The Prince

Chapter 4

It was dark by the time Spock made it back to his home. Home he thought contemptuously. The place had never held much warmth for him. To Spock, it looked like a stone prison. His own private hell. He knew his position was sought after. But he owned it by birthright. Now, he was turning his back on it. On his people. His father. Everything. Spock never wanted it. Now he had made the first real choice of his life. He silently hoped he lived long enough to see that choice through.

Sarek was there before he made it to the gate. The two men stared at each other. Five long, tense minutes passed. It was Sarek who spoke first. "Are you challenging me?" It was not a question in as much a threat. And Spock hid an inner shudder. Sarek's tone was low, guttural. His usual calm countenance now very threatening. Spock felt anger- not his own- course through his body and inwardly drew back. Outwardly, he remained still. His father had lost control. He was channeling. It was a dangerous state for a Vulcan to be in.

The proper way to respond would have been to lower his eyes. Spock however, would not be bowed.

He could see the shadow of Mt. Seleya cutting through the night's shadows in the distance. And in the back of his mind wondered who would carry his katra there. He knew he would probably die. And knew it would not be his father that would be the bearer…Mother, he silently wished he had told her more, told her he loved her. Staring at Sarek in front of him, he knew he would never get the chance to say so.

Spock closed his eyes. He would not attack first. That would be Sarek's task. Moments later he felt a burst of air as Sarek lunged at him. Spock was 60 years his father's younger, but Sarek was still in his own youth, and had 80- years' worth of training in nashinahr to his 20. Spock ducked. His father's first blow barely grazed him. But he wasn't quick enough to avoid the next one. Sarek's fist connected with his son's face sending Spock falling backwards to the ground.

This man was no longer his father. He was gone. And in his place was someone- no something else.

Spock quickly jumped to his feet assuming the defensive stance. He tasted his own blood in his mouth combined with dirt.

His father attacked again, this time aiming for Spock's throat. One jumped up and over the other, but Sarek knocked him out of the air. In the next moment he was on the ground, Sarek's hand wrapped around his throat. Spock struggled. His limbs thrashing as he tried to break free of his father's grip, but the older Vulcan held tightly. Spock's eyes began to cloud over and he tried desperately to focus. All he saw were the cold depths of Sarek's eyes…and the fury beneath them…his world was fading…and he stopped thrashing…a welcoming blackness engulfing him…

II

SAREK!!!! SAREK! STOP! PLEASE! Amanda's voice shocked Sarek out of his manic-state. He blinked. "Amanda?" His hand was still gripped around Spock's neck.

'Sarek, let him go! Please, let him go! Don't do this!" Amanda was running across the courtyard, hair wildly flowing behind her. In front of her were two members of the V'Ket, the personal guard of the Clan and of the entire planet. They ran towards him. Stamin arrived first crashing into Sarek and throwing him to the ground. Storel arrived second, rushing over to the young S'Haile. Sarek was no longer out of control. He lay on the ground, slightly dazed, but back in control of himself yet again.

Amanda arrived last. Instead of going to Sarek, she ran directly to her son. "Spock! Spock! Wake up! Please wake up. Please…baby, please…" Amanda had lifted Spock's body, cradling his head in her arms and began rocking him. She had done this many times when he was a baby, and a toddler. He had not allowed her to touch him like that since his taloath. Her tears flowed freely as she pleaded with her son to wake up. He didn't move.

Storel turned his attention to Spock, the sim're. Speaking quickly he called to his fellow officer, Stamin. Call T'Pau. Take Sarek away. The two men nodded towards one another in silent understanding. They gathered their charges, and departed quickly.

III

T'Pau had been forced out of her nightly meditation by searing pain coursing through her mind. She felt a tearing at the edge of her consciousness and knew instantly. Quickly gathering the high priestess she began moving towards the bottom of the citadel. ..

Stamin carried Spock in his arms, Amanda rushing frantically behind him. They needed to hurry, or the boy would die.

There was much commotion in the ancient temple as T'Pau entered. The elders had been summoned and were at a loss of why at such a late hour. The noise was deafening as whispers rang across the stone walls, now smooth with the millennia of harsh Vulcan winds.

"Kroyika!" T'Pau's voice. Silence descended. Stamin stepped forth, laying Spock's battered body on the altar. Amanda soft cries, the only sound. T'Pau moved towards her grandson, studying him. She hurt. She had known Sarek capable of many cruelties. But to destroy himself was another matter entirely. Spock's death would kill Sarek. She had known for a long time that her only son had never truly mastered his emotions. None of the men of Surak ever had. Those emotions were too strong. And Spock had challenged his father, although, T'Pau thought, she had seen it coming for years. The boy was too quiet. He was asked to give too much, too soon. They had molded him into a model child. Tamping down his human side and binding his Vulcan passions too. It had only been a matter of time before the child fought back. Now it seemed, it was too late.

But there was hope.

IV

As T'Pau melded with the lifeless body it began to breathe. The elders knelt. Minutes passed into hours as the sun rose, and then fell again.

Finally, two days later, T'Pau removed her hand. The elders rose and left. It was only T'Pau, Amanda, and Spock.

The boy sat up blinking. Amanda rushed to her son, fresh tears bursting forth. "Spock, are you..?" Spock turned to face her, face calm. No sign of the battle he had endured days ago. "I assure you mother I am well."

T'Pau faced them both. She was physically and mentally exhausted. But there was no time for rest. She did not want her heir to fall again at his father's hands. And the fault was as much her own as his for the situation the boy was now in.

"Spock, you have made your decision?" Spock raised his eyes to hers. "Yes, T'Pau".

They regarded each other silently for a moment. It was T'Pau who spoke next.

"We must get you off-world. Your father has claimed you dead to him. This is not to be. You will retain your place, your land your property. Your father is not an evil man, despite what you think. But he is passionate. You cannot remain here, for he feels you have challenged him. You know our rules on challenge. You are not dead. He knows this. He will need time. And you do as well. Live Long and Prosper, my child."

"Peace and Long Life T'Pau." The matriarch turned and left, leaving only Amanda and Spock.

Amanda looked into the eyes of the man in front of her. Only yesterday was he just a baby. She remembered Sarek holding him. Speaking softly to the infant…oh how it hurt to reconcile that image against the man who tried to kill that baby!

Spock looked at his mother, seeing his emotions running through her eyes. They shared the same eyes; each could read the other better than anyone else. Sarek had always found it difficult to reconcile his mother's love for him versus his own. He saw fear in her eyes, love for him. Sadness at the destruction of their family, worry for his future and hope?

"Mother, I shall be fine. With your permission I have already requested domicile and dual citizenship as I am the child of a terran mother. I do not require money for Starfleet has everything in order for my arrival. I will make my own way. There is no need for anyone to know who I am. I am ready"

Amanda silently regarded this boy, who had become a man in what seemed, overnight. He had challenged his father and survived. She would have to deal with that at home. But she would defend her son. Even if it meant her own death.

"Live long and Prosper mother"… "Peace and Long Life, my son".

a/n: I have never thought Sarek as the nicest person on the planet, but I do not believe he would intentionally kill his son. He can hold a grudge for a really long time (18 years in TOS) and even after their reconciliation they still had issues (TNG). So this is my take on how it went down. Sarek will have to deal with his sins. Spock will have to deal with the emotional fallout. And T'Pring, Uhura and the rest of the folks will be making appearances soon enough.