Prince Adam stood before the tall oak doors of his father's audience hall. This room was where the King met with members of his kingdom, the royal councils, and other members of royalty. Adam had waited most of the day for his father to be free from his duties, but it had been a busy day so Adam filled out an appointment sheet and waited his turn like anyone else to talk with his father. Lost in thought Adam barely noticed that the doors had opened and his father's assistant was asking him to come in. Adam nodded and proceeded into the room. The assistant closed the doors behind them and then scurried off into an adjoining room.
The King sat at his desk, stacks of papers all around him. His glasses sat low on his nose. He peered up above the rims when he heard footsteps. "You wanted to see me?" Adam nodded. The King took off his glasses and rubbed his temples. "Why did you fill out an appointment sheet? We could have talked at dinner."
"No. I needed to talk to you alone." The King noticed great concern in his son's eyes.
"If this is about my decision of finding another ruler-"
Adam shook his head, as he said "No, no" This isn't about that." Adam walked closer to the desk and leaned over putting his palms on the smooth mahogany wood. "It's about mother."
The King's posture changed and he seemed more alert and more interested in his son's words then in rubbing at the headache that had formed hours ago. "What about her?"
Adam pulled back from the desk and began to pace. He finally stopped and looked at his father. "I'm very worried about her. This strange wild side of her, then her running off to spend time with friends and since she returned to the palace, she hasn't been the same. Maybe it was my fault for asking, but I asked about her past." The King winced noticeably as Adam said this. "Was I wrong to ask her? I only wanted to know what her life was like on Earth and what her family was like. She began to show me and tell me but halfway through she grew tired and shushed me and Aryanna off to dinner. She said she would be along shortly but she never showed up. And I haven't see her at all today."
"I can understand why you wanted to ask your mother about her past, I did the same thing many many years ago."
"Did something happen to mother that she's ashamed of or was she hurt and doesn't wish to bring back the memories?"
"She needs to forgive herself. That's one of her worst faults. She takes things to heart way too much. I will not tell you what happened, as it's not my place. But maybe you can help her. I didn't. I tried but she refused my help."
"What must I do?"
"She needs to let go of the past and realize that it's exactly that. The past and no longer important. She's been forgiven by others but she needs to forgive herself. She needs to break down and cry and just let it go. My lack of emotions at times is not very good for her. She's afraid to break down in front of me because she feels weak. But you are very much like how she used to be. She was never afraid to show her emotions. Perhaps you can succeed where I failed."
Adam nodded. He swallowed a lump in his throat as he pondered what had happened to her mother that she would not forgive herself.
"There's something else?" his father asked.
Adam nodded. "I'm worried about her leaving. What if she decides that she wants to go back to earth?"
"Adam I spent many many nights before and after we were married worrying about that. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't fear losing her. And my actions of late have done nothing but cause her more pain and give her more reason to leave. I've been a fool lately. With her, with you."
Adam lowered his head. "I haven't been much better. My outbursts, being late, sleeping through that meeting. I want to change father. I want to become more involved in the kingdom. I want to make you proud of me."
"I may not always act like it, but I'm very proud of you. You certainly have your moments that aren't your finest, but on the whole I am very proud of you. I regret the hasty decision I made in front of Duncan, Teela and Orko. I was angry with how you and your mother were reacting and I was angry with myself. I owe you a great deal and I don't that I can make up for my mistakes. But there is one thing I can do." Randor stood and walked to his son. They stood eye to eye. And then it happened. Randor's arms wrapped around his son's neck and he hugged him tightly. "I love you son, and don't you ever forget that." Adam hugged his father back and softly sobbed. "I don't say that nearly enough to you or your mother anymore. I should start saying it much more." Randor broke the embrace and Adam smiled through his tears. "I think the healing has begun for you and I, but now we must help your mother heal." Adam nodded and the two men left the room side by side.
The King sat at his desk, stacks of papers all around him. His glasses sat low on his nose. He peered up above the rims when he heard footsteps. "You wanted to see me?" Adam nodded. The King took off his glasses and rubbed his temples. "Why did you fill out an appointment sheet? We could have talked at dinner."
"No. I needed to talk to you alone." The King noticed great concern in his son's eyes.
"If this is about my decision of finding another ruler-"
Adam shook his head, as he said "No, no" This isn't about that." Adam walked closer to the desk and leaned over putting his palms on the smooth mahogany wood. "It's about mother."
The King's posture changed and he seemed more alert and more interested in his son's words then in rubbing at the headache that had formed hours ago. "What about her?"
Adam pulled back from the desk and began to pace. He finally stopped and looked at his father. "I'm very worried about her. This strange wild side of her, then her running off to spend time with friends and since she returned to the palace, she hasn't been the same. Maybe it was my fault for asking, but I asked about her past." The King winced noticeably as Adam said this. "Was I wrong to ask her? I only wanted to know what her life was like on Earth and what her family was like. She began to show me and tell me but halfway through she grew tired and shushed me and Aryanna off to dinner. She said she would be along shortly but she never showed up. And I haven't see her at all today."
"I can understand why you wanted to ask your mother about her past, I did the same thing many many years ago."
"Did something happen to mother that she's ashamed of or was she hurt and doesn't wish to bring back the memories?"
"She needs to forgive herself. That's one of her worst faults. She takes things to heart way too much. I will not tell you what happened, as it's not my place. But maybe you can help her. I didn't. I tried but she refused my help."
"What must I do?"
"She needs to let go of the past and realize that it's exactly that. The past and no longer important. She's been forgiven by others but she needs to forgive herself. She needs to break down and cry and just let it go. My lack of emotions at times is not very good for her. She's afraid to break down in front of me because she feels weak. But you are very much like how she used to be. She was never afraid to show her emotions. Perhaps you can succeed where I failed."
Adam nodded. He swallowed a lump in his throat as he pondered what had happened to her mother that she would not forgive herself.
"There's something else?" his father asked.
Adam nodded. "I'm worried about her leaving. What if she decides that she wants to go back to earth?"
"Adam I spent many many nights before and after we were married worrying about that. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't fear losing her. And my actions of late have done nothing but cause her more pain and give her more reason to leave. I've been a fool lately. With her, with you."
Adam lowered his head. "I haven't been much better. My outbursts, being late, sleeping through that meeting. I want to change father. I want to become more involved in the kingdom. I want to make you proud of me."
"I may not always act like it, but I'm very proud of you. You certainly have your moments that aren't your finest, but on the whole I am very proud of you. I regret the hasty decision I made in front of Duncan, Teela and Orko. I was angry with how you and your mother were reacting and I was angry with myself. I owe you a great deal and I don't that I can make up for my mistakes. But there is one thing I can do." Randor stood and walked to his son. They stood eye to eye. And then it happened. Randor's arms wrapped around his son's neck and he hugged him tightly. "I love you son, and don't you ever forget that." Adam hugged his father back and softly sobbed. "I don't say that nearly enough to you or your mother anymore. I should start saying it much more." Randor broke the embrace and Adam smiled through his tears. "I think the healing has begun for you and I, but now we must help your mother heal." Adam nodded and the two men left the room side by side.