In Tropicilas, the ruling class had a penchant for hoarding food from the humans, believing them to be inferior to the Scorpions – unfortunately, this mistreatment continued right up until the Horde seized control of the kingdom. Additionally, Dryl and the Snows had a terrible practice of hunting down sorcerers to draft into their armies.

❂❂❂

A day passed. Carmen wandered the halls with her lady, carrying several items in a medpack – not the least of which being supplies to treat mental shock. The doctors had been furious when they found out about Shads' torture at her lord's hands.

Carmen found her unconscious on the floor of the Black Garnet chamber. Obviously, there were some wounds the red rock couldn't heal – otherwise, her lady wouldn't be so stinkin' sad all the time.

Raiya's name...she does not look well. Shads walked against the wall, having to stop every few minutes to take a breath. "You all charged up?" Carmen asked timidly.

Shads nodded, leaning against the wall. Why was Raiya so cruel – what had Carmen done to deserve seeing her lady in such pain? What had Shads done to deserve this?

"I can take over, if you're needin' to rest," Carmen said. "I don't have your presence none, but I know the tasks, yeah?"

Shads sank to the floor, moaning and clutching the sides of her head. "It hurts," she whispered. "Moons, Carmen, it hurts." Reluctantly, Carmen pulled the older woman into a gentle embrace, and Shads let her. "Pinpricks," she whispered. "Everywhere..."

"Would a back-rubbin' help?" Carmen said softly. "I gave 'em to my lord's wife in Clerbélia – I know how." Shads seized up further at this idea, and Carmen winced – she'd forgotten briefly that her lady didn't like being touched.

"Can you walk back to your room?" Carmen asked. "Or do I need a gurney for ya?"

"I...I can walk," Shads mumbled. They stood; the older woman leaned against Carmen, and they stepped awkwardly down the hall.

But just as they got to the door of her quarters, Force Captain Tara rushed up to them. "Commander, we've got a problem."

"Of course," Shadow Weaver muttered, using her authoritative tone – though it sounded strained. "What now?"

"Defectors." The Silaxian crossed her beefy arms with a scowl. "They're trying to sneak out at night – and broke Migueleno out."

Shadow Weaver's hair billowed more violently. "The man...who got me here?" she asked, her voice dangerously quiet.

Tara nodded. "He's in solitary. What should we do with the defectors?"

Shadow Weaver stood up straighter. "I will personally shoot them tomorrow morning. As for Migueleno, break his legs and put him on the next transport for Beast Island. He has compromised our army too much."

Carmen bit her lip, looking up at her lady. This sort of cruelty toward her own soldiers was unexpected from Shads – she only did what Hordak told her, though technically she had the same authority over the men.

Tara seemed to share Carmen's worry; her dark eyes glimmered with an unknown emotion as she smoothed her short white hair with a hand. "Yes, Commander." She marched down the hallway with a quick gait.

Shadow Weaver turned to Carmen. "Do you think me cruel?" she asked.

"I...I dunno."

"I wish to hear your opinion."

"Well...ain't it a bit much?" Carmen asked. I'm obeyin'. Hopefully Raiya won't punish me...hopefully... "It's just those folks who'll be shot, yeah?"

Shadow Weaver shook her head. "No. Tomorrow, a new announcement will be made. All who venture outside the Fright Zone unauthorized past eight at night...will be shot on sight. I will make an example of them, and I will not lose my army."

She stalked back into her quarters and promptly collapsed on the bed. A strange emptiness rested in Carmen's stomach, but she quashed the feeling. She would trust her lady – her gruff, sweet lady.

I'm sure she's got a reason.

She always does.

✧✧✧

In spite of the agony coursing through her body – the sick wooziness that overtook her, dizzying her to the point of near-unconsciousness – Shadow Weaver took Adora and Catra to the training complex for their early gymnastics class. Shadow Weaver herself had taken the course, and though she'd had to use magic to force her body to be flexible enough, she had mastered several invaluable skills from it. Thus, she felt it was crucial for the cadets in her care to start early, that they might be even better in their flexibility than she was.

She dismissed Adora and Catra to their training with Grizzlor, but remained in the area as the large werewolf taught them stretches, along with the other cadets in their sector. Lelanna – who wanted to be called Lonnie; Kyle; and Rogelio, a Leezan who Shadow Weaver feared would never surpass the base soldier rank due to his clumsiness.

The children, having done their stretches, began bouncing on a trampoline – which Shadow Weaver had brought back and installed without Hordak's knowledge. They would need to learn flips, somersaults, and many other important contortions for battle – it was best for them to prepare properly.

As they jumped on the trampoline, however, Shadow Weaver's head began to spin. She sat down on the benches, making notes of the kids' abilities to play, their endless stamina. But she could barely read her own handwriting, her vision was so blurred.

Her face twisted into a scowl, and she snapped her pencil in half. She was reduced to a damn mentor once more because Hordak had tortured her with his experiments. She should be out there, trying to protect Micah...

But why? Why protect him when she could simply teach him a lesson instead?

Dangerous thoughts. If she kept being merciful to him, she would lose her position in the Horde. She would never prove her worth to Hordak.

But if she lost her softness, she would lose herself.

I can have it both ways. She looked at Adora's marks – her daughter was an incredible student in gymnastics, and right now, she was able to move her body in ways the other students couldn't even dream. If she applied herself, she would be the best Force Captain in the Horde, despite her lack of sorcerical power.

But there was one thing in the way. The felinetta who was able to do a triple-backflip in the air, screaming with joy as she did it. The one with the better tendons, who was able to jump higher than any human, run twice as fast, and even climb up trees with her sharp claws.

Fury burned in Shadow Weaver's chest. And suddenly, the image of Catra dying flashed through her mind.

She blinked in shock, looking at her notes. No...not dying. She would break Carmen's heart if that happened. But she had to do something, or Catra would win this class by sheer fortune...not true skill.

Yes. She wanted someone who would win with skill. That was all. A little nuance, a little qualification no one else knew about. A soft breath of kinesis whispered from her fingers, and Catra flew into the safety net with a grunt. "Hey, who pushed me?" she whined.

The other kids didn't say a thing. Catra growled, slapping Lonnie. "It was you."

Lonnie slapped her back. "No it wasn't!"

Soon, all the kids were squabbling. Making the final marks on her progress report, Shadow Weaver smiled smugly as she exited the room, leaving Grizzlor to deal with the chaos soon to ensue.

✧✧✧

"I ain't exactly the soft type," Tara said, "but the commander's policy isn't my idea of the treatment we were promised."

Beck drank some tea. "Tell me about it," she grumbled, sitting on her bunk.

"The Horde needs members to keep goin'," Carmen said softly, biting her lip. The emptiness had returned, and it had only grown once she'd reluctantly accepted Beck's invitation to hang out with her and Tara in the barracks. "If we lose 'em, we won't get to our goal."

"Carmen, I don't know why you're defending them," Tara said with a dark look on her face. "Oh, that's it. You're her slave."

"I gotta," Carmen confirmed. "My lady's prickly, but she ain't a bad person. She's doin' what she signed up for. If she don't, she'll be punished for it."

Tara snorted. "Good riddance."

Carmen wasn't easily angered, but Tara's words pushed her to the edge. Fortunately, Beck stepped in. "Tara, she sees more of Shadow Weaver than we do. Even if she does bad things for Hordak, she's forced into this spot as well." A sigh. "I've seen people like her before. I know where they come from."

Carmen tilted her head. "You know where my lady's from?" she asked. Curiosity rose within her, and she peeked over the top bunk to meet Beck's eyes.

Beck shrugged. "Just heard some rumors out there. She got cast out of her kingdom 'cause of a failed magic experiment. She's likely an Emeth. Probably got it in Mystacor."

Carmen shuffled a bit – the kingdom furthest to the west, in a secret location only accessible by sorcerers. Her lady hailed from there? "Know anything else?" she asked. A twinge of guilt sprung in her chest at the gossip. But surely it couldn't hurt to get to know her friend better, since Shads herself was secretive as an undercover spy.

"Not much," Beck said with a shrug. "There were rumors she's got a history with the king of Bright Moon, but I don't know what to believe."

Carmen blushed. "What kinda history?"

"Not the kind you're thinking of, that's for sure," Tara said.

"Right," Beck said. "If my math's correct, she joined the Horde when he was a young teen. I don't know the king, so I can't say whether Shads was ever in his life or not. But I do know something you may not wanna hear."

Carmen bit her lip. "Say it."

"Your lady is desperate for attention," Beck said.

"That, she is," Tara grunted, filing her dark fingernails to a point. "Written all over that face of hers."

Carmen didn't know what to say. "It ain't right to talk 'bout her that way."

"It also 'ain't right' for her to treat us like she does," Tara pointed out. Seeing Carmen's wilted expression, the Silaxian grew more relaxed. "I'm not trying to be a jerk, but..."

"Tara, you're always a jerk," Beck chuckled. "But you like Carmen, don't you?"

"Of course," Tara said. She addressed Carmen. "Look, kid. You're not a bad person. But if you're not on duty...maybe stick with us instead. Okay?"

Carmen looked downward. "I guess," she said in a small voice. "I just...I love her bunches. An' I want the best for her, yeah?"

"Love isn't something Tara understands," Beck said with a wide grin on her face.

"Oh, shut up," the Silaxian grumbled. "We won't talk bad 'bout her again, Carmen. But I am gonna call things like I see it. If you don't agree with me, that's on you."

Carmen sat up, hugging her knees. She wanted friends – everyone avoided her because she was too odd, or because her accent sounded stupid. But as much as she didn't like to admit it, these women...they cared. And they weren't secretive, unknowable, like her lady.

"Awright," she said. "I'll stick with y'all till I gotta go."

✧✧✧

Two weeks later, Micah met with Nell and Angella. It was time to address a bigger issue than retaking Dryl's battery: Shadow Weaver supposedly being a princess. So it was that they met in Angella's parlor, where she processed petitions and wrote up laws for the governors to approve.

"This is...troubling news," Nell agreed. With a frown, he addressed Micah. "Do you think Arvina will be willing to hear you out? She did turn down an alliance."

Micah sighed. "That's what I worry about," he admitted. Why couldn't things be easier for him? If anyone understood the value of ending the war, it would be Madame Arvina, who disliked the use of violence.

Angella sighed. "I've never heard of an Elemental Acolyte whose parent wasn't already a holder. But...King Chevalier was afraid of it. He told my parents that if the Obtainment Acolytes reached the mainland, he would have to shatter the runestone."

"And he did," Micah recalled. "He sacrificed himself to stop the Obtainment Acolytes."

Nell cleared his throat. "Is it safe to assume that only Obtainment Acolytes can force a runestone connection?"

"No," Angella said. "We don't know if Chevalier's fears were warranted – we've never seen an experiment since, because Bright Moon and Mystacor have outlawed the Spell entirely. But we have proof that someone who isn't a member of the Tropicil royalty can access the Black Garnet."

"Could she be using a light illusion?" Nell suggested. "Perhaps if she was revealed to be a Scorpion, this would all make sense."

"There's no reason for her to do that," Micah said with a shake of his head. "Also, she's super good with a spear – light illusions only change the appearance of your hands. Shadow Weaver would have to be a shifter, but then she'd be able to cure her own muteness."

"So," Nell said, "we're at a dead end."

Angella shook her head. "Not yet. Madame Arvina may be able to help you access the Forbidden Archives, Micah. If there is precedent for this connection, she would know."

Micah nodded. "Okay," he said, rising. "You can send word to her, and I'll leave tomorrow."

"Should we come with you?" Nell asked.

"That's not a good idea," Micah said. "She's most likely to listen to me because I'm family, and she doesn't like royalty from other nations coming to Mystacor. I'll contact you as a last resort."

Angella nodded. "That is a prudent plan, my love. We will await your update."

Micah leaned to the side to kiss her cheek. "Thanks." He nodded to Nell and got a half-smile in return. Then he went to pack, and prepared to face his foster parent once again.

❂❂❂

Did you know...

- I completely forgot to illustrate the last scene of this chapter, so I decided to recycle an old illustration from Chapter 1. Apologies for the misstep.

- "Your lady is desperate for attention" is a line I just had to include here. It was originally from Starwalker: Prime and made its way into here because I had to include a scene of Tara calling Shadow Weaver out.

Tell me what you think...

- Who do you agree with more: Carmen or Tara?

- What might Micah uncover during his stay in Mystacor?