War and Wounds

Chapter 1

"I see the campsite up ahead," Adora called out, pointing to a nearby open area in the woods.

Glimmer took a deep breath as they began to approach.

Their small band made their way deeper into the Whispering Woods. Queen Glimmer, along with Adora, Catra, and, surprisingly, Hordak, had teleported a few feet away from what was reported to be an encampment made primarily of old Horde soldiers. A few Horde flags were raised across the area, along with a scattering of tents and supplies. While they weren't doing anything wrong Perfuma was worried about their nearby proximity to Plumeria. "They give off negative energies" she had informed Glimmer, during one of the regular Alliance planning meetings. Regardless, it was time to investigate the situation.

For most of the trip, the Whispering Woods had been quiet, almost tranquil. It was still hard to imagine this place without the fear of a Horde Squad roaming through it trying to get to Brightmoon, or sneaking in the bushes ready to make an ambush. Now though, it was just peaceful. Oh sure the fauna had changed a bit with the additional animals and magical entities roaming around. With magic being restored things were a lot brighter. Though it didn't seem dangerous, at least not yet anyway.

Rebuilding Etheria had actually been going quite nicely for the last few months. Not only did things just run smoother these days as the Princesses and their allies found their rhythm but now they actually had a far greater friend in Eternia to help them. Various aid packages and other things came to them monthly with building equipment and supplies, though little to no charge at all. Helped her she was friends with the daughter of the rules of the world. Adora's parents really were good people. So slowly but more steadily things were returning to a state of peace that she never thought she sees. Which made today all the more stressful. The idea of enemy combatants in the Whispering Woods, a Horde camp, and a growing threat perhaps.

Technically, since the war was over, they weren't enemy combatants, so Glimmer hoped that they could be reasoned with. She didn't want another war to break out (or worse a prolonged insurgency by ex-Horde forces). Hopefully bringing their former leaders along would be worth it.

"So what's the plan for Sparkles?" Catra asked as she stretched her arms above her head, "Take down some bad guys?"

"We talk." Glimmer stated with confidence.

Catra raised an eyebrow, "We talk?"

"Yeah, that's why I brought you along since you were their leader once, so maybe you can reason with them"

Catra frowned, "Yeah, I wasn't the most beloved leader of the Horde. Remember what I told you? I kinda pushed everyone to their limit"

"And I fear that my authority over my former soldier will be limited," Hordak replied, "If non-existent."

"But you're still one of them..."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Catra hissed.

Glimmer realized she may have offended the other woman, "I mean, I mean you would understand their mentality more than I would. I might be Queen but that doesn't mean I always...get ...my subjects." her words slowed down as she looked down, almost ashamed.

During the aftermath of the war, Glimmer realized how much her people were going through, with rebuilding and the trials of post-war recovery. It almost made her feel ashamed to live in her big castle living the life of luxury. While she always made sure to never do anything a normal soldier or guard would if she herself couldn't do it, she still lived a life better than most. A privileged life that not everyone else got to have, or may ever have. The war had led to a lot of suffering and a lot of hardship.

Perhaps these Horde soldiers were no different, living in tents instead of proper homes.

Rebuilding Etheria had continued to begin apace. They were so close to getting the planet back on its own two feet again. Helped a lot by Adora's planet of Origin Eternia, and the new friends they made with King Randor and Queen Marlena. The aid the planet had supplied had managed to get a lot of the infrastructure back up and running far faster than they expected.