After Adam had spent the last few days thinking of the best way to break the 'news' to Teela, he had finally made up his mind not to put it off any longer.
As he knew that Teela would be going through the new schedule with her guardsmen that day he decided to wait for her and to talk to her before his courage would leave him again.
Adam leaned at the wall in front of the meeting room of the Royal Guard, which was situated next to the gym, waiting for the door to open and for Teela to come out. He was very nervous and had to pull himself together not to turn around and go again leaving his business unfinished.
After a while a stream of soldiers left the room, greeting the prince politely. Adam peeked around the corner and found Teela alone in the room, sorting out a pile of paper. For a moment he just looked at her without trying to get her attention.
Teela, however, felt that somebody was watching her and looked up. "Oh, hello Adam. You're already here?" she asked in surprise." Your training is only due in an hour."
Adam entered hesitatingly. "I'm early, I know. I wanted to talk to you." For another moment he looked to the ground, his heart racing.
Teela grew impatient. "Very well! Maybe you can tell me what's been going on here lately! Everybody behaves strangely; there's hardly a word spoken, you're so pensive all day, and my father has something on his mind, too, but he wouldn't tell me anything. He just – looks at me from time to time. And I haven't got the slightest idea what's wrong here."
Adam was taken by surprise by this energetic outburst. "I think I can help you..."
Teela looked at him questioningly, one eyebrow raised.
"I had a conversation with my father." He hesitated. "To make a long story short: He wants me to get married, as soon as possible."
Teela stared at him in disbelief.
"He doesn't care to whom, he just wants me to find a wife. I suppose he wants to teach me responsibility. But I just can't imagine to spend my life with any woman." Softly he added: "But only with one woman in particular."
Adam looked into her eyes steadily. "I don't want any other woman, I want you, Teela." He lowered his eyes and said in a low voice: "I love you."
Teela sat down, unable to say anything for a moment.
"Adam... this comes unexpected. You want me as your wife? But you're like a brother to me! I like you a lot, and you know that, but... but..." Teela stopped, not knowing what to say or to think anymore. "But becoming your wife? No."
Adam swallowed. He had expected this reaction, but deep down he had nonetheless hoped for a different answer. Now he felt bitter disappointment overcome him. He gave Teela one last, sad smile, turned around and left.
Teela was still staring at the door in confusion when Adam was long out of sight.
Adam withdrew to his room. He didn't want to talk to anybody – he didn't even want to see anybody. Silently he closed the door behind him , sank down on his bed and buried his face in his hands.
He had told her now.
He really had expected this reaction – feared this reaction. Nevertheless he had wished for another answer with all his heart.
Sadly he thought of Teela's big blue eyes which often had such a joyful and self-confident expression in them, but which now had looked at him only with confusion and disbelief. Oh yes, there was certainly not the slightest doubt that she was beautiful, but for him that was by far not her most prominent quality. She was ambitious and intelligent, and she was – contrary to many other women he knew – open-minded and honest, natural, and she used her own head. But what meant most to him was the trust that had developed between them throughout all the years.
But above all he knew one thing: It made him happy when she was around.
But why did he torture himself with such thoughts now? Even pure friendship was probably not possible anymore, as they could hardly behave as freely in each other's presence as they used to.
Why had it had to happen? If only he had had more time! Then he wouldn't have had to throw Teela off guard like that. He was sure that her rejection was to a great degree also due to her admiration for He-Man; after all, he himself knew best how she behaved in his presence. Of all the people around him Teela was the one he wished most to know everything. But that was impossible.
Why oh why did his father do this to him? Helplessly he gave a pillow a punch. For the first time he admitted to himself that he felt something like anger towards his father. Randor had often treated his son unfair, but nothing had ever had such devastating consequences for his life. Up to this time he had always been able to give him credit for the fact that he knew nothing of his secret, but this time the pain was so great that it wasn't enough of an excuse anymore.
Adam got up and went out onto the balcony. It overlooked the land he defended as He-Man and which he would reign as king one day. He was not yet able to imagine that the woman who would be by his side as queen would not be Teela.
He didn't even dare to think of all that could have been.
When Teela had more or less recovered from her shock she went to the gym. She had to occupy herself somehow. And she thought that it was quite improbable that there would be training with Adam that day.
As usual she started her own training programme. But from exercise to exercise it became more and more difficult for her to really concentrate on it. Her thoughts kept wandering back to the conversation which had come as a complete surprise to her.
She didn't remember ever having seen Adam so serious and insecure. And again and again she saw his sad eyes in her mind. What by the ancients could she have told him? What was she to tell him? She couldn't possibly marry him... They had grown up together, he was like a brother to her. What could she have done?
She stopped in her training and took a deep breath. "He said he loves me..."
How did that come to him all of a sudden? He was a good friend. But not more. Moreover, there was still He-Man... She felt drawn to the hero...
What was all that about anyway? Why did Randor suddenly force Adam to marriage?
Teela became increasingly annoyed. However, the real reason for it wasn't Adam, but her own confusion.
"Snap out of it now!" Teela told herself off aloud, pushed the whole matter aside and continued her training.
Marlena knocked at the door of Adam's room; she guessed she would find her son in there, as he hadn't been present at dinner. She had hoped he would come to talk to her of his own accord, but as he hadn't done so so far she thought it was necessary to talk to him. Her son sometimes tended to get lost in his own thoughts when it would be better to talk about it to somebody.
At first there was no response, so Marlena knocked again, more loudly this time. When there was still no reaction, she opened the door a little and looked inside the room. It was pitch dark.
She asked: "Adam? Are you in there?"
"Yes, mother, I'm here."
"May I come in?"
"Yes, sure." Adam switched on the lamp next to his bed. It took a moment for his eyes to get used to the light, then he looked at his mother. Marlena came over to him and sat down next to him on the bed.
"I'm worried about you. Do you want to talk about the whole affair?"
"There isn't much to talk about. I'm going to get married, but not to the woman I love."
"Why that? Have you already talked to Teela?"
Adam sadly looked to the ground. "This afternoon. And..." He frowned. "How do you know it's Teela?"
"I've been suspecting it for a while."
Adam wasn't overly surprised. His mother had always known what was on his mind without him having to tell her.
"What exactly did happen?" asked Marlena.
"I've told her about father's 'wish' that I am to marry, and that – I love her. But I'm like a brother to her."
Marlena looked to the ground sheepishly. Could it be that she had misjudged the situation so much? Had she had the feeling that things would turn out like that she would never have let Randor get away with his plan.
"I'm so sorry." She took her son into her arms.
"Why couldn't you talk father out of it?" Adam asked in resignation. By then it didn't even matter to him anymore – his anger was gone. Nothing could be changed anymore.
But the queen felt guilty. "I'm sure I would have been able to. But I had hoped –"
Adam freed himself from her arms and got up. "It's alright. It doesn't make a difference anymore. I've lost Teela, no matter which way you look at it. Now I can as well marry this Lady Gwendolyn. At least father will be happy then."
Marlena looked at him questioningly. "Gwendolyn? Lord Merkon's daughter? How did you come up with that idea?"
"Father suggested her. After all Lord Merkon is a trading partner. And moreover she's said to be pretty. I'll tell father that she shall accompany her father to the signing of the agreement next month. Then the engagement can be announced."
"What are you talking about?" Marlena felt like she didn't know her son anymore. "Think about it again. And give Teela some more time. Nothing is official yet, we could still just forget about the whole affair."
Calmly Adam said: "No, mother, that wouldn't change anything. I should better forget Teela. I'll marry Gwendolyn." And again: "It doesn't matter."
Seeing her son giving up like that hurt Marlena deeply, but in a way she could understand his reaction. She got up, gave Adam a kiss on the forehead and left the room in disappointment.