I know, the sorceress is not that bad, but for my plot i need her this way for a little long time. Enjoy. Thanks to Portrait of a scribe for beta-reading me.

Chapter 3 : The Discussion

All day long, Teela had tried to find a way to explain the situation to her father without revealing her secret. This was a discussion she dreaded having, but she didn't have another choice. Adam had convinced her of it. He had done his best at avoiding her all day and she could understand it. But what she couldn't understand was the fact that he had avoided the other Masters at the same time. The Masters were nice to the prince, except, maybe, for Buzz-Off, but he was who he was. So she didn't understand why Adam acted in such a way to them. She had tried to read his mind again, but the void there had frightened her. The only way she could think to resolve the situation was to talk with her father and let him do what needed to be done.

She took a deep breath and knocked at her father's door. Since she was a young child, she had only knocked at her father's door when she was in trouble. She couldn't help but smile at this thought. There were some things that, no matter how much time passed, always remained the same.

"Come in," said her father.

"Father? Are you alone? I need to talk to you."

"Yes, I am. What happened, Teela? Are you in trouble, again?"

Teela laughed at how her father knew her so well. But soon her laughter died, and it was with very serious eyes that she continued the difficult discussion.

"It's not me, father. It's ... I ...." She hesitated. "It's difficult to explain."

"Take your time, Teela. Just wait a moment while I close the door."

"Of course father. It would be bad if someone walked in while I was explaining my problem to you."

Man-at-Arms looked at his daughter with worried eyes. Was it possible that she had begun developing powers, and wanted to talk about them? He hoped he was wrong. He didn't want to give up his daughter, and he knew that if she started to show powers, her mother would want Teela to be with her. Sometimes he didn't understand the sorceress. He was sure that she loved her daughter deeply, but it was like the Sorceress was afraid to show some human feelings. She could be so cold sometimes that he couldn't help but be worried for his daughter's future. Teela was so full of life... He wondered how she could be a proper sorceress without crushing her spirit. With a heavy sigh, he came to Teela again after he had carefully locked the door.

"What is it, Teela?" he asked. "You know that you can tell me anything."

Teela was quiet for a second, carefully wording her question.

"Do you think that Adam is happy?" she finally asked.

Man-at-Arms was confused, though it showed little in his features. "Adam?" he queried. "Why? What has he to done to make you ask this?"

Teela didn't take the bait. "Please, father, answer my question."

Duncan could see that she wouldn't fall for his attempt to change the subject. "I don't know. I think he is as happy as he can be, under the circumstances."

A twinge of guilt gnawed at Teela's heart. "You mean with me and his father yelling at him all the time."

But Man-at-Arms wasn't going to let that set.

"You have your reasons, and I know the king has his own."

"I'm just a selfish shrew!" Teela exclaimed, distraught over her role in helping to degrade her best friend. Man-at-Arms was shocked.

"Teela!" he gasped. "Why do you say such a thing?" Teela's features contorted in what looked like pain, but she didn't let the tears she was holding back fall.

"Because it's true. I was mad at Adam for his cowardice, and I have become less and less friendly with him," she choked out around the lump in her throat. "Now I'm barely an acquaintance to him, father!" She paused, hanging her head in shame. "I am such a horrible person."

"No, you are not!" Duncan was adamant. "Don't ever say that again. Sure, you've been a little too ** Adam these past months, but that's nothing that can't be changed. Is that why you asked me whether or not I think Adam is happy?"

Teela shuffled her feet. "Not exactly. I know that Adam is close to you, closer than I am. I think you're one of the few who know the real Adam."

Duncan's suspicions mounted.

"What do you mean by this?" he pressed.

The worried face of her father stunned Teela, and gave her pause. Did he know that her telepathic powers came back? ...No, it was impossible. She needed to be more careful around him, but it was really difficult for her to keep a secret from her beloved father.

Teela's voice was pleading when next she spoke. "You know Adam better than his own father does. It was you who trained us, and I know that when we were younger Adam couldn't keep a secret from you for anything. That's all."

But Duncan was worried by this time.

"Teela! Please tell me what happened with Adam."

Teela finally relented. "Adam... He..." She paused, and sighed heavily. "It looks like Adam is trying to avoid everyone these days. Haven't you noticed it, father?"

"I didn't know," he replied solemnly. "I was pretty busy with a new weapon. I haven't seen Adam for days."

"Do you think it's normal for Adam to act this way?" Teela asked, frowning in concern. "When was the last time you saw him smile genuinely?"

Man-at-Arms sighed.

"He has a lot to learn as the future king. He can't stay the always-happy, carefree Adam he was."

"So, you agree with the way the king treats his own son?" Teela was not happy with this assessment.

However, neither was Duncan, who frowned. "Not totally, but I know that the king is right, too."

Teela shot him an incredulous look. "I can't believe what I'm hearing! You're like a second father to Adam, and yet you say you think that the king is right to yell at his son in front of everyone?"

Now it was Duncan's turn to turn the tables as he gave his daughter a disapproving glance.

"You did the exact same not so long ago," he pointed out.

"I know!" Teela exclaimed, frustrated. "I don't need you to remind me of that! I plan on changing, but I need your help."

Duncan eyed her with some confusion. "What kind of help do you need?"

"Can't you speak with the king and suggest that he call his son in his office to lecture him instead of doing it in front of the Masters? It will be a start."

"I don't know, Teela," Duncan admitted heavily. "Randor is Adam's father, not me. I don't have any right to tell him what he needs to do with his own son."

"But father, you are one of the most trusted soldiers of king Randor!" Teela protested. Her worry was plain on her face. "The king is also your friend. If you don't do anything, I'm afraid that the next time you'll see Adam is at his side when he's on his death bed."

Man-at-Arms was shocked. "Surely you're exaggerating!"

She shook her head. "No, I'm not."

"Teela," Duncan began suspiciously. "Did you read Adam's mind?"

"What?" Teela squeaked. "No, of course not! How could I have read his mind? I lost that power a long time ago." Her stomach clenched at the lie.

Her father eyed her, scrutinizing. "Are you sure?"

Dodged that one. "Of course I am. I don't need any power to see the sadness in Adam's eyes, or understand that he tries to avoid everyone, including you, father. And if you won't do anything, then I'm going to take the matter into my own hands."

Duncan sighed. "What do you plan to do?"

"Help Adam to overcome his state of depression and keep him from killing himself." Teela was determined, but her father was a little less certain.

"That's not true."

Teela scowled at her father. "Believe what you want to. But I'm tired, now. Goodnight, father."

Teela left the room without looking at her father. She knew that he needed some time to adjust.

The discussion had not happened like she had planned, but her resolve to help Adam, regardless of the cost, had grown. After two years, she had finally seen that her father had cut the strong bond he had once shared with Adam. He wasn't as cold and hard as she and the king were, but Man-at-Arms wasn't as helpful as he could have been. Teela was sure that if her father had talked with her and the king sooner, then Adam wouldn't be so depressed. Sure, if he had said to her that she was being too cruel to Adam, her first reaction would have been to deny it, even to the point of anger. But she knew that, after some time, she would have understood the truth in her father's statement. As for the king, she didn't know how he would have reacted, but the things couldn't have been worse than they currently were. She didn't dare to read her father's mind because something in her told her that he would be able to sense it.

It was her secret, and it needed to stay that way for as long as possible.

Teela arrived at her room with a heavy heart. She had spoken with her father for nothing. Now she wondered what to do. She lay down and tried to sleep. But, suddenly, a very great idea crossed her mind, and it was with a big smile on her face that she drifted off to sleep.

......................................................................................................................................................................

The next morning Teela woke up very early. Unlike most days, she didn't put on her customary battle skirt. Instead, she wore an old jogging uniform. The outfit was more tight in some places than she remembered, but that didn't stop her. It wasn't a problem for her to a little too much to Adam as long as it was only just a little. She left her room and made her way silently to the kitchen. There, she collected what she needed and went to Adam's room with a basket full of food. She knocked at his door and waited for him to come.

The door opened a second later, and a tousle-haired Adam peered blearily out at her.

"By the Elders!" he exclaimed, still half-asleep. "What do you want this early in the morning?" He yawned widely, as if to emphasize the statement.

Teela smiled. "Hello, Adam. Good day to you, too."

Adam rubbed his eyes, waking up a little more each second. "Teela, why are you here?"

"I need you to come with me for some training." She raised an eyebrow as Adam groaned.

"So early?" he moaned. "Can't you just come again at normal hours like a normal person?"

Teela's grin widened.

"Nope. Now put some clothes on and come with me."

"I don't have the choice?" Adam whined.

"Nope," Teela repeated, smiling sunnily.

Adam sighed, closed the door, and emerged a few minutes later, fully clothed. With a heavy sigh, he followed Teela. However, after a short time, he started to think that something was strange. Instead of leading him to the training yard, Teela was heading for the river. Adam wondered why. Teela's bright smile stunned him a little, too. He couldn't remember when she had last smiled so genuinely at him.

Finally, he couldn't help but question her.

"Teela?" he started. "Where are we going? You said we needed to train, but we left the palace. Are we honing our survival skills?"

Teela's smile was secretive. "Sort of."

He eyed her warily. "What do you mean by that?"

"Just wait, and you'll see."

Teela didn't need her telepathic powers to know that she had thrown him off-balance. He needed to have his planned life disrupted, and this was a good start. If today's experiment worked, she had a lot more ideas to try out.

Finally, they reached one of Adam's favorite fishing spots. Adam look stunned as he gazed around them. There, in the spot, was a blanket and all that they would need for fishing.

Adam turned to Teela, his eyebrows raised. "Teela, what's going on?"

"I need you to teach me how to fish." She was slightly sheepish, but she met his stare levelly.

"...What?" he asked.

"We have the day off," Teela explained, "so I need you to teach me how to spend a day relaxing. I know that you love to come here to fish and nap. So, are you willing to share your fishing spot with me and teach me how to relax?"

Adam was still wary, and hunting for that catch that he knew was coming. "No training today?"

Teela shook her head. "Nope."

"Just you and me?"

"Yep." She paused. "If you're willing, that is."

Adam glanced at the blanket, and then looked back at Teela. "Why?"

Teela sighed. "Because I've been a really poor friend, and I don't like the way I've been treating you since He-Man came into the picture. I'm sorry, Adam, I really am. I don't know if we can have the same friendship as before, but I want to try."

Adam sighed, but sat down on the blanket, nonetheless, looking up at her sadly. "Are you sure? Because it'll take a lot of work."

"I know," Teela murmured. "I'm not asking you to be my best friend again right this second, but if I can be more than just an acquaintance, I'll be happy."

They didn't speak again after that, but instead spent their day fishing and napping.

Teela was really bad at fishing, and when she fell into the river, she was glad that she didn't only hear herself laughing, but Adam, too. His laughter was real laughter, not the fake kind he had taken to producing of late. Just for show, she pouted a little. However, when Adam ask her if she needed his help, she gladly accepted it. They left the place at the sunset and returned to the palace.

Teela was happy to hear Adam think, What a beautiful day. I hope it can happen again soon.

When they arrived at the dining room, the king came to his son to lecture Adam about his duties, but he didn't have the time to even start before Teela was explaining that she and Adam had been out honing their survival skills. She also said that her father knew where they were, which was an outright lie, but she knew that her father wouldn't say anything to her in front of the king and the queen. They were eating their dinner in silence when a guard came in, and said some words to the king that the rest of them couldn't hear.

The king told the guard to introduce what was, apparently, a guest. A young man with brown hair and dark eyes entered the room. He bowed before the king, but he didn't seem aware that Adam and the queen were also in the room.

"I'm glad you could come," said the king. The young man did not look up.

"Of course," he replied. "It's an honor to be in your presence, sire."

Randor gestured to his wife and son. "Please introduce yourself to the queen and prince Adam."

The young man straightened, looking Marlena and Adam in the eye. The newcomer's next words shocked them all.

"I'm Miro, eldest son of king Randor."

To be continued.

I try to post an other chapter next week but I can't made any promise because my cousin come to visit us and the computer is in the guest room. I hope you have enjoy it. Goodnight. Stephanie.