Rating: T, for references to torture/religious trauma
Summary: After Prime’s defeat, everyone tries to have dinner at camp.
This is fluff with a dash of angst! Hordak-centric.
A/N: I will be calling Wrong Hordak “Kadroh”.
“So, brother, how did you get to Etheria?”
Hordak didn’t look up. Entrapta and Kadroh had dragged him to the fire when everyone settled down for dinner. He was extremely aware of the Etherians’ eyes on him—some friendlier than others. “I’m not certain that revisiting the past is wise at this moment,” he said, trying to hide his discomfort.
“Gee. Why not?” the princess of Salineas asked.
He glanced up at her, ears twitching. Beside him, Entrapta wrapped her hair around his waist and shoulders. The gesture seemed almost protective. Looking around the fire, he realized that he knew the titles and powers of everyone gathered, but he only knew a few of their names. For a very long time, these people had been nothing more than obstacles to him. He didn’t hate them or resent them for their actions—he actually found himself feeling fondly for Adora—yet he could clearly tell that many, if not all, of the people around the fire hated him.
He lowered his gaze. Perhaps they did deserve an explanation. With a sigh, he said, “I’m still not fully sure what happened. I was separated from my brothers on the battlefield; a portal pulled me through and deposited me here. At first, I thought it was part of my punishment or maybe a test, but....” He shook his head. “That doesn’t make sense now.”
“Why would Prime be punishing you?” Catra asked, brows furrowed.
Shame still lingering, Hordak looked away and confessed softly, “I was...am flawed. I took pride in my work. I thought of myself as clever. Special. When Prime discovered the flaws in my thinking, he attempted to purify me—“
“Prime is merciful,” Kadroh agreed reflexively. Then he realized what he’d said. His eyes grew wide and he covered his mouth with both hands.
The boy beside him just threw an arm around his shoulders. “It’s okay, buddy. We know you didn’t mean that.”
Kadroh nodded, ears drooping. “Thank you. Brother, what happened then?”
“The purification ritual failed.” He couldn’t repress a shudder. “I do not remember how many times he tried—“
“Wait. You went through that multiple times?” Hordak looked at Catra, remembering chanting with his brothers when she underwent her own purification.
“Yes. My body gave out before I could be purified to Prime’s satisfaction. He recognized my willingness to serve had not wavered, so he allowed me the honor of dying in his service, rather than executing me. Then the portal sent me here. You know the rest.”
She swore under her breath and stood, beginning to pace. Adora stood too, ready to reach for her, but Catra stopped suddenly, glaring at him. “So, you went through a portal and ended up here. You were free! Why would you—? Why would you try to bring him here? Why didn’t you just, I don’t know—do literally anything else?”
Hordak looked at her, his ears drawn back, then he looked around the fire at the others. “Isn’t it obvious? If your god cast you out of heaven, what wouldn’t you do to be back in his grace?”
Kadroh was looking down at the ground, nodding softly. He understood. Everyone else just stared at him in horror.
It was Adora who broke the silence. Delicately, she asked, “You know...you know that’s...wrong, right?”
“Now? Yes. Prime was no god. Not a good one, at least. Not merciful, no matter what he told us. If I could go back....” He looked at the fire and sighed, knowing that was not an option. “I am sorry for the suffering I have caused. I thought....” He shook his head. It didn’t matter what he thought. He’d been wrong, and he knew that now.
He stood, facing Adora, and he bowed low. “Thank you, She-Ra. For freeing my people from him. I am in your debt. And in debt to Etheria. I know it won’t erase my past wrongdoings, but if there is something I can do to help restore your world, I will do it.”
When he straightened, Adora was rubbing the crook of her elbow and looking anywhere but at him. “Okay. Um. Let’s just...eat dinner and not talk about anybody being in anyone’s debt. Okay? Okay.”
She quickly sat down and began eating her food with remarkable speed. He looked at Entrapta, who shrugged. He sat back down, not really sure what to do with himself now.
Across the fire, the Salineas princess said, “Awkward,” under her breath.
The boy beside Kadroh cleared his throat. “So, Entrapta, now that the war’s over, do you think we can restart the Makers’ Guild?”
Entrapta exclaimed in excitement and the two of them began talking enthusiastically about their guild. There was a brief moment of tension when Entrapta grabbed his hand and said, “Oh, Hordak! Would you want to join the guild? Bow, can you imagine—alien tech and First Ones’ tech?! The possibilities are endless!” But, slowly, the mood around the fire began to ease, bolstered by their happy chatter.
As the evening dragged on and the air chilled, he noticed that Entrapta was shivering, but she was too involved in her conversation with Bow to retrieve a cloak for herself. With a touch to her shoulder, he murmured, “I’ll be back,” then started toward her tent. As he walked, he noticed that the Salineas princess was following him. He glanced back at the fire, where the others were too busy talking to take notice. “Princess.”
She stood in front of him, arms crossed. “Hmmph. You meant that? About restoring Etheria?”
“It is not in my nature to lie.”
“First Ones, you’re so weird—‘yes’ or ‘no’?”
“Good. You can start with Salineas.”
He nodded, remembering the damage that had been done to the seaside kingdom. “I believe I can—“
“Don’t care,” she said, already walking away. “Just fix it.”
His ears drew back; he was not fond of being dismissed. However...he started to think about the sea wall and the damage done to her kingdom. It should be easy enough to rebuild, with time and resources. He wondered, too, if the princess had ever considered building a desalination plant. The inland villages had rich soil, but the region suffered frequent droughts. A desalination plant and a proper irrigation system could make life a little easier for them. Why simply rebuild when he could improve it as well?
When he retrieved Entrapta’s cloak, he grabbed a tablet and stylus as well, already making plans. Back at the fire, he draped the cloak over her shoulders and settled beside her once again. Across the fire, Scorpia made a strange sound. “Force Ca—Princess Scorpia? Is something wrong?”
“No! Nope! Nothing wrong!” Her voice was inordinately high pitched, and one of her claws was pressed to her mouth. The tall, willowy princess at her side was staring at him and Entrapta intently.
He had no idea what to make of that. Before he could draw any conclusions, Entrapta drew the cloak around his shoulders as well, cuddling into his side. “Thanks!” she said, looking up at him, “I didn’t even realize I was cold.”
“You’re welcome.” He sighed, looking back at Scorpia in response to the strange sound she’d made. “Are you quite sure you’re well, Force Captain?”
She nodded vigorously, one claw pressed to her mouth. “Mmmh-hmmm.”
He eyed her suspiciously, but ultimately decided to let it go. Instead, he chose to let Entrapta’s happy babble wash over him as he drew up plans for Salineas. Hordak smiled fondly, happy to hear her voice, happy to be beside her, happy to hear her plans. Just.
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