Lunch
Duncan finished up with the Talon Fighter right after noon. After washing off his hands, he walked out of the garage part of his workshop and headed over to his massive desk in the lab. As soon as she plopped down, he looked down at his schedule. It was fairly light, as he expected it to be.
His stomach grumbled. Lunchtime had come and he had grown hungry. As he debated as to what he should have, a thought popped into his head. It was a funny little thought, but one that he knew he should consider. After lengthy debate, it was decided.
"King Randor," he addressed over the comm-line about ten minutes later. He was in the kitchen now, making up a picnic basket.
"Yes? What is it Duncan? Do you need me for something? Is there a matter I must address?"
Duncan smiled. It was that time of the year again – time for the royal budget. "No sire. I'm just going to take the Talon Fighter I worked on for a test spin."
"Do you need me to come with you? I mean, just in case something happened. You never know, Duncan. I can be quite the handyman if it breaks down."
"Randor, you're a terrible handyman. And the kingdom needs its budget."
A long silence followed.
"You're fired, Duncan."
"I'll see you later."
"Seriously. When you come back, it's straight to the dungeon."
"Have fun."
"Off to the executioner's range!"
"I'll see you later!"
The comm-link closed, Duncan packed up his picnic basket and went back to the garage. The Talon Fighter powered up and roared off like nothing had ever been wrong with it. It zoomed away from Eternos and across the hills of the north.
Far below him, farmers and villagers were eating their lunches, enjoying the beautiful day. The sun hung high in the blue sky, dotted with big white puffy clouds.
After a little while, the Talon Fighter landed in front of Castle Grayskull. Duncan got out, picnic basket in hand. He walked along the path through the field and up the land ramp.
"Sorceress! It's Man-At-Arms! I need to speak with you!"
There was a brief pause. Duncan was used to that. He knew it all too well – she used to always pause before opening the jawbridge. Make sure it was safe and the person before Castle Grayskull was indeed the person they claimed.
The jawbridge clanged open. The Sorceress stood at the edge of the door.
"Man-At-Arms?" she asked as he walked forward.
"Yeah, let's talk about that," he said to her as he entered. "After everything we've been through, how about you start calling me Duncan again?"
She just stared at him.
"I brought you lunch."
She smiled. The two walked forward and the jawbridge closed up behind them.
"A picnic basket?" she asked. "We haven't had a picnic since . . ."
"Since a week after Teela was born," he finished for her.
"I remember that. It was such a beautiful spring day. But Duncan, you know that . . ."
"Oh, I know. Trust me, I'm well aware that things are over. Have to be over. But I thought, we've got a clear day. Skeletor's not attacking. I've got the Heroic Warriors checking things out. And I'm tired of only talking to you when there's trouble. And, might I add, I'm also very tired of having to call you 'Sorceress' instead of what I want to call you . . . Teelana."
She pursed her lips. "No one has called me that since . . ."
"Oh yes, I know. I was the last one to call you that, right?"
"Yes. Other than when I contacted last December . . ."
"Don't count, sweetheart."
She arched her eyebrows. She had definitely not been called that in well over a decade.
"Duncan, listen . . ."
"I'm just here for lunch. That okay? I miss seeing you. Even though we can't be . . . like we were . . . we can at least be friends. Secret friends."
The Sorceress' smile grew ever larger and she nodded. "All right, Duncan." She then plucked the picnic basket from him. "Let's have our picnic."
XXXX
Sitting at the edge of a three-foot cliff above the water, Teela lazily watched as her fishing line just hung into the pond. The rods were propped up against a pair of rocks. Behind her, Adam was sleeping against a tree with Cringer. Teela sighed, a little bored. She had just finished braiding her red hair into a pair of pigtails that hung down to her chest. With nothing biting her line, she looked to her fishing companion.
"Lazy," she muttered regarding Adam.
He started snoring.
She rolled her eyes. How dare he fall asleep while she sitting here bored out of her mind? She would get back at him. Teela reached over and plucked up a fairly good sized beetle from the grass and placed it on his nose. It scurried a bit up his face.
Adam blinked awake - and then let out a massive yell!
"WHAT ON ETERNIA!" he shouted, scrambling to brush it off his face.
Cringer then awoke with a start and leapt forward, ramming right into Teela. Teela went falling backwards, head over heels, and then right over the cliff. Adam got the bug off his face right as Teela splashed into the water.
"Teela!" shouted Adam. "Are you okay?"
"Fine!" she yelled back, spewing water out of her mouth. "But I'm going to kill that tiger of yours!"
"Here! Let me help you up!" Adam then yelled down to her. He grabbed the two fishing rods and positioned the lines right above her. "Grab hold!"
"Oh ha ha," she mocked, then wrapped the lines around her hands and yanked hard. Adam, taken off balance, went tumbling into the water, rods splashing on either side.
He poped out from the surface, sending water spraying against Teela. Teela yelled a little and splashed water back at Adam.
"No fair no fair!" Adam shouted, blocking the water.
"Oh, come on Adam! All's fair in love and WAR!"
"Oh it's war, huh?" he replied and let loose a huge wave against her.
"You're going to have to be more creative than - "
She didn't finish her sentence, for Adam leapt onto her and the two went flying back under the surface. A few seconds later, they both resurfaced. However, Teela quickly shoved Adam under the water by pushing his head down.
Once down there, though, Adam grabbed Teela's leg. This sent her off-balance. Adam came flying back up, blasting water against her already soaked clothes and body. Teela went to fight back, but he lunched forward. His hands grabbed hold of her arms and the two came very close. Hearts racing, adrenaline pumping, soaking wet, and having the most fun with each other since they were 13 and 14 . . . their bodies were close. Dangerously close. Wonderfully close.
"Heh, gotcha now," Adam said, still holding her arms as she struggled a little against him.
"Oh, I'll get out of this," Teela replied, but finding herself not really wanting to.
As she continued to work her arms, their legs touched below the surface. Adam smiled. Teela grinned. She liked the smile. She was surprised that she liked that smile.
Teela wrapped her leg around Adam's and yanked it out from below him. He went down, but didn't let go of Teela. The two went splashing into the water. The struggle continued there, Adam's grip hard on her wrists. They rolled through the water, one over the other through the water and into the shallow, inches deep part of the pond. Teela was on top of Adam and had somehow, through all the rolling managed to have a hold on his wrists.
"So now what?" asked Adam, Teela right on top of him.
"You're mine now," she replied.
"AHEM!"
Both looked up . . . and saw King Randor and Queen Marlena standing a few feet away. It was then Teela and Adam both realized just how bad this looked.
"Oh!" yelped Teela, also realizing just how soaked her clothes were. She leapt off Adam and threw her arms over her chest.
"Oh my," Marlena said then, looking away along with her husband.
Teela stood up, watering dripping from her soaked outfit. "ImsosorryyourhighnessesreallywewerejustplayingaroundnothingnaughtyohancientsImsosorry."
"Hey, Mom. Dad," Adam greeted.
"Hello son," Randor replied.
"I thought you two were working on the budget?"
"Your father insisted on getting some fresh air. We thought we'd join you two for lunch," Marlena said, a picnic basket in hand.
"Oh, okay."
"I'll go," Teela muttered, face pure crimson from embarrassment. She was headed back to Eternos.
"Teela, dear, how about you change and then come back and join us?" requested Marlena with that wonderful tone of sincerity in her voice.
"Really? Are you sure?"
"Yes, of course!" Marlena responded. "If you could bring some towels for Adam too, please."
"Okay. Thanks!"
Teela sped off. Marlena went up to the place where Adam and Teela had been sitting before all the silliness broke out.
"So, how are they biting today, son?"
Adam smiled widely. "Just fine, Dad."