those risks.”
Adam was delighted to see the look of contentment in his friend’s face. “You’ve certainly done a tremendous job with that…” He wryly noted. “As my tailbone can attest.”
Teela smirked. “You did insist that she treat you the same way I do. I tried to warn you.”
“You did, but the rough treatment is worth it to essentially have a second sister.” He gave her a fond look. “Or third, depending on how you look at it.”
The Captain smiled at the compliment, then got ready to make a move. “Well, this sister had better get herself down to the Parade Grounds for Item Company’s inspection, before father starts to think your old bad habits have transferred to me.”
Adam chuckled as they parted ways. “Alright, I’ll see you later.”