Disclaimer:
As you know already I don't own anything. I thought it might be interesting to depict Adam in a different way than the usual sweet tempered boy and instead I wondered. How would he react if he had a few more human flawed emotions towards the ones that insulted him such as resentment and rage? I think if he did it would be understandable.
….
Victory's Ball:
It was the last time he would see that face in the mirror, from the large muscles to the wise and mature expression on the eyes. The image before him was one that gave him as much honor as it gave embarrassment, safety and fear, infamy and pride. He man stood facing him on the perfect silvery surface as in a last goodbye.
Tonight the grand palace of Eternos celebrated the victory over all of his enemies, defeated was the last of the snake men, and the remaining of Skeletor's once great army. The fact that it was also the cowardly prince's twentieth birthday was merely an excuse for the party.
Four years of war took a toll on every eternian, but for the prince the price had been too dear. Gone was the innocent and fun loving child that brought mischief over the palace grounds, in his place a weary and resentful young man stood his ground, the façade of the vapid clown a pitiful attempt to deviate the attention that might cause his great secret to come true.
-"No more lies"- Adam told his reflection, now transformed into the mighty hero. He used to believe that he-man was often a course, especially when he had to endure the angry comments of his comrades and the ones he used to call friends. But now that the hero would no longer be needed he realized it was a blessing in disguise, for he showed him who his real friends were. Yes that list had gotten much shorter in these fateful years, but more trials would come and now he knew who was really on his side, and that was indeed priceless.
Soft knocking on the door rouse him from his musings and he took it as a cue to move on, the sword transformed him into his true self, finally saying goodbye to the source of his troubles and lately, his solutions. The king merely entered after knocking and Adam couldn't help feeling a little violated for his uncalled intrusion on his private chambers.
-"Yes sire"- Adam's tone was as polite as it was frigid.
-"Adam I was wondering if we could have a little chat before the party"- Randor said in the serious definite tone Adam had known so well.
The prince knew that the best conversations he could have with the king were the non-existent ones, being in the same room interchanging words would most likely end in a fight and a whole lot of humiliation, at least for his part.
-"I am sorry your highness but there are a few last minute details I have to solve before I make my appearance at the ball, if you like you can send me a written report exposing your case and I will respond to it shortly"- he said heading out of the room, he knew the best way to interact with Randor was to use the written word instead of face to face conversations, it was detached enough and spared them both of the unpleasant fights.
-"This isn't about a mission or a task son, can't we have a simple discussion without using written reports?"- The monarch said exasperated.
-"Not without creating a scene or worse"- Adam said tired, he had lied more than enough during this last four years he was done hiding who he was. Besides he learned by experience that advancing a fight shortened matters considerably and spared a lot of damage.
Randor sighed sadly and Adam could easily guess the snipe remarks forming in his king's lips, all of them died in a sigh. –"Sit down"- he said, still sounding adamant. The prince had no choice but to obey.
-"Son this is your twentieth birthday and I think it is time for you to finally grow up, you have come of age four years ago but I haven't seen a change in your behavior since you were a child, in spite of the many wars we had to endure. It is perhaps time that you begin to help your kingdom and a marriage, followed by a subsequent heir to the throne might bring stability to Eternos."-
Adam rolled his eyes, of course that thought had come to his mind. It became in fact a persistent idea, especially when he realized that a good relationship with his own father was a lost cause, he often fantasized of forming a family on his own with members that did honestly care for him. The prince was determined to be a better father to his child than Randor had been and that single dream usually gave him hope to survive the war. Many young women were more than suitable for the position and quite discreetly he had selected a few candidates.
-"I'll announce my engagement by the mid winter festival, with any luck there might be an heir by the next year. Now if that matter is settled I must be going now"- before Adam could reach the door knob his father stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and a surprised look on his face.
-"You have someone on your mind already? Adam I didn't know you were courting a lady!"-
-"I have a few options and I won't deny there is a favorite but I'd rather be discreet about it"-
-"But why? Who is she?"- The king smiled suspiciously –"Is it Teela?"-
Adam looked at Randor as if he had grown a second head –"Sire Teela is no longer my bodyguard, I was the one that spared her of that position when I got tired of her insults. The reason I recommended her for the honorable diplomat post was to get her out of my life without causing the humiliation of firing her in public. Basically I promoted that woman just to get rid of her and I only did it for respect towards Man at Arms"- The young man's voice was filled with such anger that it froze Randor to the core. Yes the girl had crossed the line on several occasions but as harsh as they were, her words were true. Adam had run away from almost every fight while she stayed and faced the nation's enemies, more than once she shed her blood on the battlefield while Adam ran to safety.
A thousand honest opinions regarding that subject ran in his head but before he spoke them he remembered the stern look on his wife's face when she made him promise he would speak to his son without turning it into yet another fight. He forced a few calming breaths and said as neutrally as he found possible: -"Regardless of her words Teela has always cared for you son, it is not fair that you push her out of your life"-
Almost a year ago he heard those words from Duncan himself, until one day she called him "a worthless waste of air" after a battle with the snake men was over, a battle wan only thanks to He-man. The Man at arms understood Adam's pain and when she refused to apologize he agreed that it might be better for her to learn about diplomacy.
-"If she does she has an unusual way to prove it, but one thing I have learned this past four years is that life in overall is not fair"- Adam told the king bitterly.
There was a cold rage in his son's eyes, something he had never seen in him before. It was difficult to reconcile the jovial price he often saw at court with this angry young man in front of him.
Swallowing Randor said trying to change the subject. - "Who is it then? Who will be your queen?"-
-"Probably princess Ariadne, from the kingdom of Ishteurea."- His son said flatly
Ishteurea was a small kingdom in the southern continent close to the dark hemisphere, an alliance with them would be incredibly benefic on both parts giving riches to the smaller kingdom and a privileged geographical position for Eternos. The girl was about Adam's age and everyone spoke of her beauty and her kindness. Randor couldn't have picked a better candidate if he tried.
-"Why didn't you say anything sooner?"-
-"Because as soon as anyone knew I planned to court a certain young lady a lot of intrigues would be unleashed. The girl would be pressured to make me like her in order to ensure their position, what is worse if for some reason I changed my mind the girl might be punished for it. So I can't speak of my decision until I am certain"-
Surprised at the thoughtful maturity in his son's actions he wondered if there might have been other aspects on his personality he could have overlooked.
-"Perhaps we could go to a diplomatic mission to Ishteurea, we could have a meeting and settle a few things"- Randor said putting an arm around him.
Adam recognized the trap in the king's affection, often they would try to bridge the gap between them so Randor would try to compromise Adam into a task demanding an act of faith from the boy to prove his commitment. It might be a foreign diplomatic mission or a meeting with ambassadors, nothing too difficult. Sadly his duties as He-man often made it impossible for the prince to accomplish the reasonable agreement and that would make the king's retaliation much worse, some of the denigrating insults were still imprinted on his psyche so deeply he found the idea of a new compromise between them terrifying. He learned the hard way it was better just to keep a healthy distance.
-"I think it is best if I handle this subject on my own your highness"- he gave his king a cold smile and disentangled from him. No longer caring about a proper behavior he walked out of his room, as he opened the door he heard Randor say:
-"Adam, when did you stop calling me father?"-
The prince remembered the time when, after fighting Skeletor who had previously managed to imprison and torture him for hours, came very late to a very important meeting of the council. The king had felt so embarrassed that he forgot about proper behavior and begun to insult him in front of the other nobles. Between the harsh words and the continuum exhaustion caused by his previous ordeal the boy's will crumble and he cried in front of everyone. The humiliation that followed will haunt him for many more years to come. It was then that he realized it was pointless, even damaging to see Randor as his father, later on he reconciled the idea of respecting him as a King. Ever since he gave up hope on that subject, things begun to get better, without that weight in his shoulders he started to focus on defeating the enemy. That episode had happened…
-"Fifteen months ago"- Adam responded and left the room without bothering to look behind him.