A/N: Thanks again for your continued support of my story! I posted two chapters today because this chapter is a little short. Plus, next week is going to be crazy at work so just in case I don't make my usual Thursday update next week, I'm posting Chapters 7 and 8 today. And by the way, the owner of the mysterious pair of eyes in the Palace Gardens from Chapter 2 will be revealed somewhere in Chapter 8! heh heh heh...

Please don't forget to review for me! :-) I'd like to know if you still want me to continue. Besides watching the steady upticking of viewers, reviews encourage me to keep going as well because I love to hear your opinions. :-D

Chapter 7

The prince finally settled in across from Teela and they dug into their sundaes. After a couple of beats of silence, Teela eyed him.

"It never ceases to amaze me how much of a servient leader you are, Adam, even at this age. I just sat here watching you as you led me to a chair and waited on me," her eyes, filled with appreciation, settled on him.

Adam looked embarrassed. "Thanks, but I don't deserve such high praise, Tee. It's my parents and your father who are the true servants." He munched on a few chocolate chips thoughtfully. "I'm just the token alien specimen they parade around every now and then to keep everyone entertained," he joked.

Teela let out a bark of laughter. "And add humble to the list of qualities, too," she smiled.

Adam blinked and turned a slight shade of pink which evoked more laughter from the redhead. He watched her for a moment as Teela glanced at him wearing a shy smile.

She quickly looked down at her crystal goblet and played with the creamy cherry and vanilla swirl custard. Adam had added hot caramel, whipped cream, nuts, and a perfectly plump red cherry. He knew what she liked. Of course he did—he was her closest and dearest friend. Now that she thought about it, quite possibly her only friend in Eternos! Her reputation for being blunt had not won her a lot of female friends; that and the fact that she was so close to the prince. That one fact alone made her one to be singled out and hated.

Adam continued to study Teela. Her giggles always encouraged him to continue; he loved her laugh. Whenever she was alone with him and her insecurities about propriety were set at naught, she would release hearty belly laughs which always made him smile. He also liked the way her lips would curl when she was amused and how her hair would fall over her left eye when she felt shy. Her eyes were amazing: the color of sparkling emeralds. He watched the play of emotions slowly overcome her features as she worked on her sundae. What started as amusement had now appeared to become mild concern. Perhaps his silence was unsettling to her.

"Did Mr. Stratton grade your test before the break?"

"No, and I wished he had. I'm going to be nervous for the rest of the break worrying about my grade for the quarter," she whined.

"Trust me. You have nothing to worry about. I'm sure you did better than you expected."

She smiled. "I trust you."

They stared at each other, absorbing the implications of her reply. At the risk of ruining the moment, Adam ventured a question. He had to know.

"So, you still trust me even after the Deanna thing last year?"

Teela paused for a beat. "Of course I do! Admittedly, I was a little upset when I saw you two…" she trailed off not willing to explore the reason for her visceral reaction. There was a brief awkward silence with only the sound of Teela's spoon against her goblet ringing in the air.

"Why were you upset? Had Deanna mistreated you in some way?"

"No."

"Then, I don't understand."

"Boys usually don't," she grinned.

Adam quirked an eyebrow in amusement. "You sure about that?"

Her head jerked up in surprise. Adam went back to work on his sundae as he let the question hang in the air for a few moments.

"Why were you so upset over me being alone with David?"

Adam hesitated. If he was honest with himself, he was upset over this kissing business because of David's interest in her and she seemed to return his affections. Adam always had very strong feelings for Teela, so much so that when he was seven, he had once asked his mother what love felt like. Her simple answer, which was explained in the best way possible to a child, was that you know you love someone when you cannot stand to be apart and you want to protect them from harm. Perhaps this was love?

Teela waited patiently for a reply as she watched him sort through his thoughts.

"Adam?"

Adam started in his chair and blinked at her. He couldn't profess love or it would scare her off. He also couldn't divulge the conversation he had with the duke the night before. David had come to him in confidence. Plus, it would totally expose the fact that he, out of jealousy, did not want David anywhere near her. He decided to play it safe.

"Like I mentioned in your room, you had been gone all day and you seemed upset in the hangar. I was simply concerned for your welfare." "Coward," his mind accused.

Teela's hopeful gaze seemed to dim. Adam wasn't concerned that she was in another guy's arms; he was simply concerned about her safety. It stung a little knowing that Adam only saw her as a good friend and nothing more. That word: more. She was an orphan, end of story. Princes don't marry orphans. There would be no romantic future for her and the prince.

"You don't have to worry about David, Adam. He's a perfect gentleman. I like him a lot." The instinct to self-protect kicked in and she replied without thinking through the repercussions of her remark.

"Ouch." Adam pursed his lips. His heart sank. "Well, there's my answer. We're just friends." "Are you through?"

"Yeah, I think so. Thanks." Adam took their dishes to the sink, rinsed them, and placed them into the washer.

"Ready for bed, Tee?" The prince held his hand out to help her down from the bar stool. An improper thought raced through Teela's mind at his suggestive question. "Behave," she thought.

"Yes, I'm ready," she took his hand, but the prince moved in closer to her, wrapped his hands around her waist, and slowly lifted her off of the stool. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he set her down in one fluid movement. "Wow," she thought. She liked the feel of his strong arms around her.

Time stood still for a moment as he looked down at her, staring at her with his handsome lopsided grin. He seemed taller. At 15, he was already almost six feet tall. She giggled inwardly at how her father tried to keep him a child by ruffling his hair even though they stood almost eye to eye. Their physicians had technology to estimate the height they would reach in adulthood. They discovered that due to his mother's Terran Scandinavian heritage and the fact that the King is 6'4", the prince would reach at least 6'4" in height, if not more. She was projected to reach 5'10". Her mother must have been unusually tall for a woman.

"What's funny?" he asked his smile widening.

"Nothing. I was just thinking how tall you were and the fact that Father likes to pretend you're a child."

He snorted. "Technically, we still are, Tee. We're not even sixteen, yet. And, my father wants to marry me off at eighteen," he grimaced and turned for the door.

"What? To whom?" Teela's heart started to pound.

"He mentioned Lady Amanda, but I didn't think we were compatible. But who knows, maybe it'll work. What's the point of bucking the system anymore?" He wore a sad expression as they reached the kitchen door. He turned back to look at Teela. "Ready to sneak back?"

Teela's heart lurched. Once he married, these clandestine custard raids would cease. No more closeness, no more sneaking into rooms and confiding in one another. Gone. "Yes."

He took her hand and flicked the main lights off carefully cracking the door open. She could make out his silhouette in the darkness. He peeked into the hallway and quickly pulled her down the hall, around the corner, past the Royal chambers and to her room. At her back door, he bid her good night and disappeared.

Teela slipped back into bed and sobbed quietly to sleep.

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A/N: Adam and Teela are teenagers so you know how that goes; in conversation, they tend to engage in a series of "near misses" when it comes to getting to the heart of matters. Let's hope these two can settle down long enough to have a real conversation sometime soon. ;-)