As Duncan made the final adjustments on the new Wind Raider he heard footsteps behind him. Looking up he saw Prince Adam come quietly into the room. "There you are." He said simply as he wiped the grease from his hands. "Are you all right?" He asked with genuine concern in his eyes. The young prince said nothing. He rested his hands on a table, leaned back and crossed one leg over the other. Duncan noticed the hurt that washed over Adam's face. "Lad I don't think the King meant what he said. He was angry. The Queen is missing and you were speaking out against him-"
Adam raised a hand to silence him. "He meant it Duncan."
"Are you certain? Your father has been angry before Adam."
"He meant it. He's been thinking about it for some time now."
"I don't understand." Duncan put his tools down and leaned against a panel of the Wind Raider. Adam seemed uneasy. "What is it?"
Adam stood and began to pace very slowly. "The last fight that my parents had revolved around me. I slept through a meeting I promised I would attend. I truly meant to attend it, but I was so tired that I slept right through it. My father of course was furious. My mother didn't like that he was yelling at me and insulting me and she fled the room and he went after her. I took a walk in the woods to clear my mind and when I came back they were fighting. My father mentioned that if I didn't show an interest in the kingdom that he would choose someone to take my place. My mother was very upset and she fled the room. It was the next day that she sent a note to my room telling me to meet her by the lake. I didn't know the letter was from her. I met her at the lake and she told me she was going to visit friends for a while. So you see." He said stopping in the center of the room. "My father was thinking about it before. That's what hurts. He doesn't trust me and he doesn't want to." Adam hung his head low.
Duncan put a hand on each of his shoulders. "Lad you know that your father drives a hard bargain. And that he can be stubborn. Maybe what you need to do is show him that you are interested in the Kingdom and maybe he will reconsider."
"If I suddenly change who I am people are going to notice."
"Yes they might."
"They might notice enough that I'm someone other then goofy Prince Adam. They might realize that I'm He-man."
"I understand your concern, but at the same time you have to think about your future. Perhaps in your desire to separate yourself from He-man you've gone too far. Maybe if you found a halfway point between 'goofy' Prince Adam and He-man not only would your father begin to accept you more but you might accept yourself. I don't think anyone will realize that you are He-man. They might just see you growing up."
Adam sighed. "Perhaps you're right. I was so busy trying to make sure that I'm nothing like He-man that I went overboard."
"You should make a gradual change and not one overnight. Things may be difficult for a while. Offer to go on a few diplomatic missions, but wait until your father calms down."
"I will. Skeletor's been quiet this week so I may take a trip away from the palace to do some thinking."
"Do what you must, just be careful." Duncan gave him a pat on his shoulder. The prince attempted a smile.
"Thank you Duncan. I only wish my father were as understanding as you."
"He might be. He just doesn't know the secrets I know. They make me a patient man who realizes what is really going on around him. Someday he will know and he will see you for who you really are."
"I hope so." Duncan watched the young prince leave.
Adam raised a hand to silence him. "He meant it Duncan."
"Are you certain? Your father has been angry before Adam."
"He meant it. He's been thinking about it for some time now."
"I don't understand." Duncan put his tools down and leaned against a panel of the Wind Raider. Adam seemed uneasy. "What is it?"
Adam stood and began to pace very slowly. "The last fight that my parents had revolved around me. I slept through a meeting I promised I would attend. I truly meant to attend it, but I was so tired that I slept right through it. My father of course was furious. My mother didn't like that he was yelling at me and insulting me and she fled the room and he went after her. I took a walk in the woods to clear my mind and when I came back they were fighting. My father mentioned that if I didn't show an interest in the kingdom that he would choose someone to take my place. My mother was very upset and she fled the room. It was the next day that she sent a note to my room telling me to meet her by the lake. I didn't know the letter was from her. I met her at the lake and she told me she was going to visit friends for a while. So you see." He said stopping in the center of the room. "My father was thinking about it before. That's what hurts. He doesn't trust me and he doesn't want to." Adam hung his head low.
Duncan put a hand on each of his shoulders. "Lad you know that your father drives a hard bargain. And that he can be stubborn. Maybe what you need to do is show him that you are interested in the Kingdom and maybe he will reconsider."
"If I suddenly change who I am people are going to notice."
"Yes they might."
"They might notice enough that I'm someone other then goofy Prince Adam. They might realize that I'm He-man."
"I understand your concern, but at the same time you have to think about your future. Perhaps in your desire to separate yourself from He-man you've gone too far. Maybe if you found a halfway point between 'goofy' Prince Adam and He-man not only would your father begin to accept you more but you might accept yourself. I don't think anyone will realize that you are He-man. They might just see you growing up."
Adam sighed. "Perhaps you're right. I was so busy trying to make sure that I'm nothing like He-man that I went overboard."
"You should make a gradual change and not one overnight. Things may be difficult for a while. Offer to go on a few diplomatic missions, but wait until your father calms down."
"I will. Skeletor's been quiet this week so I may take a trip away from the palace to do some thinking."
"Do what you must, just be careful." Duncan gave him a pat on his shoulder. The prince attempted a smile.
"Thank you Duncan. I only wish my father were as understanding as you."
"He might be. He just doesn't know the secrets I know. They make me a patient man who realizes what is really going on around him. Someday he will know and he will see you for who you really are."
"I hope so." Duncan watched the young prince leave.