Disclaimer: Don't own it, man.

So, here we are, chapter three. Realised a few things may need addressing. #1 - Does Adam know Teela may be the sorceress one

day? I don't know. Apparently he does in this story. #2 - Does Adam pretend to fight badly in the series? I don't know. In this story,

he seems to. I thought it a logical deduction that Adam would conceal his fighting prowess as he becomes more skilled.

Enjoy.

CHAPTER THREE – Practice Assassins

"Okay, Adam", said Teela, tossing the prince a blunt sword and a small shield. She bent to grab a set for herself and turned to face him. "Let's have it." She said, sinking into fighting stance.

Adam looked toward the bench where Randolph was seated, grinning and waiting for a good show.

The younger man wondered why Adam seemed nervous. He was by far the best fighter Randolph knew.

Adam sighed. Unfortunately, he couldn't afford to fight well, whether Randolph was watching or not. He'd just have to suck it up. Teela charged him, dulled blade swinging. Adam brought his sword up in a sort of discombobulated block and shuffled his feet back a few steps. Randolph frowned.

'He must have been distracted', he thought to himself. But before Randolph's very eyes, his father, the best fighter in all of Eternia, in the course of half an hour, tripped over his own feet, left himself wide open (for which he was poked in the ribs), fell onto his behind twice, and allowed his shield to fly into orbit. Randolph's brows lowered. Could his father really have been so poor a fighter at this age? Did Teela just make him really nervous? Was he pretending to be a poor fighter to spare her feelings? Was he pretending for other reasons?

Randolph was baffled. He had once observed his father, after a drinking contest with Ram-Man and most of the other masters, after which he was thoroughly and comprehensively intoxicated, manage to disarm and imprison an entirely sober, alert Man- at-Arms in the space of five minutes, without inflicting injury. Of course the king had been mortified beyond words upon being regaled with the tale at breakfast, and had immediately sought his mentor out and apologized. His father had always been a kind man.

Randolph shook his head. He simply couldn't reconcile his father's skill in his time to what he was seeing before him. Suddenly, Adam was gazing skyward, completely disregarding his opponent. His eyes widened.

"Teela, get down!!" he shouted, moving to stand in front of her. He quickly dropped his playsword and drew his own broadsword, swiping three arrows out of the sky with it; a skill that required practical and precise knowledge of both his weapon and his body.

Randolph stared up at the would-be assassin perched high on the castle walls, and his gut clenched. The assassin was a raven-haired boy his own age. His expression was frightened, but he dropped down into the courtyard regardless. He deposited his bow on the ground and drew the sword he'd hidden beneath his cloak.

"That was unexpected and impressive, my Prince", the boy told Adam seriously, "But I have a job to finish."

Adam viewed the attacker determinedly.

"You don't have to do this, friend", he told the boy, "Just give me your sword and your word, and you can go free."

The attacker's expression revealed shock at the prince's words. Randolph sighed, both exasperated and unsurprised at his father's actions. Teela scowled, but said nothing. Randolph knew that her approval was warring with her reason, which told her that it was a risky move.

"I respect you more than ever, your Highness", the assassin told Adam, "And I almost consider trading my life for yours, but my

survival instinct outbeats my more noble one. I am truly sorry, my Prince, but I fight for my life." Adam lowered his brows.

"Who threatens you?" he demanded. The boy hesitated, clearly troubled.

"I know not, only that I fear him. He is not like other men." Adam exchanged glances with Randolph. Could it be Hordak?

Teela watched this interaction with suspicion, but she kept her own counsel and said nothing. She had been learning the merits of temperance.

"Stay here, at the palace", Adam was saying, "We'll give you a rotation of guards. You don't have to fight me, and you don't have to die." He could see that the boy desperately wanted out of the situation, but he didn't believe that Adam's precautions would be sufficient protection for him. This only strengthened Adam's thought that Hordak was behind the attack. But why send a boy?

"I am sorry your Highness", the boy told him firmly, "I must fight you. I fear for my life." Adam's eyes hardened.

"I see."

Teela stepped forward to face the assassin.

"I am the prince's bodyguard. You'llbe fighting me", she told him. Adam laid a hand on her shoulder.

"This man has honored me with the truth, Teela. It was a hard thing to do. I will fight him myself. I'd like to show him the same respect he's shown me." Teela regarded her friend incredulously.

"What?! Adam, whether he told you the truth or not, you're terrible at fighting! You could be killed! I can't allow-" Adam fixed her with a stern gaze.

"Teela, stand down. That's an order." Teela stepped back as though she'd been slapped, but exited the arena and sat down by Randolph.

"He's going to get himself killed", she muttered angrily, though her eyes held concern. Randolph put his hand on her shoulder and grinned at her lopsidedly.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much. I'm sure he can handle himself", he told her brightly. Randolph had surmised after the arrow incident that, for whatever reason, Adam was pretending to be much worse in combat than he actually was.

Teela felt oddly comforted and simultaneously irritated by this friend of Adams' reassurances. She returned her eyes to the arena anxiously.

Adam had chosen a slim blade from the supplies Teela packed around with her. Although he was most familiar with his broadsword, he felt it only fair to match his opponent in weaponry, and the dark haired boy had produced a lightweight blade.

"Why doesn't he use his sword?" Teela asked her companion frustratedly.

"Because he deems it an unfair advantage", Randolph told her seriously.

"How do you know him so well?" she asked him, "I've never even seen you before, and I've known Adam my whole life." She eyed him suspiciously, crossing her arms. Randolph looked slightly alarmed.

"Oh, well, you know, you can, uh . . . you can learn a lot through letters!" This almost-lie seemed to satisfy her, and Randolph let his breath out in relief.

Adam sized up his opponent, calculating silently his approach, designed to culminate in the unconsciousness of the boy before him with minimal injury. Adam tossed the sword from hand to hand, easily, attempting to accustom himself to the heft and length of the new sword. Satisfied, he placed the weapon decisively in front of him, signifying his readiness. The assassin nodded, and the match began. The opponents circled each other lucidly, testing out blades, speed, and strength.

Teela watched the prince like she didn't know him. This was the method a seasoned warrior would apply with an unknown opponent, this was not what Adam would do. Adam was invariably clumsy and sheepish, or arrogant and foolhardy.

Adam's opponent rushed him, his sword pointing from shoulder height, the hilt almost resting between his collarbone and shoulder. Adam stood his ground, only stepping aside at the last moment, bringing the borrowed sword in an easy loop and bringing the hilt down squarely on his opponent's skull. He wasn't certain that it was a strictly honorable blow, but he certainly didn't want to kill or injure the fellow.

He returned the sword, gathering up his unconscious friend and slinging him over his shoulder. He began heading off to the infirmary and to speak with Duncan about a rotation of guards for his new friend. He turned back to his future family cheerfully.

"You guys coming?!" he shouted, "I think me and Cringe'll go fishing after I get our new friend taken care of! Last one there cooks all the fish!!" Randolph grinned at his father's antics. Teela was caught between warring feelings of awe and exasperation.

"What is he-" she spluttered, "Ooh!"

Finis pour maintenant. Chapitre trois est finis! Hope everyone liked it! Thank you Miss EvelynCMB for your very kind review!