The prince placed his hands on both her cheeks, "I love you Teela Duncan."

"I know." The red-head said coyly. "How about I help you to your room, no more pretending." Adam was hoping to hear it back, but guessed she wasn't ready. Not after that revelation. He just wished he had the energy to ask her how she felt about everything, about him. He tried to stand with her help.

"We still need to talk." He said with furrowed brows as she put her arm around his waist making it look like a lovers walking embrace, hiding the fact that she was basically holding him upright.

"Later," was all she said.

¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤

Chapter 6:

Teela led Adam to his room and gently laid him on the bed, Cringer whom had silently followed them on their walk, lay at the foot of the bed looking somberly at his master. She removed his boots, and went to remove his shirt, and he flinched slightly. Giving him a no nonsense looked he begrudgingly agreed to be man handled by the red-head.

She removed his tunic and when she took off his white long sleeved under shirt she hissed at the healing red wounds around his upper arms and shackle marks on his wrists. "Ancients Adam."

"It's not that bad…I've had worse, Greyskull's magic heals the worst of it." The prince winced as she gently removed the buttoned cuffs around his wrist, fabric sticking in some places to raw and bleeding skin.

She scowled, "Well at least let me wrap it."

Adam sleepily jutted his chin, "Under the sink in the bathroom, medical supplies." He slumped into the bedsheets and laid his head on the pillow almost out cold stretching his legs over the bed. "Move Cat." Cringer re-positioned at the end of the bed giving the man more room for his legs and laying down again just as tired as his master.

The captain of the guard knew what she would find as she opened the cabinet door to neatly organized and fully stocked rows of bandages, medical tape, suture kits, and antiseptic. She silently grabbed what she would need and sat next to the hero resting quietly. He was already fast asleep.

She took a large callused hand in hers and started wrapping the angry red wounds, he didn't move an inch in his slumber. Tears were streaming down her face at the thought of how many nights this man may have dressed his own wounds or come back home injured, or stumbling and exhausted from a day of fighting Skelator's goons and re-building villages, only to be berated by her for being lazy, irresponsible, or not caring about the kingdom. No wonder he napped so much, it seemed like being He-Man took its toll on his body's energy.

This was his secret. Adam is He-Man. She looked at the two exhausted beings on the bed...and Cringer is Battlecat.

A year ago, she would have never put two and two together, Adam and He-Man, there was just too much of a difference between the men. But now, now it was fairly obvious. She knew without a doubt he would have told her a month ago had she asked… and even more so, understood the need for such secrecy. Just seeing the condition of the King, she could guess at the information Skelator wanted and wondered if her King knew of the identity of his son. He seemed to be almost as hard on Adam as she was at times, and who could treat their son like that knowing of his "other" duties to protect the kingdom. No, the king could not be aware.

She also thought back on every encounter with Eternia's hero, every conversation both now embarrassing and enlightening, as she had always harbored a silent crush on the man. She lamented, the very same man who moments ago said he loved her.

She shook her head in confusion. Teela still wasn't sure how to take his declaration along with this secret, things were still so complicated. She needed to talk things out with her father. Once the prince was bandaged and sleeping peacefully she left to find the only one she knew she could discuss this with.

¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤

She went back to the infirmary and found Man-At-Arms sitting with his head in his hands outside the King's room, the Queen could be seen at her husband's side through the window.

"Father." He looked up with haunted eyes.

"I failed them daughter. Adam made me promise when he wasn't available, that I would protect his father, and I wasn't able to." He looked defeated.

"I'll tell you what I just told Adam. No one can be in two places at once, not even He-Man. We are all human and we do the best we can." The soldier looked up at her questioningly but nodded in agreement, often telling his soldiers something similar.

The man asked softly, "Did Adam go rest?"

"Yes father, but I sorely need your advice." She set her eyes around the room at the extra guards posted around the king's door and medical staff walking about. "About a private matter." Man-At-Arms noticed his daughters red eyes.

His eyebrows rose in recognition of what she was hinting at, and she gave a very slight nod in affirmation. He sighed in understanding. "Then let's go to my workshop, the queen will send word when he awakens, and I am assuming this will be a long discussion."

They arrived at the shop and the solder began taking off his armor piece by piece. "What's on your mind my daughter? Is this about your relationship with the prince?"

She sat angrily, without looking at him. "Yes father, I understand why you kept your secret all these years and part of me wishes to punch Adam in the face! But I can't do that since he's currently passed out and covered in restraint wounds." She started pacing around the crowded shop. "The other part of me is hurt and betrayed beyond belief that my best friend would keep something like this from me. We used to share everything, but when that all changed, we grew apart, and I blamed him. For everything. It was all his fault. Father, he let everyone believe the very worst of him, including me! The last part of me hates myself, for not trusting him, for not believing in him, and for the way I treated him for the last five years while he was beaten and bruised daily from his duty to his kingdom. For protecting us! My heart breaks for what he's been through. And that's not even scratching the surface of my romantic feelings toward him father, how do I cope with that now? How do I know what I feel toward him anymore?"

She started tearing up with her last statement. The father held his arms out for his daughter as she flung herself into his chest as he placed a comforting hand on her head. "He's in pain father, always in pain, isn't he?" She sobbed into his chest as her father grimaced not wanting to lie to his daughter. She cried for best friend, she cried for her prince, she cried for her love. "Why, why him? Why does he have to do this?"

The man whispered in her ear, "You know why my dear, because he is the noblest of us. His heart is the strongest, and his duty the greatest. He is our protector, and when called, he answers. We can only be there for him when he needs us."

The sobbing died down, but the tears continued to fall as the two soldiers embraced and worried for their friend.

¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤

The king awoke in his private room to the beautiful brown eyes and kind smile of Queen Marlena. "You gave us quite a scare Randy." She whispered kissing his forehead.

"Adam, is he?" Randor tried to get up but the broken ribs caused him to wince. Marlena put a hand on his chest.

"He's fine, I sent him to his room with word to wait to be summoned when you awoke. He was very tired and has worried himself into exhaustion while you were away."

"He's not fine Marly, not in the slightest. He's…he's." He wasn't sure what to say.

The Queen nodded, "I know, Teela is with him, and she'll make sure he gets to his room safely and gets some needed rest." The man eyed his wife of thirty years in realization. "You knew?"

The queen gave him a sorrowful look and whispered, "I suspected."

"All those years, Marly, he must hate me." The king just lay there with tears running down his face.

She sternly berated the depressed man, "That boy loves you and you know it. Now, to help him be strong, you are going to put on a brave face and help keep his secret."

"I can't treat him like that anymore…, I just can't. Not now." The king was unsure how to act around his son now that he knew how much his entire kingdom depended on him. How they took him for granted.

"Fine then, just treat him like your son." The monarch drifted even further into melancholy.

"That's just it Marly, I haven't been treating him like a son, have I? And you warned me, on numerous occasions. I've treated him worse than a castle staff member, it must have made him feel worthless. Man at arms knows tried to warn me as well. I'm sure he's known since the beginning."

"He doesn't see it that way Randy, just ask him, he's still the same boy you knew." She walked over to the door, "It's been a few hours while you've been asleep, and the Masters are asking about you. Shall I send for Adam? Are you able to take visitors?"

"Yes, send word for Teela to wake my son if he's up to seeing me. I'll need to speak to Duncan privately as well."

¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤

Man-At-Arms and his daughter were going over possible ways to explain the prince's absence in kingdom and the battle which freed his father from Skelator's clutches when the request came in for Teela to wake Adam.

"Do you think Adam will be alright to wake, it's only been five hours. Is he rested enough?" The captain exclaimed worriedly.

"Teela, I once watched him beat down Trap Jaw, run back to the castle, take an hour long nap in the gardens and show up for sword training with you without missing a step. He has more stamina than you think, but the constant attacks have been taking a toll on him, not to mention the extra scrutiny from the castle lately as Adam."

He looked at his daughter fretting about this boy and grinned at her expression, "Just wake him gently so he doesn't think you are an enemy and help him get ready. He may be a bit tired still, but his wounds are normally healed by now. I'm going to see to our king. I'll meet you there."

¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤

"Duncan. Come inside and close the door." The warrior did not expect the harshness of his king's order.

"Yes Sire." He shut the door waiting for his next orders.

"I knew my son was helping the kingdom in some other capacity recently, but it has just come to my attention just how much he is sacrificing. Five years Duncan, five years! This has stolen his childhood and made him a man before his time, it has caused a rift between us, our family, and time we cannot get back. As a father I want to tell him to stop my friend, that this is not worth his life. I want to protect my son Duncan, but Eternia needs him. What do I do? I know you are aware Duncan, so don't try to lie." Duncan remained silent. "What I am asking is where do I go from here? What is your council? Because I have half a mind to lock you and that boy in your rooms for the foreseeable future." The king sat reclined at an angle on the raised bed regarding his oldest friend.

"I assume something happened between you and He-Man when you were in Snake Mountain?" at the kings' obvious gesture he continued. "It's Adam's choice my King. He knew the risks, and cost to relationships with family and friends." The warrior pointed to the King's bruises, "What would you have gone through if you knew He-Man's identity yesterday? Would you have given up his identity to save him? To save your kingdom? What if Adam were the one being tortured for information on He-Man? What would you have done?"

The monarch remained silent getting angry. Angry at this man for being right, angry at the situation, and angry at his son for choosing to protect the kingdom rather than have a relationship with him, which is a sacrifice he might have made in the same situation. "Duncan, you are here-by put on a leave of absence until further notice for withholding pertinent information regarding the safety of this kingdom, namely my son."

"Yes, Your Majesty." The man nodded solemnly to his king and bowed backing out the door to join the other Masters in the waiting room.

¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤

"Adam, wake up." Teela gazed at the big man's muscular chest heaving up and down and bent over to move a lock of hair on his forehead. As she touched his face a large hand clamped down over her arm tightly and brown eyes regarded her with confusion. "Owe Adam, its me." Cringer raised his head at the commotion, yellow eyes questioning.

The prince released his bruising grip and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, "Ancients Teela are you alright? Did I hurt you? I guess I thought I was back in Snake Mountain. I lost consciousness a couple times while in that cell, and I'm still a bit fuzzy." He pulled back the covers and sat on the bed. "What time is it?" Teela was rubbing her arm where he grabbed her, sometimes forgetting about his hidden strength and the fact that this man is a trained warrior. She blinked at his question.

"Uh, it's almost dinner time, you've been out for five hours or so." She sat next to him feeling the heat radiating off his body. "The king is awake and asking for you."

"Thanks, I don't know what I'm going to tell him. I'm not sure what went on in there while I was in an out of it. Evil-Lyn made a magnabeam rope that basically took all my energy, it was all I could do to stay awake. I know my father and I spoke, and I think I actually called him father while He-Man." He shook his head. "I just don't remember." The prince stood up and tested his leg muscles. If there was no attack for the rest of the day, he should be functional. He turned to his love, "I don't know what I'm going to tell him about Adam's whereabouts either, I hate lying to him, and try to avoid it whenever possible."

"He doesn't know?" She asked, and Adam shook his head.

"I might have told him in the cell, I'm not positive. If I walk into the infirmary and he's screaming at me, we'll know for sure." He used a sleepy carefree lopsided grin on her. A smile she'd seen a dozen times, and one she now knew was only for her. She slowly and gently placed her hands on his shoulders. He stiffened not sure what to do as she pulled his head down to hers and placed a kiss on his lips teasing him to open with her tongue. Cringer sighed at their antics and went to another room disgusted.

Adam's arms immediately went around her waist crushing her into his chest as he delved into her mouth. Her nails wove in his hair pulling him closer and scratched lines in his back. She moaned into his mouth as a hand cupped her bottom and pressed her core onto his growing passion, only his purple breeches between them.

"Captain, what is the Prince's ETA? Over." The radio on her hip went off. Adam growled into her mouth when she racked her nails down his chest gently scraping over sensitive nipples. The red-head backed away from the heaving man trying to regain her breath as well as marveling at such a powerful and muscular creature treating her with such gentleness opening his arms immediately allowing her retreat.

"On our way, Teela out." Adam could only stare at the woman before him with absolute heat in his eyes. He was tempted to delay, anything for another kiss like that.

The woman, having a hard time doing her duty as well, licked her swollen lips and tidied her headdress and bun. "Here, I brought you a gift." She turned to pick up something on a nearby chair and threw some folded clothes at the prince.

There were black military style battle dress pants and belt complete with knives and sheathes for different weapons, an olive-green button down long sleeve shirt, black combat boots, and a black tie for his hair. His eye brows raised as he stared at the captain. "Your new uniform. Father and I discussed, you will be training directly under he and I, and will be sent on secret "missions" for us, so you will need to dress the part and always be armed." She grinned.

He looked down at the clothes more suited to him than the purple tights and breeches he'd just slept in. This will also be helpful in explaining his absences while showing the people he was actually taking an active role working for the kingdom and not being a coward. He didn't know what to say. His friends were helping him. Teela wasn't angry at him! From the way she kissed me I would say she is the opposite of angry. That's definitely a good sign.

She showed no indication of leaving him to get dressed so he slowly started removing his breech cloth and tights, not even asking Teela to turn around. They shared eye contact the whole time. Once naked in front of her the hero stood tall, showing complete trust and giving her full view of his body as she looked him over. He tried to suppress his embarrassment and may have flexed some muscles a bit out of nervousness, then slowly changed into the new outfit she had chosen for him. The captain never looked away, and never moved and inch. Her lips parted ever so slightly and she might have licked them when he flexed, and there was a hint of a smile to go along with the heat in her eyes. The prince inwardly smirked at the war he could sense going on within in her body as it must match his own. Fully dressed now she took him in.

The pants showed off his leg muscles and shapely bottom, and the shirt showed the T shape of his shoulders to a trim waist which made her drool. Hanging at his belt was a knife, a blaster, and a communicator. He tied his hair back with the tie and she held her breath at the sight of the handsome face and masculine jawline she seldom saw when the prince kept his hair down and his head shrugged.

"Now you look my subordinate, cadet." The woman preened thankfully breaking the highly erotic mood with some much-needed mirth. Adam rolled his eyes with a dry smile.

"Uh oh, I'm sure I'll never hear the end of that one. Guys are going to tease me about my dominating woman." He finished putting on his boots with a smile. "I wonder what my father will think of my look." He looked up worried. "I've never worn anything like this before. Do you like it?"

She made a face, that said "Isn't it obvious" but frowned in thought, "Do you like it Adam, I should have asked. I assumed you wore the pink tunic to keep up certain appearances." The prince glanced at himself in the mirror standing tall and actually liked what he saw for one of the first times in his adult life.

He smiled at her thoughtful gift, "Yes Tee I love it."

Teela held out her hand still silently thanking the Ancients that this man was hers, "Then let's find out if your father likes it too, shall we?" The prince put his hand in hers and placed it in the crook of his elbow as she walked alongside him, her rightful place.

¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤

The Masters watched stunned as young couple walked arm in arm into the infirmary towards the King's room. Duncan only nodded solemnly to the hero and his daughter, but motioned he approved of their showing…in Adam's dress and their interlocked arms. The Queen marveled on her son's appearance and smiled warmly in approval as she let them into the king's private room. Adam blushed and grinned at her reaction.

Adam knelt next to his father's bed as the King took in this man before him. The queen closed the door to give them privacy from the Masters. Teela hung towards the back of the room with the Queen to give the men space.

Adam swallowed in nervousness at the way his father was staring, "Father, I'm so sorry. If I hadn't argued and huffed away from you pouting, none of this would have happened. I was acting like a spoiled emotional child and If I hadn't thrown such a tantrum, I would have been in the throne room with you, I could have protected you from…"

"I believe you have done enough "protecting" for now my son." The king looked mad, and Adam took it to heart.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there father," He pleaded, "I'm sorry I couldn't rescue you. I'm sorry I failed…" The king weakly held up a hand to stop the boy from talking.

"Adam, I love you." The young man was not expecting that bold statement and looked surprised which contributed to more feelings of self-loathing with the monarch, he bit out harshly, "Nothing will ever change that son, nothing, not ever. And I am proud of you, proud to be your father, and proud to leave this kingdom in your capable hands should the need arise."

Adam stared in silence as tears threatened to fall. Hearing this as He-Man and hearing this as Adam was altogether different. To lighten the mood, the king tugged on the boys' sleeve seeing the edge of the bandages just under the cuff, "And what in Eternia is going on with these new clothes?"

The hero looked down sheepishly, "Man-At-Arms and Teela have decided I am to be there newest cadet, to be trained for special and secret missions for the Kingdom. What do you think?"

Randor studied his son. "I believe that is your choice son. I can only tell you what I told Duncan not thirty minutes ago. As a father, I never want to see you in danger, and I want to ask you to never put yourself in such a position, but as a king, well…as much as it pains me to say it, we need your help to protect Eternia." The king sighed, "So as Duncan so rightly put it. The choice is yours."

Adam was confused. "Then you are alright with me fighting? Risking my life?"

The monarch said sardonically, "I think it's a bit late to ask permission don't you son?"

The young man stiffened at the tone and implications of the statement and whispered. Does he know? "I never wanted to lie to you father. But…"

"I know my boy. I know. You and I would do whatever you could to keep those you love from danger wouldn't you? Even to let them think the worst of you to protect a Hero." The king patted his shoulder and really looked at his son. "I think you look much more comfortable in these clothes. I'm sure those "secret missions" will help the Kingdom immensely, and I will do everything I can to support you in your choice. It's what I should have done in the past. And when you start a family or choose to stop the secret missions, know that the Kingdom and I will support your choice as well. You have my blessing." The older man looked close to tears on letting his son go out into danger. "And may I offer my sincerest apologies as well. I was a poor father, and you were right, I should have trusted what I knew to be true about you, the young man I raised. I should have had faith in your sense of duty to the kingdom, and I should have known your heart from the beginning. Please forgive me my son."

"Father, there is nothing to forgive, you saw what I wanted you to see, but are you saying…" Adam still not sure if the king was talking about his secret.

"Tell He-Man I said thank you, for all he's done for us. I took him for granted all those years, but I will not any longer. I'm here to support him, and his future bride." The king grinned when he saw Teela smile blush. Adam stood there astonished. Yup, he knows.

"Please inform Duncan he can utilize his leave of absence time by drafting up a plan for your military title and iron clad paperwork for your missions, I want Eternia to know how much my son has… or will dedicate his life to serving to them." At Adam and Teela's surprise the king added. "I still have not forgiven him from keeping state secrets about the security of Eternia and the danger to its crown prince from his king."

"But father, the Sorceress kept him from..."

"There is no excuse. His ultimate duty is to me, not the sorceress, and not you. I am grateful to him for being there for you when I could not, but he needs to know my stance on his actions. I'm sure he'll use his vacation time wisely."

Adam understood his father's ire and sense of betrayal, and nodded in understanding. "Speaking of vacations father, you will be getting one yourself as I am hereby taking over your duties in court for the next three weeks, barring any emergency secret missions."

Randor stilled. "Taking over?"

"Yes, you will be able to advise on matters of state, but as acting monarch in your stead, I expect to see you resting and recuperating, and that's an order." The young man crossed his arms in front of him not taking no for an answer sounding eerily like Randor himself. His stance looked every bit the crown prince and with a new voice that commanded authority easily.

"And what am I to do while on this vacation?"

"How about laze about, take naps, go fishing…I happen to know if an old friend of yours on his own extended vacation who might like to join you. And maybe spend a little time with your lady whom I suspect knew more than she let on." Adam winked at his mother. "I've got this handled your majesties."

Randor smiled and released a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding upon hearing the return of his son's easy mannerisms and playful banter. "Really, you think running a kingdom is that easy do you? Well my boy, prepare to be educated." He reveled in the familiar smile his son gave him and vowed to put that smile there more often. His son's actual personality, thank Eternia, was not as different as he feared. There was hope there for a father-son relationship yet.

"Well then let's get dinner in here and we can discuss what you think I need to know. I'm famished, and my first decree will be for several extra slices of the chocolate cake I know the chef has hidden." The man grabbed a chair to sit by his father and glanced at his girl. "Teela can you inform the Masters that my father is henceforth on a forced vacation but they can come in to check on his well-being if they'd like."

Randor groaned, "And so it begins, the tyrant rearing his ugly head. You're going to force me to enjoy this aren't you?"

The young man grinned devilishly, "Of course." They all chuckled merrily as Teela poked her head into the outer room to bring in the king's well-wishers and order dinner be brought.

¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤

AN: Sorry for any mistakes, I wrote this chapter quickly before my brain forgot all my ideas! That tends to happen if I put off updating.