Teela quietly crept into the palace through a window in the hallway.
"How did it go?" The sudden voice startled the Captain and she fell flat on her face onto the hall floor. "Are you all right?"
She rolled over on to her back and looked up to see her father towering over her. He leaned over and offered her his hand. Seconds later she was on her feet. "Father! You nearly gave me a heart attack. I thought everyone was in bed."
"You forget that I know you Teela. I had a funny feeling you would sneak off to find Adam. He asked to be left alone."
"I know." She expected a stern scolding but did not receive one.
"How is he?"
"Very depressed. I tried to talk to him although I didn't get much information out of him. I just learned what was bothering was what I thought. His father."
"You didn't mention the King's decision did you?"
"Of course not! He's hurting enough. I wouldn't subject him to more by asking how he felt about his father's decision. The look on his face clearly gave me that answer. He is so confused. His mother has been missing for a week, his father and him have been at odds, now the King doesn't think he's worthy to rule the kingdom."
"Do YOU think he is?"
"Worthy to rule the kingdom?" Duncan nodded. "I think with some time he would be a very wise ruler."
Her words surprised her father. "What makes you say that?"
"I grew up with Adam, father. He's a kind, gentle fellow with a good head on his shoulders. I remember him as a child reading book after book. Studying a week in advance for a test. It's only been the last few years that he's changed. He's become lazy and tardy for nearly everything. But I have this strange feeling that he's putting on an act."
Duncan crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you mean?"
"Well why else would he be such a bookworm and so into everything and suddenly just become a lazy oaf? There's more then meets the eye with him."
"I don't understand." Duncan pretended."
Teela jumped up into the windowsill and sat, crossing one leg over the other at her ankles. "I went out to his camp and he wasn't there. Suddenly this sword was at my throat and it wasn't until I yelled to let me go that the person did. It turned out to be Adam. I joked that my lessons were doing some good, but father I never taught him how to do that. He had gone to the stream to get water and must have seen someone snooping around his campsite. He put the pitcher down on the ground, crept up on me and managed to put the blade of a sword to my neck, all without me hearing him. He totally surprised me!"
"It sounds as if you let your guard down, that's all."
"I thought that at first, but as I made my way to the palace I began to doubt it. I was fully aware the entire time, yet like some sly animal he crept behind me without a sound!"
"Why do you think Adam is putting on an act then?" Duncan really wanted to hear this one.
"I don't know. Maybe he is taking lessons from someone else and he doesn't want to hurt my feelings? I don't know."
Duncan smiled; glad that Adam's secret was still safe. He had been worried for a moment. "Maybe you are making a big deal about nothing. Get some rest and think about it another time." He stepped closer to her and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Good night."
"Good night father." She watched him walk away. He hadn't kissed her good night since she was a child. Why did it feel as if her father knew more then he was letting on? With a sigh she jumped down from the windowsill and headed for her room.
"How did it go?" The sudden voice startled the Captain and she fell flat on her face onto the hall floor. "Are you all right?"
She rolled over on to her back and looked up to see her father towering over her. He leaned over and offered her his hand. Seconds later she was on her feet. "Father! You nearly gave me a heart attack. I thought everyone was in bed."
"You forget that I know you Teela. I had a funny feeling you would sneak off to find Adam. He asked to be left alone."
"I know." She expected a stern scolding but did not receive one.
"How is he?"
"Very depressed. I tried to talk to him although I didn't get much information out of him. I just learned what was bothering was what I thought. His father."
"You didn't mention the King's decision did you?"
"Of course not! He's hurting enough. I wouldn't subject him to more by asking how he felt about his father's decision. The look on his face clearly gave me that answer. He is so confused. His mother has been missing for a week, his father and him have been at odds, now the King doesn't think he's worthy to rule the kingdom."
"Do YOU think he is?"
"Worthy to rule the kingdom?" Duncan nodded. "I think with some time he would be a very wise ruler."
Her words surprised her father. "What makes you say that?"
"I grew up with Adam, father. He's a kind, gentle fellow with a good head on his shoulders. I remember him as a child reading book after book. Studying a week in advance for a test. It's only been the last few years that he's changed. He's become lazy and tardy for nearly everything. But I have this strange feeling that he's putting on an act."
Duncan crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you mean?"
"Well why else would he be such a bookworm and so into everything and suddenly just become a lazy oaf? There's more then meets the eye with him."
"I don't understand." Duncan pretended."
Teela jumped up into the windowsill and sat, crossing one leg over the other at her ankles. "I went out to his camp and he wasn't there. Suddenly this sword was at my throat and it wasn't until I yelled to let me go that the person did. It turned out to be Adam. I joked that my lessons were doing some good, but father I never taught him how to do that. He had gone to the stream to get water and must have seen someone snooping around his campsite. He put the pitcher down on the ground, crept up on me and managed to put the blade of a sword to my neck, all without me hearing him. He totally surprised me!"
"It sounds as if you let your guard down, that's all."
"I thought that at first, but as I made my way to the palace I began to doubt it. I was fully aware the entire time, yet like some sly animal he crept behind me without a sound!"
"Why do you think Adam is putting on an act then?" Duncan really wanted to hear this one.
"I don't know. Maybe he is taking lessons from someone else and he doesn't want to hurt my feelings? I don't know."
Duncan smiled; glad that Adam's secret was still safe. He had been worried for a moment. "Maybe you are making a big deal about nothing. Get some rest and think about it another time." He stepped closer to her and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Good night."
"Good night father." She watched him walk away. He hadn't kissed her good night since she was a child. Why did it feel as if her father knew more then he was letting on? With a sigh she jumped down from the windowsill and headed for her room.