A/N: Thanks again for your patience with me, readers! I so appreciate your following/favoriting this story. Today is a dual update so please read Chapter 20 before this one. Please review...I enjoy interacting with you all and hearing what you think. Plus it keeps me motivated to keep going. Again I hope this was worth the wait.

Chapter 21

As the night drew to a close, the King made an announcement thanking everyone for attending followed by Adam and Adora making a few gracious remarks of their own.

The guests toasted the Miro Twins and bowed and curtseyed as the royal entourage made their way out of the ballroom, Adam having two women on his arm causing a bit of a stir.

They reached the antechamber as everyone wished the twins a happy 26th birthday before bidding a restful sleep, the twins kissing each other's cheek good night. Sea Hawk clasped arms with the Prince.

"Adam, would you mind telling me what 'squirks' means?"

He furrowed his brow in confusion before nodding in realization. "My sister meant irks," he explained.

Sea Hawk sent him a crazy look.

"Irk on Earth means to vex. She gets that one wrong quite often."

"Got it. Thanks pal."

As they filed out, Glimmer and Adam locked gazes. She approached with a cautious smile, her arms going around him in a friendly embrace. They pulled back. He frowned. "I'm sorry—"

She caressed his cheek. "There's no need for apology, Adam," she reassured, her heart breaking. "The Ancients know what's best. Imagine what it would've been like if we had married with your soul still pining for her? And she for you? You must follow your hearts."

He winced as she gently patted his chest. "Don't worry, I'll be alright," she stated, her violet gaze misting over as Adam's heart sank. On tip toes, she gave him a sweet peck on the lips before abruptly departing.

He dropped his gaze and took a deep breath, his shoulders slumping. Turning he saw Teela's eyes on him with Cringer on his haunches beside her.

"Cringe, could you give us a moment alone please? I'll be right behind you."

"Sure A-Adam," the cat replied, "J-Just make sure she's unarmed this time," he quipped before playfully shooed away by Teela. Adam snorted a chuckle.

"He's right you know," her voice quivered as he stepped closer, her nerves addled at his close proximity. "You can't trust me anymore."

He furrowed his brow. "Maybe that's what I should be telling you," he pondered coming to a stop. "Anyhow we've practically known each other since birth," he replied. "If you wanted to kill me you would have done it a long time ago."

She made a face. "True. I could have snuck into your chambers at night."

Adam quirked a brow.

"Or slipped something in your drink. Or—"

"Knock it off, Tee. You're giving me the creeps."

Teela smirked victoriously.

He waxed serious. "Where do you want to talk?"

"My chambers?"

He started a nod then stopped short, his gaze widening. He glanced over his shoulder, the guards at their posts pretending not to hear.

"Nice try," the Prince stated sarcastically with some of the Royal Guard glancing his direction, unsuccessfully suppressing grins.

Turning to Teela, Adam took her hand. "Let's go."

She followed him through the maze of expansive Palace corridors eventually ending at the door to his suites. Releasing her hand he punched in the security code, the lock making a clicking noise. Taking her hand once again, they both glanced behind them before quickly disappearing behind the door.

A few moments later, a sulky Cringer emerged before slinking down the hall to the guest suites.

The door closed behind him.

xxx

Adam turned as he and Teela locked gazes.

"Can I get you anything?"

Sitting on his salon sofa she shook her head, her gaze panicky.

He glanced at the timepiece on the wall. "It's late. I won't keep you long since you've got drills tomorrow—"

"No, it's okay."

The Prince's eyebrows once again shot up.

"Father says I need to start trusting people. Syrrull can take over for me tomorrow if necessary," she rambled, her emerald gaze suddenly widening, a slight blush crossing her cheek at her unintended implication.

His gaze lingered. "Okay," he drew out.

The room fell into awkward silence. Adam cleared his throat.

"Fine," he said to no one in particular. Approaching, he took a seat on the overstuffed chair adjacent to the sofa. Settling, he fixed a probing gaze on her. "What do you want to know?"

Taking a deep breath, Teela replied, "Were you born as He-Man?"

"No."

"Then how old were you when you…became him?" she asked awkwardly.

"Eighteen."

Her mouth fell open. "Eighteen? That many years?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Right. He-Man's been around for that many, yes…," her eyes suddenly jumped in recollection. "It happened at your eighteenth coming of age birthday, right?"

He gave an apologetic smile and nodded.

"When you and Father totally disappeared in the middle of the celebration?" she asked more as a statement.

"That's correct."

"What happened? Where did you go?"

Adam took a deep breath and relayed the night his father was abducted by Skeletor after the fissure of the Mystic Wall, when Duncan brought him to Greyskull, he accepting the sword without a second thought.

Teela followed up with more questions as the two conversed for hours; at times discussing He-Man's experiences, his discovery of Force Captain Adora and reminiscing about battles at Castle Greyskull laughing at the antics of the Masters.

xx

It was now 1AM and the room waxed silent. Teela turned to him.

"I'm glad I know. I feel closer to you now. Knowing it was you all along whom I fought beside all those years, our shared experiences, you who saved me time and again…," she choked off, her gaze welling up.

Adam bit his lip as he watched her brush a tear away with the back of her hand. He stood and sat beside her, his hand caressing her cheek, his thumb gently brushing away her tears. She met his gaze.

"Adam, I am so sorry," she said again, her voice quivering. "How can you forgive me for all those years I judged you?"

He cocked his head to the side. "Will you forgive me for lying to you for eight years?"

She blinked. "But you had no choice! I on the other hand—"

He shook his head. "Like I told my father, you were reacting to what was presented to you, Tee."

She flinched. "Your father knows?"

He nodded.

"Who else?"

Adam pursed his lips. "Of course your father. Then Mom, of course Adora, Orko…"

"Orko?"

"Yes."

"Why did he get to know before me?" she asked sharply, amused yet slightly miffed.

Adam snorted another laugh. "He and Cringer followed your Dad and me to Greyskull that night. They snuck into the castle and that's how Cringer unwillingly became BattleCat."

At the term "unwilling", Teela snorted a chuckle. "Who else?"

Adam cut his eyes to her. "Umm…Glimmer."

"Glimmer?" she almost shouted, indignant.

"Yep."

Offended, she knit her brow. "You told Princess Glimmer before telling me?"

"No."

Confused, she stared at him.

"Glimmer's an Empath. She discerned on her own."

Her shoulders slumped. "Oh," she stated quietly. She then turned again to him. "And…in all these years you've never slept with anyone, Adam?"

He shook his head.

"What about that story with Princess Taqi? And Saphirra?"

"Cover stories to help them through…a difficult time," he replied quietly.

"Oh."

Silence as she studied his handsome features. "You really are kind of a hero, aren't you?" she remarked with a teary grin.

Adam simply guffawed and shook his head as Teela again waxed serious.

"Delphinia? You slept with Delphinia?" she asked as a statement.

He snapped his head to her, his face incredulous. "What? No!"

"Okay," she shifted her gaze straight ahead. "It's just…pretty unbelievable that you…you…," she trailed off.

His gaze narrowed. "I what?"

Teela met his gaze. "That you've kept yourself…looking the way you do."

He lifted a brow. "Trust me. It's easier than you think."

"I doubt it."

"Believe it."

"Right," she replied sarcastically. "With all those women throwing themselves at you—"

He waved a hand, "No one threw themselves at—"

"Yes they did, Adam, and don't you deny it," she shook a finger at him.

He blinked at her.

"Don't think I missed over the years how all the courtiers, the nobles, even the women of my own village ogled you," she explained. "Seriously, at times I wanted to bring a towel to catch all the drooling. And don't forget about all those noble-women and their fathers who waited outside your office to offer marriage proposals last month," she added, her voice rising with emotion.

Amused, his sapphire gaze widened. "That sounds an awful lot like jealousy, Tee."

She cut her gaze to him. "Jealousy?" she guffawed defiantly folding her arms. "Sure. Me. I'm jealous…"

Grinning, Adam stared at her.

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her eyes meeting his. "Okay fine so I was jealous."

He continued to study her, her cheeks displaying a charming crimson blush.

"And stop staring at me!"

"Why? I like looking at you."

Teela did a double take, their eyes meeting again.

"Beautiful…," he muttered, his eyes roaming her features.

"I'm not beautiful," she countered shyly, her gaze shifting to the floor.

"Absolutely beautiful," he continued, his voice low and raspy causing chill bumps to appear over her arms.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her indignant gaze locked on his amatory one.

He stopped and blinked. "Nothing," he said with an innocent shrug.

She flashed a sexy smile. "Well then. I guess it's up to me to get things started," she teased before suddenly standing and straddling his lap, her hands clasped behind his neck.

Surprised, Adam by reflex grasped her thighs to protect her from slipping off and falling to the floor. Her head slightly above his she leaned in and gave him a searing kiss, the two engaging in a long, deep, erotic osculation which, after it broke, left them slightly breathless. Adam gazed up at her, his eyes darkening with desire.

"You…," his voice cracking a bit, he cleared his throat. "You never mentioned whether you were seeing anyone, Tee," he stated out of the blue quite matter-of-factly.

Teela's eyebrows jumped. "Are you kidding me? The answer is hell no," she shot back, "And…I'm a virgin as well, Adam."

His eyes once again widened. "Now that is hard to believe," he grinned.

Matching his grin, she brought her lips down to his once again, their tongues dueling for dominance. Her hands sliding down and caressing his chest, his moved to her derriere as they became lost in each other's embrace. He suddenly broke the kiss and eyed her.

"Would you—"

"Yes!" she replied cutting him off.

"Okay." He stood, her legs wrapped around his waist, his hands caressing her thighs.

Nuzzling her nose with his, they kissed as he carried her into his bedroom.