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omnivore7 — Though Heroes Fall - Part 22 of a tale of He-Man
#adventure #beastman #duncan #evillyn #grayskull #he #heman #hero #hordak #king #love #magic #man #marlena #motu #omnivore #orko #peril #power #prince #princeadam #queen #randor #romance #skeletor #sorceress #sorcery #star #stars #superhero #sword #teela #triklops #witch #witchcraft #eternos #musclor #swordofpower #he_man #captiveprince #evil_lyn #powerofgrayskull #thoughheroesfall #eternai #captivehero #motumovie #omnivore7 #betrayal #mastersoftheuniverse #princeadamofeternia
Published: 2017-12-07 15:54:25 +0000 UTC; Views: 62834; Favourites: 171; Downloads: 122
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9.3
Marlena paused in the doorway, held watching her husband bent over his desk. The pen moved steadily in his large and capable hand; he was absorbed and unaware and, arrested, she stood in silence, not announcing her arrival.
The light slanting in at the embrasure showed a few silver strands glinting amid the thick darkness of his hair – and her heart moved within her; had those been there before – or the lines about his brow? Maybe: but not so many, nor yet as deep graven as care and loss had now made them.
And here he was, toiling through the papers that came to him in such sheaves. Inaction at this time sat very ill with Randor. The detached passivity often required of a ruler frequently played heavily on his mind. And fretting over Adam only made matters far, far worse – though he himself never really let it show, of course. But she, who loved him, knew. If the King was choosing to immerse himself in the piles of paperwork without the clerks’ insistence then that in itself spoke volumes.
So she looked at him, doggedly distracting himself with the dullest of tasks and the one he liked the least – and wished at once that she had better tidings to bring him. But this could not be shirked indefinitely; life at court went on around them and they must move with it, caught up in the seemingly inexorable rhythm of its events. Another of which was now anticipated – and approaching.
The pen halted, hovered. At last sensing himself observed the King looked up, frowning at the interruption and, seeing his queen, instead gave her the wan smile which was the best he ever seemed to manage these days. It was the best either of them could manage.
Marlena came forward and placed her hand on his shoulder to prevent his rising. This was going to be painful for them both – and so it was best to beat no bushes but say straight what had to be said. She too could be dogged at need.
“I don’t mean to disturb you, but this is a matter which will not wait. The Manciple came to see me: he – wanted my instructions for the feast; the one due on Adam’s birthday –”
She broke off as Randor rose abruptly to his feet and took some rapid paces about the chamber, his large hands clamped tight together like a man holding back the blood-flow from a wound.
“He will be seventeen a fortnight hence,” she went on quietly into his speaking silence. “And we will be expected to celebrate the day in the usual manner. There are arrangements to be made: the Banqueting Hall to set ready, the kitchens and buttery to order – and invitations to send. The servitors will need to know what is required for the occasion. The Manciple had the delicacy not to press the point – but the court is rife with rumour and –”
“I know it. All too well.”
King Randor paused in his pacing, his back still to her, and gave a weighty sigh.
“The truth is that the Northmarch pretence is wearing thin: too thin to last much longer. Certainly not a fortnight more. Soon I shall have to admit the facts about his absence – acknowledge that Adam is not at Norderos – confess that our son is – lost. And name my chosen heir before the Privy Council. And then that choice will be taken before the Assembly for ratification – and then everyone will know.” He shook his head in ill-suppressed frustration. “Lord Amyas will insist – and I cannot in all justice gainsay him! How can I? My hands are tied by custom – and by the requirements of the realm. An acknowledged successor there must be. And so, for the good of Eternos, I shall be forced to announce that Adam is – gone.”
The word sounded so hollow – and yet it had all the depth of a well.
Marlena wanted to go to him, comfort him, but knew – and loved – her Randor well enough to leave him alone a little longer.
“When?” she asked quietly.
“A week; maybe ten days at most. No more. If he isn’t found by then – well –”
The unsaid words spoke silent eloquence.
“I see. Ten days.”
“If that. The Council grow restive at the prospect of strife brought on by a childless king – of a realm without an heir.” His wide shoulders hunched beneath the mantle.
“Of a return to the Great Unrest – of history repeating itself?”
“Precisely.” The King’s voice was expressionless; carefully so.
“It was but one generation ago; it’s maybe little wonder that it plays on certain minds.”
“They tell me that, above all things, the succession must be secured. Without further delay.”
“And Adam’s birthday falls a fortnight hence.”
“Which is too far-off for us to wait: I cannot hold back the express will of the Privy Council so long.” The King gave a mirthless bark of laughter. “Would that I could!”
“Perhaps Duncan will bring back better tidings from consulting with the Lady of Grayskull,” said Marlena consolingly. “After all, now that He-Man’s whereabouts are known then it may be that Adam can also be located. Something tells me that he will not be far from where the hero is found.”
“Only his return here to resume his proper place as Prince and heir will placate Lord Amyas and the Council; nothing less,” answered Randor flatly.
“Within ten days?”
“Yes.”
“That is asking much.”
“Too much.”
The Queen regarded her husband’s back; torn between his love for his son and his duty to his kingdom, Randor did not entirely trust his temper. And there was little she could do to lighten the load for him, for all that she yearned to. It was best to stick to the practical when all else seemed so far astray.
“And so what of the feast?”
“The feast?” He finally turned to her then, and his features were alive with anger. “We hold it anyway – and be damned to Lord Amyas – aye – and the new heir and all!”
Marlena looked at her man – and her heart went out to him, and to Adam, both missing and missed; it was just the same bravely defiant response that the boy himself would have given. The resemblance between them had rarely been closer.
“It would at the very least show faith in our son – and in his return.”
“No,” she answered softly. “I do not think so: it would prove too – upsetting – for people. The sight of that empty seat – why turn the knife in the wound? Trying to make merry in the face of that absence would feel false – wrong – And we really cannot allow our own fret and frustration to show to that extent. No; not even to spite the Lord Chancellor.”
The King looked at her – and sighed.
“Very well. Very well. I will be ruled by your judgement in the matter. And I confess that I would find it hard to swallow a morsel myself at a banquet lacking its principal guest in that way. But to let the day go past without it being marked at all feels – empty – and too much like acknowledging that Adam may not return.”
“Oh, we will mark it all right – privately, just the two of us – and drink deep to his health and future fortune in the finest vintage the royal cellars can furnish. But not before all the Court. Let it be given out instead that the accustomed birthday feast is – postponed. Merely held over until the Prince shall return – when, in thanksgiving, it will be celebrated as never before, and in a manner which will long be remembered.”
She gave a smile which owed more to courage than humour – and then continued in a quieter tone. “But I still hope – against all hope – that our son may yet be here with to us to share his seventeenth birthday.”
Randor’s face creased – and he came to her and set his arms about her and held her close.
“And so do I, my love. And so do I –”
******
9.4
“– and bring you his head! It will be a fitting gift for my lady – and a sign of my enduring devotion!”
Lyn looked at him, the long, strong shape of him stretched silhouetted against the stars – and her lips curved slowly upwards.
“I take it, then, that you no longer have any doubts?”
The raised arm lowered and he turned and looked at her; the wide-set blue eyes were without guile – and puzzled.
“Doubts, my lady?”
“It seemed to me that perhaps you were unsure, before: uncertain that you felt able to be both hero and king; that you had scruples as to whether you could complete what we have begun and rule with me the wide realm which your prowess with the Sword – and command of the complete Power – would win. Do those doubts still linger – unallayed?”
The blond head shook at once in decisive negation.
“I would never doubt you, my lady – never! Your will is my will – both now and always.”
“You would fight for me?”
“Against the whole of the world – and count their numbers far too few, if it be to serve my lady fair.”
“You – who is well known to take no pleasure in strife?”
“I take pleasure in what gives pleasure to you.”
“You are certain of this?”
“Completely! On what shall I swear – by what test will you prove my devotion?”
There was a proud arch to his neck, an upward tilt to his chin that had not been there before.
“The time for that test draws nigh – but let us not dwell upon it now. Glad I am, though, to find you so resolute – for that is the voice of my true hero – and of my lover-to-be –”
She ran her palm lightly over his cheek where light and shadow met and were divided, defined clear by smooth, brown skin-spanned bone. And as she withdrew his own far larger one enfolded her hand – and he laid his lips to it, his eyes upon her face – and then blushed like a boy at his own boldness.
“Forgive me –”
“I think,” answered Lyn softly, “that it is you who has the more to forgive –”
He looked at her, puzzlement on his features, but she only smiled – and gently withdrew her hand. He was reluctant to relinquish it and his head bowed over her, looking at her close.
“The very violets which bloom beneath the springtide woods are shamed by your eyes,” he breathed. “I swear I never saw their like: a lifetime were too short a span to spend in praising them.”
“If such is your wish then you will have lifetimes a-plenty in which to do so. And I shall cherish your poetry and songs. But I think that we shall not lack for pleasurable – diversions – you and I –”
Her enigmatic humour, though, was not matched by his. Intent and solemn he drew a step closer.
“I shall find a thousand ways to serve your every wish,” he breathed.
“A thousand?” her eyes danced with a mischievous light. “Why, then indeed we shall not lack for anything – not even inventiveness! I marvel at your imaginative powers –”
“Your every desire.”
“My every desire? Then you will indeed require a most fertile imagination!”
“Your deepest pleasure.”
“Truly?”
“Truly.”
When she did not answer he leaned even closer, his voice low with meaning.
“You doubt me?”
She looked up at him, and her nose wrinkled as she laughed, carefree as a girl.
“No! Not at all. Certainly not your sincerity – nor yet your – stamina. Nor that you will make up in enthusiasm for what you lack in experience – and learn very rapidly. So I am sure that you mean every word you say. Though I think, maybe, we are somewhat at crossed purposes –”
And yet it seemed that he had understood her true meaning very well; his face was flushed and she saw him moisten his lips – sensed the tension singing within him – and realized that her mocking wordplay was wholly misplaced, for he was in earnest. He was no longer the entire innocent he had been. She had unleashed something within him; something latent and deep. She had sensed its presence from the outset, buried within the boy – and she had deliberately called it forth as her ally in securing his allegiance: but it seemed that she had underestimated its strength – –
And now it was loose – and she had roused him: it was clear that his resolve had hardened – and that he would no longer be lightly put off.
And that, perversely, pleased her, secure now in her mastery.
“My deepest pleasure, you say?”
“Yes.”
“Whatever form that might take?”
“Whatever.” His voice was firm, his eyes unblinking.
“Even if –” Lyn smiled sidelong, “my pleasure meant laying you on the Machine –?”
He did not flinch but nodded slowly with unshakeable intent.
“If you wish it then I would welcome it: for you I would do anything. And gladly.”
Their brows were close now; Lyn swallowed deep as she answered – and there was a slight tremor to her voice.
“Even the Machine?”
“Your pleasure is my pleasure. Always. And –” the colour of his eyes seemed to darken as he drank deep of hers – “did you not say that pleasure and pain lie but little way apart –?”
“Then – then you would hold nothing back –?” she marvelled.
He drew still closer, shutting out all else but his insistent expression.
“Let me prove myself to you.”
“Prove –”
“Let us go to your chamber – now – right away!”
“My bedchamber –?”
“Yes! Or the Machine – either! It matters not as long as –”
“As –?”
She was suddenly acutely aware of his height, his sheer size: he towered over her and filled all her vision with his commanding presence, dominating the blue velvet darkness of the stars.
“I want to make love to you. More than anything else in all the world. Let me – please!”
“All – all in good time –”
“What better time than now?” he pressed, his strong arms reaching for her. “Don’t you feel it too, Lyn – that need? Surely you do – surely? What better time –?”
He drew her close, his eyes intent upon hers and barely inches apart as his head stooped, his lips drawing close even as a falcon falls upon its prey. And, like a hunted bird Lyn stood arrested, her gaze held hard by his, overwhelmed by the surge of feeling which made molten her innermost self so that her every sense span. She, who had thought to teach him by steps the subtle, secret arts of love, now found that some things need no teaching after all –– Eyes wide, stilled by sudden shock, unable to counter that melting urge, she stared.
For the force of his desire cast strange shadows in the depths of his eyes, creating colours which were unsettling in their intensity so that her heart fluttered with a kind of fear. She could feel his own heartbeat, the animal heat of his big body – the sheer raw strength of him; he was a man; he was the flower of all men – and he wanted her.
And she was aware too of the compelling presence of another kind of power that was his, a potency which spoke directly to her innermost senses – and whose insistent, imperious demand would not lightly be denied. He was no longer her pliant and willing slave; now he asserted his age-old male prerogative with an overbearing arrogance drawn from the depths of nature.
“I will wait no longer,” he said, low-voiced with lust – and his arms tightened possessively about her so that she drew in her breath with a sort of shock at this proof of his strength and the power of his will. Her senses were ravished by it, even if her body was not; not – yet. But the demand he was making of her, the passion he projected, would have drawn response from a statue – and Lyn was no stone.
“I shall make you mine: mine forever,” he breathed into her ear.
And temptation transfixed her: now, in this living moment, to throw aside all caution, all habit of restraint, her long planning, the years of solitary study, her high ambitions for a world remade – all these to be as leaves scattered by the storm winds of desire which swept her soul? A surging sea of sensuality sent wave after wave through her being, its pounding currents threatening to breach the bounded walls of her heart and render void all her fastidious mien of self-control. The temptation was sweet torment in itself: to let him take her up in those strong, smooth-muscled arms and bear her to bed – and there surrender her will, her body to his – and submit? No longer to master – but to be mastered; in that there would surely be bliss! And in such sensuous oblivion, perhaps even the purging of the past – – Yes, his sheer size, his strength set square between her and all her hidden fears; one to shield and protect her, such as there had not been since she had wilfully deserted her father and, in fleeing one betrayal, had set in train a host of others. But this boy, this hero who would be king, who would wield power beyond compare, whose strength would be eternal – and whose youth and beauty would never fade – he would set the past at naught, for with him there was only bright forever. In him was no darkness; he was golden, like the sun in splendour, and the light of his countenance would send the shadows fleeing far away. The nightmares, the unending echoes of the thunder, the shaking, quaking ground – the roaring waves swallowing all in their path – even the drowned faces bobbing pale and accusing in the moonlight: these things would be no more. He would lighten the darkness of her dream-haunted nights, would stand between her and ill memory – and make her forget.
Was it not meet, then, to submit to the summons of fate – and, anyway, since both their wills conjoined in this coming-together, then that would not be submission and – and – what would it even matter if it were? To let it all go: all but the wish to be a woman – and to lie in the arms of this unmatched man. To have the long emptiness within her filled; to know at last what others know, but which had always been denied her. To be borne at last to bed and laid in sheets of silken bliss. Not the Machine, no; not this time. Not now, when he was at last grown bold and in the mood to master – and she to be mastered. There would surely come a season for rarefied delights; but this was a time of tenderness. Once, but once before in all her long life had she ever felt this way – and that had led to naught but heartbreak and the bitterness of broken dreams. So many reversals, so much disappointment, so many years of waste, of waiting – that had been her lot. And now she was so close to the long-awaited, long-planned triumph – so close that the temptation was all-but unbearable! The past would perish: there would be no more regrets; this time she knew it would be different, even as this boy was different.
And now his will was so strong – so imperious – commanding her to yield; and this was even before he held the fullness of the Power. Imagine, then, how he would be once transfigured, become more god than man! The heady promise of it thrilled all through her with delicious, lubricious anticipation. And yet – and yet – even in its elation her mind unwillingly acknowledged the stern truth with a kind of shame: strong as it was, his will was not his own –– Even in this her triumph, even as her body yearned towards his, she knew that he was but what she had made of him; and in that lucid instant she recognized a faint and troubling doubt: were he free to choose, would he still desire her before all others –?
Given pause by the unwelcome thought she hesitated – but the look in his eyes, the full, proud glory of his passionate young manhood both pressed her hard so that her intricate thoughts derailed and reeled; such was the intensity of the onset that almost she swooned and her breath was short as her hand, as if of its own accord, rose to lay itself to his bedewed breast –
And then, with a supreme effort of will, she held him off – and stepped back.
And he groaned, hands falling frustrated to his sides.
“Lyn – –”
Unable to speak, with face aflame, she looked away – and slowly shook her head.
“No: no; not – not yet –”
He came forward then, eager again.
“But – why, Lyn? Why not – surely –?”
“I said NO!”
Her voice rose abruptly, pitched high – and the light which flared in her violet eyes made him step back in sudden shock.
At once she calmed herself, reasserting control – and patted her hair back into place.
“As – as I said; in due time. Once you are set free from the enchantments which still bind you. We must – both – be patient until then.” She favoured him with a smile – and his dismayed look lifted a little.
“And this I promise: when the time is ripe we shall both enjoy such enduring bliss as only the deathless can ever know. So; let us not stumble and slide from our high pathway just as we approach the summit. Temptation surmounted now will be rewarded in tenfold measure at that time; then and ever thereafter.” She paused – and her smile changed subtly, became coy, almost shy. “So do not think me cold or indifferent – for I am neither.”
She took a step towards him – and her reaching hand slid smoothly over the firm roundness of his rear – and then at once drew away. And she smiled secretly, indulgently, at the swift, eager kindling of hope in his eyes at the teasing touch. No, she need not fear; he was hers – when the time was right: until then she must be strong, must maintain the discipline which had sustained her all down the empty years, be strong enough to restrain them both. Well; soon would come her reward, the prize for which she had long planned, for which she had hazarded her all. And what was one more night of waiting to set against an eternity of joy when her aching hollowness would be forever filled? Patience, then – patience –
His eyes were upon her, a beseeching look, mutely loud with meaning; so she smiled, recovering herself and became brisk again, her moment of weakness past.
“Your release comes very soon now; and once you are free we must give thought to your friends, your companions in arms: they too must be saved from the cunning devices long practiced upon them by the Sorceress. They are each of them just as deceived as you were – and, knowing no better, may well oppose you.”
“To oppose me is to oppose you, my lady: and that I cannot – and will not – allow.” The well-formed jaw-line clenched tight and there was a fierce and ardent light burning blue in his eyes.
“None the less, we must deliver them from her evil and set them free – even as you have been set free. They are not in their right minds, so you must show them the truth.”
“And if they refuse to listen and reject that truth, shall I not punish them severely for their wilful error? Shall they not pay a fitting price?”
“Oh, my dear, sweet boy. Your zeal and loyalty do you great credit. But none the less it is needful that you win them over, for they will be the foundation of the force which you will lead against Grayskull – and who will, after its fall, acclaim you king.”
She took a thoughtful pace or two and turned to him again where he stood intent upon her.
“Above all you will have need of your sword and – unless I have miscalculated – that very weapon is making its way to us even as we speak.” She paused a long, alert moment in stillness – and then nodded with a satisfied smile. “Yes; I sense a power even now approaching; a great power. It draws close: soon now the Sword of Grayskull will be yours to wield once more – and when you hold both blade and the plenitude of the Power, why, none may stand against us. And then all things are possible!”
“All things –” he echoed, eyes wide. “Yes –”
“King Randor will submit to you once you have taken Grayskull – Eternos will be yours, and after that all Eternia. Its rulers will bow the knee before you and acknowledge your overlordship; their hosts will conjoin at your command and march beneath your banner tens of thousands strong. And you, High King over all, shall lead them to assail Snake Mountain. And then, as with the Sorceress, there will be a day of reckoning with the Dark One: and at your hand he will fall.”
She paused in her pacing, her eyes far away – and stern. But then she turned again to his watching face and smiled upon him.
“And then, all evil being purged, there will be peace; a peace that none dare break for awe of your power and for fear of your wrath. And your kingship will surpass in its splendours all other rule which ever was, even as you in your strength and manly beauty far surpass all other heroes.”
“It will be as you wish, my lady – whatever is your will I shall bring about. For I am as nothing without you; you are the sole reason for my existence – and to serve you is all my joy!”
“Then your joy – our joy – will be without end, for the Power will grant us life eternal!”
“All that I have – all that I am, I pledge to you, my lady: light, love – life itself – now and forever.”
“Forever – yes: a word spoken lightly by many – but to us no less than a certainty. Think upon it; time itself will be our slave – its swift passage which so dooms others will hold no terrors for us twain!”
“And the Power – the full Power – I shall lay as a trophy before your feet – along with my sword! And all the kingdoms of Eternia: all the realms of every world which your heart desires, these I shall subjugate to your rule that they too may worship your beauty!”
She smiled – and touched lightly at his cheek.
“What, shall all the Universe be mine?”
“If you wish it then – yes – it will!”
“The Universe mastered – by a woman –”
“Nay – by a queen!”
“Shall it be so?”
“It shall. It shall be even as you command.”
“Well; let us begin by first ridding you of the last vestiges of the Sorceress’ spells which linger yet in the depths of your mind. It grieves me that the process will cause you great pain; it seems a poor reward indeed for such deep devotion, but there is no other way to set you free of her.”
“There is no pain but to be without you, my lady. There is no torture which I would not undergo – and gladly – if it be your will.”
“Then be but as brave in deed as in word – and your trial will soon be done. I shall with gladness heal your hurts – and then you will be free! And once your bonds are at last struck off, there will be nothing more to keep us apart. Ever. And so, with the morrow in mind, let us go below; it is time for you to rest once more. Come.”
So saying she took his hand and led him back down the sloping passageways until they came to the place where her own quarters were sited, and thence into a chamber which awaited; one which he had not entered before.
He paused then in the doorway and took in what lay before him – and his eyes widened at the sight. For there lay a bed both broad and wide – and spread with down-drawn coverlet of shimmering samite, revealing sheets of violet-tinted silk. Light was lent by the tall, stiff uprightness of a single candle whose waxen wick shed its sheen over all. There was a yearning hope in his eyes as he turned to her – but Lyn only smiled softly and shook her head.
“For you, yes – but not for me; not quite yet. I needs must keep vigil while you lie alone; it must be so – for now.” He looked cast down by her words, but she drew him into her chamber and had him lay his length upon the bed. Sitting at his side she looked down on him with a fond expression. “For my part I shall not sleep this night,” she said, her tone soft. Her hand stole out and smoothed over his hair and rested on his face. “In truth my heart is too full. And I have much to dwell upon; a solemnity to observe – and still the setting stars to watch. For I must prepare my gramarye for one last great conjuration: the fulfilment of your high destiny.” Her lips turned upwards – and his hand lifted and covered hers where it lay along his cheek. His eyes were intent upon her, their gaze depthless with desire, lit-through with love. “But soon, now, we will be together; the next time that you lie in this wide bed, you will not do so sole – that I promise you.”
“Must – must we wait –?” he slurred, his voice gravid with emotion.
“I fear we must. It is but one more day.”
“It will seem – a lifetime – two! – until then.”
“For me also – but, if you will place your trust in me, then the deferment of our desire will but make its consummation so much the sweeter.”
“I would that it were already past sunset on the morrow – and you in my arms.”
“It will be so.” She leaned and kissed him – then rose slowly to her feet. As she did so his hand reached out to her to stay her – a strangely vulnerable gesture.
“Do not leave me – please.”
Touched, she took the hand and held it fast, communicating what speech lacked power to say.
“I fear I must; and you must rest.”
“But my heart is also full – and sleep will not come easily.”
“It will – be sure of that. And you have need of it, for much lies before you on the morrow and you will be required to put forth all of your strength: both to free yourself and to – claim your just reward.” Her sidelong look had an edge of humour to it – though he was beyond such subtleties. “Now behave and do as I bid you; I mean only your good.”
“I know it – and I will try. I want only to serve you – to please you –”
“And so you shall; I doubt it not. But for now sleep beckons – and naught but loving dreams.”
He smiled slightly in his slow way. “I know what I shall dream of, my lady – for I think and dream of you alone.”
“Then may it be so –” She bent and framed his face in her hands and granted him the kiss he craved, if no more.
“And when the morrow is done and all is accomplished, then we two shall have all eternity before us,” she breathed. “The very lamps of heaven shall light our way as we walk at will among the stars.”
Smiling, she smoothed back the thick fair hair and gently kissed his brow
“My beautiful, beautiful boy –”
And she pinched out the candle wick – and left him lying engorged with rapture in the darkness.
******
9.5
Sorceress – my lady –? Do you hear me? Ah – good! Well now, I have at long last reached the edge of the sea. I am sorry that it has taken me so lengthy a time; that wretched spell went wrong – I think – and I ended up somewhere else instead and then – well – I’m afraid to say that I was lost. Or maybe not so much lost as not knowing quite where I was – and it took me some time to find my way again. It was all so very confusing and difficult, like I was being opposed or else prevented and sent astray. Even the magnetic field seemed to be in flux, somehow – which made no sense! I could get no guidance from it – none at all. And then the very skies were strange – I swear I never saw such stars! There were patterns I never sighted before, forms I couldn’t recognize! Something’s toward – something of great importance, but I really don’t know what! And then there was a strong sense of danger, of threat – but also of wonder and even of glory and – – But, well; never mind that now. Here I am at last, on the shore of the great Southern Sea and the islands lie before me like shadows under the stars. Man-at-Arms was right – there are an awful lot of them! It would certainly take far too long to search them all. The Sword pulls, though – so that is where I shall go – and let it guide me.
You have done well, Orko – very well indeed; now do but follow the blade and it will surely bring you to him.
I shall – I shall. But I can’t use my magic over moving water. And there seems to be a strange kind of glowing mist lying low over the sea too, so getting there may be difficult and is sure to take yet more time – and that we do not have!
Nevertheless, proceed with what speed you can muster; further delay may cost us dear. He-Man lies in the very gravest of jeopardy: the Power withdraws from him – I sense its return to source. Were it still strong within him he would by now have been forced to revert to being Adam, but he has not; He-Man he remains. And despite that, alas, he grows weak and his belief in Grayskull wavers – and I fear for him, body and mind alike. The greater threat to his integrity comes now not from prolonged over-exposure to the Power but from the crisis of faith brought on by this protracted ordeal. He has been alone and without aid far too long.
Can – can he hold?
I – I do not know. I cannot reach him, can offer no reassurance that help comes – that he is not forsaken. And all hope has now deserted him. He has been tested past his strength to resist and will soon break; the Sword alone can save him now.
Then I shall get it to him! Somehow I shall.
Do so, Orko; and that with all haste – for He-Man has no other help but you.
I won’t fail him, lady – not if I can help it, anyway.
Yet take great care, little one; even from here I can sense the strength of her art and it will not be easy to breach the innermost web of her dark power. Neither you nor the precious thing you bear must fall into her hands.
But how do I both take care and make haste? I might be too cautious and come too late, or too rushed and –
You will find a way. I am certain you will.
I’ll – I’ll do my best.
That I know full well – and none, great or small, can ever do more. Then, Good Journey – and may the Elders be with you!
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Comments: 396
Once again, an exceptionally well written and conceived addition to this epic tale of He-Man - a hero falling (if not yet fully fallen) from grace through the wiles of the pale and fascinating witch, Lyn of Zalesia. How far the hero has come from his setting out to exchange himself for Teela in a misguided effort at rescue and the trap that followed. And now, after months of torture and mindgames, here he is - her devoted and willing slave, without will of his own, prepared to kill for her and to steal the whole of the Power. And yet this shift is wholly credible; it's been accomplished over time, with cunning and care and knowledge of his character; he thinks he doing right - even though it's apparent to us that he's bound for disaster. He has no doubts now (though Lyn has... interestingly - though they don't prevent her going on..) One more day and all will be changed forever.
A tender scene with Adam's grieving parents comes as such a stark contrast here, compared with Lyn's possessive 'love' and fierce lust. And Orko at last - with salvation in his hand. If only he can reach He-Man and restore his conscience and true senses. If.....
This story sets new standards for Masters; it truly does.
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And so it comes. The approaching week in which Adam will lose his birthright; the approaching day in which He-Man will finalize the loss of his will; and the moment where, finally, Orko arrives, very small in the dark shadowy night. What a chapter!
That parental love. Randor and Marlena, both so strong for their position; yet inside, breaking... Randor; king, with a hand forced to serve his country, when his heart would search out his son. Marlena; with her intuitive knowledge concerning the prince, and her deep set compassion for her husband; a strength for her king, though her own insides also pang with worry. A nice gesture; the thought of these parents drinking to their son's health; a moment of melancholy and sorrow. For is it enough that they have already lost one child? Must they lose another? And so they drink, softly, quietly, reflecting upon their life together, and that seemed destiny to lose their children, again and again...
Lyn -- with all of her lusts for power and control and immortality -- doubts, ever so slightly. Can it indeed be victory, something within her whispers, if it is not rightfully won? Has she in fact cheated, in a sense, to gain the sole devotion of the most powerful man in the universe? That man who is in truth a boy -- a boy whose sensual side has been unleashed -- with no hint of morality to bridle it. And upon that wide bed of silken sheets he lies and dreams of the morrow. And Lyn sets her eyes upon her magic tomes and awaits like a spider to catch her prey.
Orko wearily arrives -- and not secretly, either. For the dark lady's magic is great; and this island is her domain. Orko, set amid the darkened night, stretches forth his weary eyes upon the shrouds of shadow that lie before him. Dread, and urgency plague his mind. Memories, and thoughts of the future. Premonition. As he speaks with the lady of Grayskull, his mind falters -- groping about for courage and strength. Gripping the blade tightly in hand; mustering the little strength he has -- Orko is left in silence as the Sorceress's communications end lightly. Only the sea's soft beating across the sand can be heard. Only the rapid beating of the Trollan's heart.
And so it's all amounted to this. A fortnight until Adam's seventeenth birthday. A day before He-Man's virginity is given in a dark ritual, bound to the sorceress of night. Mere hours before Orko makes his way to the seaside palace. A mere part/chapter before we, finally, are given permission to gaze upon the next, awaited, event in this dark and compelling tale.
The fate of Eternia, and the Universe, rest upon you, Orko... Only, I fear, that the Lord of Destruction is not too far behind...
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Yes indeed; all these weeks of doubt are now drawing together, all narrowing down to a mere few days which will see matters brought at last to a head....
And it's certainly hard on the royal couple, fretting for Adam and brought up hard against that loss by the approach of the boy's birthday (the first anniversary of his taking on the burden of Grayskull..) The drinking of his health is both sorrow - and an act of quiet defiance, setting parental love against the needs of the realm which have to come first. A true, unforced, warm and natural love.
And then there's Lyn; the lovely, pale, spirited, intelligent, spoiled, selfish, needy enigma. Able to discern that this love she has inculcated into He-Man is unreal, a simulacrum - less than perfect. And Lyn is above all a perfectionist - and she knows and can admit to herself frankly that it's a mere second best - she KNOWS it - but must go on with her plan; there is no way back after coming this far. She needs him, his power, his protection - his body. So she goes on - though already realist enough to understand that what she has - and she means to have it all - everything - may still not be enough, because the one thing she now finds that she really wants above all else is forever denied to her.... In a way she is already punished - and coming to see that for herself. In triumph lies tragedy......
And now comes the holy fool of the mystery play, the wise innocent bearing a power which will change all things - depending on which hand will wield it, and in what cause. And filled with trepidation - but also love and loyalty; but will those virtues be enough against what he faces here? He-Man is - changed. As you say, his morality is atrophied by lust and the ambitions instilled into him by Lyn's methodology which amounts to the theft of his will. Without will of his own he is her adoring slave and puppet. But the seizure of the Power in full - the final act of blasphemy and crime against his former code - may change even that.
(As ever, you get to the very heart of the matter with your insightful comments; so poetic in expression, too. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to respond, but I was called away and the required resolution was slow and delicate to bring about and took up far longer than I had hoped. However, I'm back again, and I intend to post the next part tomorrow.)
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That's a very profound series of observations. I wish I'd your way with words! (sigh - )
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I probably get too carried away with them -- for all practical intent... It's much to fun to write, I think...
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I don't think so, really. You write well and with feeling, and you know how to express yourself too.
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Well, the writer here plainly thinks so too. He featured your comment above!
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A special summary of a special chapter - of a very special story. You capture the sense of foreboding very well (even Lyn seems to feel it...) and the tensions mounting as we close on the day of the 'ritual' (as you accurately term it.) Orko's magic-attuned senses are full of doubt - and rightly so.
Like you I loved the portrayal of the King and Queen going through the motions in public but beset with private fears and frayed hopes. And did you note that stark contrast between their love and - harshly juxtaposed - their son (their 16 year old son..) swearing devotion to the woman who tortured him and stole his will, and promising to bring her Skeletor's head. Ouch. That had the impact of a blow to the stomach.
But what's this? Lyn - with doubts? Inner, private doubts, not a ruse to seduce the falling hero, but real? For the first time we get her own genuine views expressed - and they are doubts. She wants what she can't have: He-Man's love of his own free will, not what she is getting after stealing his mind. Tempted sorely to let him bed her there and then (yes, even Lyn's iron will slips at that moment) she is honest enough (still) to know that she is getting second best - a mere simulacrum. And it grieves her and vitiates her victory. What does that tell us about Lyn? That she is so selfish that nothing is ever good enough - or that there is a degree of honesty and (dare we say it?) good still within her - just like He-Man said, when last he was capable of independent thought?
Of course, none of these doubts actually stop her going ahead with her plans. But one must wonder what the future holds for Lyn - even if she wins the total triumph she is aiming for. Give he-Man the full, undiluted Power - and then how can he be controlled - even by her?
Orko may have come in the nick of time.... but not necessarily for good to prevail.
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Oh gosh, yes! The way he left off the dialogue from the King and Queen, and merged it into the perverse speech of He-Man and Lyn... Brilliant! Terrible, in that the King and Queen think lovingly upon their lost son -- and he is indeed quite far from them... And that moment where Lyn is telling He-Man that they'll force Randor to bow before them and submit the throne... Truly chilling! I almost thought the hint of Adam in him would cry out against it -- and yet -- no -- it seems Adam is truly dormant now... Indeed; only the lust lorn He-Man remains in place of him; and his devotion to Lyn has no limit...
That hint of doubt and guilt within Lyn... I like how you put the two possibilities. Either discontent in everything, or a small remnant of the good that no one seems to believe remains...? Yet indeed; despite the doubt, her appetite for power (like she said -- "the universe mastered -- by a woman"!) -- drives her still. That lust for immortality, and control -- even at the cost of the whole world, or He-Man's own will... She's gone too far already, she believes; she's so close to attaining her goals... And nigh on the morrow -- it shall be complete.
Yet she is not without weakness. Indeed her own lust for the man is as ravenous... Only, she knows the importance of her dark magic -- knows things must be enacted in the proper times. So she pushes back her burning desire -- as hard as it is.
Still -- her own mastery of the situation is waning. She seems to have unleashed a power far too strong for herself to contain. Like you ask; will she be able to subdue him still, once he has the sword? Somehow, things aren't exactly going to end up as she plans... Already we have seen that he is a different person; he now lacks a conscience. He is now driven by his mad desires, and his mind is set on serving his mistress with all of his power...
I like, too, how now there is a time limit placed on the conclusion of the tale. 10 days -- Randor echoes. 10 days before Adam shall be stripped of his title as crowned prince. It seems, whatever transpires, will have to happen within this frame; 'else who knows what will happen?
Orko has a lot on his shoulders. I can't wait to see what happens...
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That juxtapositioning was very impactful indeed. Would they even know their son any more? And even if He-Man/Adam does get out of this scrape somehow, will he ever be himself again after all this? Lyn had changed him and that won't be undone.
Hard to tell with Lyn - as ever. High ambitions, ruthlessness, deception - even self-deception; but at the core of it some doubt, even guilt. Maybe she actually believes what she's told He-Man about her way being the ONLY way to defeat Skeletor and save the world. She certainly isn't as learned about the Power as she thinks she is. Filled with arrogance, ambition, lust for his body and the need to control - for all this he still saw good in her - and I think he may well be right. Her self control wavered, but held. I think she believes what she's doing is right - because it benefits her - but ALSO will save the world - because she underestimates the power and thinks it can be controlled via He-Man. And she's wrong. It can't. Lyn sees only as He-Man/Adam did at the start; he alone can save Teela - she alone can save the world. They both lacked faith in the Power and tried to use it for arrogant and selfish ends. And He-Man fell into two traps; Lyn's AND the belief that willpower and strength alone can win the day. Lyn shares that concept - and thinks her way alone will work. It also gives her supreme power, for all time - and her lover/doting slave forever. But even THEN the doubt is there - and the seed of inner knowledge that she wants him to lover her truly, for herself, not as a thrall to her control. And that weakens her control - like you say. She can't control him easily even now. With all the Power his he'd be unstoppable - and maybe she starts to see that. But she can't back down now, can she? The stakes are too high. And her inner fears demand him to protect her from her past - and remove Skeletor. So she overcomes her doubts (or does she?) and goes on with her plan.
Tomorrow....
And that's a good point; ten days is the limit now; Adam is officially dead after that time. But maybe the boy already is, in all meaningful ways........
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It's a hard thing to say... And I wonder also the reverse of it: if He-Man saw his parents, would he indeed know them?
Indeed -- everything has been changed now... To what end -- only time will tell!
Perhaps you are right. Perhaps she does believe that she has the only means of saving the world. Wrapped within her selfish ambition, there is a sincere desire to rid the world of evil -- albeit through corrupt means. She believes, for all her study, that she now understands the true nature of the power. She believes that using this knowledge, she can liberate the world from Skeletor's shadow, as well as fulfill her own vision...I rather like how you describe her folly (and He-Man's), and put it into words. I believe you are right in your thinking; that she is blinded, and that selfishly she believes that she can take fate into her own hands. A lack of faith; true -- and high thoughts about her own role in prophecy and history. She sees herself as a figure of great significance; and for lack of humility and pure truth, she is heading head long into destruction. Yet a piece of her still doubts, as you say. That doubt -- that hint of conscience screaming out at her; though faltering for a moment, still she continues on her false path.
It's all a misunderstanding of her place, and that of the power's. A clear opposite of the Sorceress; who for her faith, gave up everything dear to her. Lyn, for lack of it, seeks ambitiously her lofty goals of shaping the world into an image that suits her own vain desires...
But tomorrow -- !
In a way, he already is... Even should deliverance occur; the damage has been done. I do not see Adam ever really trusting He-man again...
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A good question; would Adam know his parents now - or is that too hypothetical, given that Adam is in abeyance, exiled from his own mind and body? And it comes to me that if He-Man takes ALL the Power, and is inevitably corrupted by it, then will Adam be permanently lost - shut out forever, a lost soul, in effect dead and gone? He-Man would have no wish (or ability?) to turn back to his true form. Which leaves Adam in a state of un-being - forever.
I do think that's how Lyn sees it; she wants vengeance on Skeletor, safety for herself, absolute power and control - and He-Man her toy and willing slave for all time. She remakes the world - all worlds - in her own image. It's both selfish AND altruistic - a curious mix - and it's the result of her arrogance and sense of destiny (and not without reason) and her blinkered view of the Power, her misunderstanding of its true nature, which is of course much more like the Sorceress explained to Duncan. Lyn doesn't see all - in spite of her study; she sees that which she wants to see. And like Adam/He-Man, thinks that she alone can do anything at all and change fate. But her sin is worse than his, because of the scale of her plans and what will happen as a result of them. His youthful impulsiveness was a small thing - he wanted to save Teela and took a silly risk to do it, through overconfidence. Lyn's the same - but much, much more dangerous in her own vaulting overconfidence. So, not so much evil as horribly misguided Lyn. And she IS figure of true significance - but she has interpreted the prophecies and stars to her own advantage and desires.
And you put that beautifully:
It's all a misunderstanding of her place, and that of the power's. A clear opposite of the Sorceress; who for her faith, gave up everything dear to her. Lyn, for lack of it, seeks ambitiously her lofty goals of shaping the world into an image that suits her own vain desires...
Yes! Vanity, wilfulness and pride. And something in her past she is seeking to excise, something to do with Keldor - and her father - and a flood... But notice also that she wants He-Man as lover and protector and puppet - all on HER terms. He gets no say in any of it - his mindset is now the one she's spent weeks and weeks inculcating into him as he was slowly but surely brainwashed, moulded into the pattern she planned for him. And it's worked. But a glimpse of Lyn's inner mind shows us that she regrets that he won't love her the way she would really like - for herself, without torture and healing and Stockholm Syndrome and potions and the steady fanning of the flames of lust she lit in the innocent young lad. Poor Lyn! She sees that, and it tarnishes her victory, even as it reaches its climax! A lucid interval in her obsessional drive towards power; for a moment she sees the truth - and suffers a pang of longing for true love from the one man worthy of her...... And then she puts it aside and goes ahead with her scheme - because she has no choice any more.
I begin to see what Omnivore meant about Lyn being an object of pity.
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I get all that, sure. And you're totallly right. BUT; what's with this need we see in Lyn for a strong protector? Against Skeletor, yup - but there's more to it than that. The symbolism emphasised again - sun and moon - and his size and strength (yum!) standing between her and her nightmares. And all to do with something she did in the past, something that hurt her father, something that caused a disaster, made people drown... Why's Lyn so vulnerable about this stuff? Is this what she's so needy for, not just ultimate power? He-Man as her champion and protector, stood between her and some kind of fate or vengeance, more than just Skeletor? I read that we are getting the real true Lyn here, because she's not speaking/lying to He-Man, only expressing her own thoughts, which makes me think it's totally sincere. In which case there's another layer to this than we think. (what, yet *another* layer to THF? Heck, it's got more of 'em than my late great-aunt May-Ellen's famous layer cake!)
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Indeed! That hint of frailty within her. She is not all powerful, or without weakness. Within her is that fragile portion that, as you say, pertains to her past -- and her past sins. Betrayal, and regret... Her father, and Keldor, and other countless things only eluded to...
You're right though. They are her inner thoughts. Her inner conflicts. Hidden deep within her ambition and lusts lies something more. Something faltering, despite her mask of strength.
More layers? He's rather good at it all, isn't he?
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That was my thought too, that for once Lyn's own mind gets opened when there's no one there to be lied to. The first time. So unless it's self-deception, then it's likely to be the truth we hear. Including her inner doubts. I can see why she feels that way too. She wants it all, including of He-Man in love with her from his own free will. And she can't risk giving him the choice, can she, cos if he walks out on her then her whole plan fails and she's toast when Skelly catches up with her. So it's gotta be this way, even though she's smart enough to see that it's not perfect. And she'd like it perfect. Which tells us something about Lyn, I reckon.
But, on she goes with her plan....
It must be a real special plan too. Heck, she done turned He-Man down, just when he had her in his arms and was carrying her off to bed. And she told him to put her down (the dangfool...)
(And 'rather good' sounds like genuine British understatement to me. But, yep. He sure is!)
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And have you read the newest part? Talk about game changing on a whole new level!!!
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Boy oh boy.... You ain't wrong. That sure changes a whole heap of things. Awesome stuff too.
But, you know, I feel bad for He-Man. Real bad. He's had it rough, and still never actually got to take Lyn to bed after all! And now he's in the hands of Skeletor, and that won't be any fun AT ALL.
I sure do hope that omnivore's gonna stop being mean to the boy sometime soon....
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I feel bad for him too. This has been what I've feared for awhile -- that moment where Skeletor finds him... I had hoped that Skeletor wouldn't see him in his current state. It's too humiliating... But it is what it is... In the end, it will lead him where it is necessary for him to go.
One things for sure; I'm really wanting the next part now!!!
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I was hoping that Orko'd do his bit and get the Sword to He-Man, who would've taken it off him - and then recovered his mind on touching it - and been all ready to face Skeletor when he arrived. And then have to decide whether to turn in Lyn or not..... (he didn't!) But looks like I was wrong.....
He must feel just AWFUL, knowing that Skeletor knows about him and Lyn. I mean, did he watch from the doorway as Lyn was running her hands all over him, getting him ready to face the rack? That would make it even worse - queasy worse. And even if not, it sure is humiliating for the boy, the big hero, now Lyn's pet toyboy..... And then there's betraying Grayskull too. How's he to live with that, huh?
So you reckon the Sorceress is right? That He-Man must be taken to Snake Mountain - and that's where it's all gonna happen, big time?
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Not yet, I was at work. But I'm off to read it right now! Thanks for the Heads up!
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This is yet another awesome chapter to this fabulous story! I loved the way you show the king and queen holding on, mourning their loss, but hiding it from all but one another. So deeply sad, but so loving and tender too. And then, right after, comes Lyn seducing He-Man's befogged mind into agreeing to KILL for her! And getting even closer than ever to seducing his body too. That scene was deeply erotic and it took all of Lyn's self-control not to give in to his demands. But look how their roles are reversing now. He is becoming more dominant, even without the full Power, and that excites Lyn, perverse creature that she is. But she ought to be worried. If he's like this now, then what will hold him back later - anything at all?
Amazing storytelling! Can't wait for more!
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Yeah - Lyn's self-control got sore tested when He-Man came on strong to her like that. And the dang fool didn't give in at once!
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"Yeah - Lyn's self-control got sore tested when He-Man came on strong to her like that. And the dang fool didn't give in at once!"
I like that!
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Heck, she's been a-leading him on all this time - and just when he sweeps her off her feet to take her to bed - what does the danged fool go and do? Tell him to put her down!
And this is HE-MAN.... !!!!!
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Yeah - there is that.....
Lyn went and stirred him up, and now he's all hot and steamed up and keen to get her into bed, she holds him off.....
This plan of hers had better be darned good, because, like you say, this is He-Man.................
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She turned down He-Man taking her to bed. He-Man....
Like you say, this plan of hers better be a REAL good one!
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And what's more, now that Skelly has arrived and taken He-Man captive, it looks like Lyn blew her chance of getting him into bed for all time.........
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I must agree with you over this...................
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You just got to admire Lyn's self-control - and the sheer scope of her ambition.........
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Oh yes her self control in that moment of temptation was admirable!
But she has invested her all in this plan, so must still be patient, even if it means withstanding bodily temptation from her handsome hero prisoner.
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She stands to lose a whole lot by being hasty and submitting to temptation, sure.
So this here plan better work, give that she just passed up on He-Man carrying her off to bed...........
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Oh yes her self control in that moment of temptation was admirable!
But she has invested her all in this plan, so must still be patient, even if it means withstanding bodily temptation from her handsome hero prisoner.
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"My beautiful, beautiful boy ...."
There's something really incredibly sinister about that line, right at the end of the chapter.
He-Man is in a whole HEAP of trouble and the sad thing is that he doesn't even know it.......
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As you say, the sad thing is that poor He-Man is blissfully unaware of the realities of the situation he is in - and trusts Lyn implicitly, in spite of her having tortured him.
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Thats the Stockholm Syndrome, that he loves his torturer and trusts her now more than his own friends. He-Man's world is turned inside out by the altered state of his mind and he will do anything at all for Lyn, maybe even kill for her..........
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Yes, He-Man's in a heap of trouble - and what's worse is that he's loving it......!
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Poor He'Man's so confused now that he's in love with Lyn and ready to do anything she tells him, even start killing. And now Orko's coming with the Sword and stuff could get really rough from here on in.
That part with Adam's mom and dad was heartwrenching.
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Yes, he's very confused indeed now. Lyn has brainwashed him completely over the last few weeks and he will now do anything she tells him to. Even kill. And since Orko is now coming with the Sword to 'rescue' He-Man, then the outlook for the little Trollan is maybe far from good....
Got to feel so sorry for the royal couple in this situation. And their characters really show through here.
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I would feel very bad for He-Man if he harmed poor Orko while he was under Lyn's mind control. Which like you say could really happen.
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I would feel bad about that too. But, since Orko doesn't know the truth of He-Man's situation and that the former hero will now see him as an enemy, and since Orko has the Sword, then bad things really could happen.........
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I doubt that He-Man himself would feel any too good about it once he recovered his own true mind and found out what he'd done.......
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But at least that hasn't happened. Orko didn't get there in time, and now He-Man's been captured by Skeletor...........!
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This was simply an amzing read. And Lyn is such a deep and complex character. There are things revealed about her here that were only hinted at before.
But poor He-Man has lost his way and canot save himself. Can Orko do it? Or is there yet another twist still to come?
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