Queen Marlena's Story

In the days that followed, folded into the warm and safe haven of Castle Greyskull, Adora learned to know her new-found family. Her father King Randor was always glad to see her. He would wipe a tear from his eye when she came into a room. "My dear, dear girl," he would murmur. "You are returned to me. Now we are saved." Lovingly he would embrace his daughter, each time as if it were the first. Then he would take her to the window and point out the features of the landscape: the castle surrounds, the village that had grown up at the castle gate, the fields, the forest beyond. He was alternately proud of his kingdom and concerned at its fate. He shook his head to hear about Adora's life with Hordak and Skeletor. "My dear, dear girl," he would shake his head. "We just had no idea."

Adora's mother Queen Marlena held back as King Randor gave Adora the guided tour of the kingdom. Marlena looked on with pride and bemusement as her husband wept his copious tears. Finally came the day when Randor seemed to feel that he could manage for a few hours out of the presence of his long-lost daughter. As he rode through the castle gate on his way to meet the troops, Adam in his train, Adora and Marlena waved from an upper window.

"They are fine men," the Queen remarked. "Your father is a wonderful man." With a burst of energy, she turned to Adora and took her by the hand. "But I thought he would never leave!"

Adora had no choice but to laugh. "If he was so glad to see me, why was he continually in tears? Was there ever such an emotional father?"

"Perhaps many fathers are like that, Adora. I confess that I'm not the person to ask. Earth fathers do not tend toward great emotions, as a rule. And mine did not."

Adora had been waiting a long time to learn more about her mother, the strange Marlena Glenn from Earth. She knew that her mother's ship had been caught in a time warp and stranded on Eternia. But more than that she did not know, and could not imagine. She wasted no time drawing her mother into a conversation. The queen took up her tale deliberately.

"Your return has brought back so many memories of my early time here. Everything that happened in those days seemed so strange, and yet I was always certain that I was following my destiny. Even when Hordak..." The Queen paused, swallowed, and started again.

"Our ship had been pulled into the force field around a black hole, and we entered a time warp where we lost all bearings. When we finally came out, feeling lucky to have survived at all, we found ourselves in the midst of this system. We determined that Eternia and Etheria were locked in a kind of double planetary orbit, and that both planets and some of the moons supported life. But this planet possessed a technology that we could detect even from space, radio, force beams, and more. So it was with Eternia that we established first contact. They responded eagerly."

"We hoped to continue our exploration missions even though we were off course. We were pretty pleased that things went smoothly. Of course, now I know a little bit more about why we were treated so well. Eternia had been contacted by other space travellers, if "contacted" is the word for it! Hordak Prime had already set its sights on this relatively peaceful outpost. We didn't know it then, but we were part of the political maneuvering among the factions of Eternia. Earth was intended to be a counter-force, if possible."

Queen Marlena picked up the pace of her narrative. "But I remember how astonished I was when the delegation from Eternia treated me as the spokesperson for our group. I certainly wasn't the highest ranking person on the ship, oh not by a long shot!"

Already Queen Marlena's voice had adopted the gentle lilt characteristic of her narrative terran tongue, and she slipped easily into the slang expressions of her youth. "In fact, I was only the chief communications officer, a glorified secretary, really. I had been the one who established the hailing protocol. In monitoring the dispatches back and forth, I was the person on shipboard who talked the most with Eternians. I had so much exposure to it that I was the first to learn the language. Well, the truth be told, I am an adept linguist. I picked it up really quickly."

Queen Marlena blushed. She rarely spoke of herself, let alone to boast. But Adora gazed at her in rapt attention, and so the Queen continued. "In any event, I didn't notice that the Eternians were focussing their attentions on me almost exclusively until we actually met face to face for the first time. Duncan walked directly to me and bowed low. I nearly died when my captain and commander extended their hands and were left to shake empty air. We all thought it was a silly mistake, based on a misunderstanding of our communications procedures. And then I received Randor's proposal of marriage."

"As a seal of the good relations between our two powers, Castle Grayskull would be honored if Marlena of Earth would accept as consort Randor of Eternia, younger son of Maxilla by Miro"

Marlena was lost deep in the memories of her past. At length she described the consternation of the crew at this proposal. Apparently the Earthlings were subject to a principle of diplomacy known as the "Prime Directive," which enjoined them not to interfere in the lives and activities of the peoples they visited. Most of the crew was adamantly opposed to any close social interactions with Eternians, and a marriage was even less appropriate. And yet, few wanted to offend the Eternians. The historians among them argued that in Earth's past, when governments were controlled by ruling families, marriage and diplomacy were often the same thing. If nations wanted to become allies, their families were joined. This move made sense, then. More to the point, the crew truly despaired of ever going back to Earth again. They very well might need to stay on the planet for a long time. They wanted to make friends.

"Ah, but there was more to it than that. There was the discussion about my virginity!" Queen Marlena tossed back her head in a hearty laugh, but froze at the sight of Adora's face, suddenly pale. Here, mother and daughter had just met and suddenly they were talking about the sexual intimacies of the Queen. Adora blushed and dropped her gaze to the flagstone floor. Queen Marlena arose and made her way to a table at the side of the room. From a flask of deep red wine she poured two goblets full. Handing one to Adora, she raised the other to her lips and drank deeply. Moving to the window, she gazed over the battlements at the bustle in the courtyard below, the activity in the town down the hill, and the dirt road that led over the fields into the world beyond.

"You cannot imagine how different it is for women on Earth. Suddenly, all anyone could think of was that I was being given away like an English princess or a Mafia daughter. What if Randor's mother was waiting to see my wedding night sheets? We had heard the Eternians speak of She-Ra, their great virgin warrior. We were sure that they treated women as they used to on Earth, like precious jewels, never to be seen or touched by any but one rightful owner, the husband. Would Randor ever be convinced that I was worthy of him?"

At the mention of She-Ra, Adora held her breath. Did her mother know of the power that she had recently discovered in herself, the power to transform into that very warrior woman in the flesh? But Queen Marlena did not linger over that sacred name.

"It dawned on me eventually," sighed the Queen. "In all of the discussion about prime directives and diplomatic policy and my relative worth among women, nobody ever asked me what I felt about a wedding. In the Star Fleet, an underling like myself wouldn't make decisions, of course. But it felt as if I was being horse-traded. I was pretty angry, but I really didn't know why."

"And so when the message came from Randor that he wanted to meet me alone, I barely hesitated. I was looking for romance, perhaps. But deep inside I knew I needed to get away from the rest of the crew, from the endless discussions of what I should and should not do. Without permission, I flew the small landing pod, the Rainbow Explorer, down from the main spacecraft to the appointed spot."

The Queen drained the last drop of wine from the goblet.

"And so I was not in the spaceship when the fuel tanks exploded and the rest of the crew died. In one brief moment I was truly stranded on Eternia, and truly alone. I turned to your father gratefully, and passionately. But I did not understand, then, and I'm only beginning to understand now what has happened to me... and what I've done to you."

Adora looked up and saw that her mother's face was stained with tears, oddly sparkling like jewels in the light from the window. She did not know this graceful and proud woman who stood before her, but she felt powerfully drawn to her.

"Mother...," Adora faltered. The word was awkward on her tongue. "I have missed you, but I do not blame you. Surely it was not your fault that I was stolen as a baby from the cradle where I lay by my twin brother Adam's side." Her words trailed off. The Queen turned slowly from the window and faced Adora.

"My dear one," she began. "What is it like to live in the court of Angella? Won't you tell me about Bright Moon ...and Mystacor?"

Adora was startled at this abrupt change in the conversation, but also relieved that her mother was no longer in tears.

"Queen Angella has been denied her rightful powers," Adora began. "The Great Rebellion is dedicated to restoring her to the throne. We live in a constant state of battle, for we never know when Hordak's troopers will attack. We never know what evil project Hordak will undertake in the Whispering Wood. Sometimes we stay in the castle where Angella rules what small area remains to her. But most often, the court makes camp in areas closer to the fighting. It's a hard life, but not without its pleasures."

Adora stopped. Was this what her mother wanted to hear? Marlena nodded her head, as if to encourage her to continue. "What pleasures?"

"Well, in my brief time with the Rebellion, we have had mostly to fight. But at night around the fire, Glimmer sometimes talks about what her life used to be like, and the other women join in. The festivals that they celebrate are determined by the seasons, and the phases of the moons. There are many chores in growing food, bringing in the harvest, raising the children, tending animals, gathering herbs. Each activity needs to take place in just the right way, and only such and so a song can be sung. Their life seems gentle and perhaps uneventful. But you should see Glimmer radiate her golden glow when she speaks of the happy days of her childhood. You would think that there was no greater pleasure on earth than a summer bonfire, or a sheep-shearing festival. And oh my, the food! The dancing! And the wine!"

Adora grinned and her mother chuckled. In a minute, both their cups were filled again and they sat in chairs opposite each other ready to gossip like old friends.

"And who decides what you do, then?" queried Queen Marlena. "Who's in charge?"

Adora answered promptly. "Well, Queen Angella rules, of course. And everyone knows that Glimmer will rule after her. Glimmer commands one of the military companies, and Bow the other, and well..." Adora cleared her throat ever so slightly. "When She-Ra appears, she's often in charge." Marlena did not blink and so Adora continued. "There are several sorceresses who lend their power to the Rebellion. Madame Razz is a dear old soul who's just a touch past her prime, but her magic certainly suffices for every day. And Castaspella is there for the important spells, and She-Ra, of course."

"And what of the king?" Marlena asked, in a light and innocent tone.

"Well, there is no king," Adora replied. She was suddenly surprised at her response. "There is no king," she repeated, and then fell silent.

"And do the pleasures of Mystacor include the pleasures of the flesh?"

Marlena's tone was not so light, now. It was Adora's turn to walk to the window. Off in the distance she could see a group of field hands making their way along the dusty road back to the village. Was that Adam down at the castle gate jovially greeting some merchant travellers? Was that Bow grooming his horse Arrow in the courtyard? What did her mother want to know?

Adora knew little of Glimmer's father, and had never heard Angella speak of marrying again. In fact, had Angella ever married? Did Glimmer ever speak of marriage? No, in fact. But anyone could see that Glimmmer was in love with Bow. She-Ra's arrival on the scene had made that coupling less likely, for Bow was taken both with Adora and She-Ra, and thinking they were two women, was now less than ever committed to one partner only. Adora was almost certain that Glimmer had taken lovers, and Bow was probably among them. The women in the camp: Peekablue, Yage, Ephedra, Passionata, Ariel and Gyn-awe. They were interested in love, and some of them interested in men. Actually, they seemed to follow their hearts and their desires as it suited them. Quassia and Ariadne did live with the father of their children, Adora believed, but she was not entirely sure. She saw Quassia's mate rarely, and then never without a baby on his arm, and so she had always assumed that his concern was with the children. The warrior women were primarily devoted to the Rebellion, however, and most of them had little thought of settling down and raising a family. Many of the warriors were still girls, really, like Justitia, or Sweet-Bee.

"Are you happy, my daughter?" How long had Adora fallen silent?

"Yes," she answered quite simply. "I'm happy to be part of the Rebellion and even happier to contemplate the life on Etheria that we're fighting for."

"Then, let me say, that I'm sorry for what I have done to you." Queen Marlena joined her daughter at the window and placed her arm around her shoulder.

"No, no. No need," faltered Adora. "Please!" Adora's distress at her family's never-ending expressions of regret was palpable.

"I won't apologize again," Queen Marlena agreed, after a moment. She dropped her arm and continued matter-of-factly. "When you know better you do better, my own mother always said. And so I will. I would like to help your Rebellion. Perhaps I can offer you money, and warriors, and always a refuge in your time of need. But right now I would like to offer you something of my own understanding."

The sun's long rays stretched far into the castle room. The bustle in the castle informed the Queen's experienced ears that the workers were beginning to return home after their long day. Supper would be expected, and the presence of the Queen was always required for some thing or another.

"If you are free tonight, you may join me in my chamber. After the second moon rise. We will be able to speak at length, if you are willing."

Adora nodded. Marlena planted a quick and firm kiss on her daughter's forehead.

"I will see you at dinner. Blessed be, my daughter."

Queen Marlena left the room. Adora gazed silently out of the window until the sun had set and the room was cast in the long shadows of evening.

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Last modified May 1, 1999
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