The Prince

Chapter 11

Spock entered the Courtyard and stared up at the Fortress. It was as it had been for over 5000 years. Others would have found the massive structure cold, severe and intimidating, and it was much like the rest of Vulcan. But Spock had always considered the imposing structure home. And his mother made it that much more so.

It was she who Spock first saw when he arrived and as she ran towards him from the gate, he could not help but feel an inner sense of joy at her sight. It had been nine years since he'd seen her in person and she was still beautiful. He noted her hair had started graying and there were little wrinkles around her eyes, but she still held onto her youthful enthusiasm.

Spock wanted it no other way. Amanda threw her arms around her boy, and gripped him tightly. She was not surprised when Spock didn't return the gesture, but as she stared into his eyes, she knew he was happy to see her. She saw the corners of his lips twitch. It was her son's own way of smiling.

"Greetings mother". He stepped back, giving her the traditional salute. Amanda had never perfected it and he knew that. But surrounded by so many other Vulcans, Spock felt he had to. After all, he knew much of the to-do was merely curiosity coupled with a test. T'Pau wanted to see if he'd retained the lessons of his youth, or if he'd react like a human. Spock chose to act Vulcan. The aids would report back to T'Pau that her favorite grandson had acted properly upon his arrival, and she'd be satisfied.

Inwardly, he simply wanted to be left alone. He knew Captain Pike and his Nyota would have many questions. He felt the headache that was slowly forming. He sighed, and turned back to his mother.

She was now fussing over him with exclamations of "my you've grown!" and "you've filled out!" Spock knew this. He really didn't understand the human need to state the obvious, but it did warm him. He knew his mother loved him.

The crowd around them had now dispersed, leaving Spock, his mother and Stamin and Stossel. He turned to them and they bowed in acknowledgement. "S'haile we greet thee," they said in unison. Spock raised his hand in salute.

He turned back to his mother who was beaming at him. "Come Spock, let's get you settled. Your friends should be arriving shortly." He looked down at his mother and again at the fortress. As suddenly as he started walking, he stopped. He hesitated.

Amanda looked at him, seeing a dark shadow flit across his face. As quickly as it appeared, it was gone. But, she knew.

"Where is Sarek?" Amanda drew a breath, taking note Spock didn't call him father. "Your father is with T'Pau in the citadel. He will be at the reception this evening." Spock said nothing, but began walking, in silent contemplation.

Amanda knew it would be a long, long night. She began doubting that it had been a good idea to bring Spock back to Vulcan.

II

Captain Pike and Uhura arrived a while after Spock and Amanda had gone inside. Two guards approached the flitter that carried the two and opened the doors. Pike stepped out first, followed by Uhura. They looked around in utter awe.

Pike had visited Vulcan once before, but he had only seen Shi'Kahr, the capital city. He'd stayed within city limits in the Vulcan embassy, for the planet did not have hotels. It was assumed that if there were outsiders on the planet, they had reason for being there, and other Vulcans tended to be hosts. Vulcan was not, as the Terrans would say, "tourist-friendly".

He had made note of the homes in the city, many were single- level and lay out as a series of compounds with an open courtyard in the middle. They reminded him of ancient Roman-style dwellings.

Vulcans had designed their homes to blend in with the natural environment around them. At the time, he had been very impressed with the dwellings and with the architecture in the city. He had to admire the severity of the pointed skyscrapers and upside-down cliff buildings. He'd never seen anything like it. Everything looked like an extension of the desert surrounding it.

But he'd never seen anything like what stood before him now.

Uhura stood in front of a massive gate. It was obviously old, and had the look of welded metal. It towered over her head, and looked as if it were built for giants. Attached to the gate was a massive rock wall running in either direction off into the distance. And inside the gate was what looked like an ancient medieval castle. Such things on Earth were relics, but this. This was very real. She had studied Vulcan architecture and building styles, but a structure like what stood before her, was never mentioned in any book or depiction of the planet.

The guards seemed to sense her questions. "This dwelling was made in a time of passion, before logic tempered the flames," one of them said.

It was Pike who asked the question. "What are we doing here?"

The other guard answered. "You are guests of S'haile Sarek, Osu Spock and T'Sia Amanda. You will stay in their home." The answer was simple, but both the captain and the cadet looked at one another, each with eyes dawning in at least one realization.

This was Spock's house?!?!?!

They entered a massive hall with large, heavy woven banners hanging from the massive rafters over their heads. They felt small. Everything around them was large, from the doors, to the stairways, the halls. The rooms. The fortress had stone walls, yet inside was warm. Windows let the light shine through illuminating the stone so a soft, red glow surrounded them. It was like being guests in a king's castle. And, the two had to admit. There was an air of power, all around them in this place. It was disconcerting at best.

They were led down a large walkway and just as Nyota felt she couldn't walk another step, they stopped. Two doors, side- by- side opened into to large rooms.

The guard Nyota had been following stood to the side, allowing her to walk through. She looked around. The room was huge, with one large window on the far side. It was perfectly square, with a very tall bed in the middle. Across from the bed stood a wardrobe, and there was a red Vulcan rug on the floor. A black figure was woven onto it, a cat-like animal she recognized as Lematyah. There were also paintings of the desert on the walls as well as a smaller table with a holovid on it. It looked strangely in place against the ancient beauty of the rest of the room. A blend. The old with the new.

"I am Stamin. You are our guest. You are welcome to roam around the compound as you wish. This is your room." He pointed to a small communicator on the wall. "If you require assistance, please call on the internal communicator. Your captain is housed in the quarters next to you."

And he left.

Nyota's bags had been brought up and she took the time to hang her belongings in the wardrobe. After she was done, she looked around, feeling overwhelmed. She turned to the door and went to see Pike.

The Captain had had the same reaction as his cadet, and yet, he managed to control his reaction. He knew there was no danger in where they were and he was well aware of Vulcan custom. But he had to admit that the fortress they were in (yes, that was the best word for it) had generated many questions that he wanted answered from his first officer.

First off, he couldn't believe this was Spock's house! It was crazy. But yet, it was very real. Second, was the way the Vulcan's had greeted him fresh off the shuttle. "S'haile" The word translated into "lord" in English. Pike wondered, lord of what? His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Enter" Pike answered. His cadet, Uhura, stood at the entry way. She looked uncomfortable and was chewing her bottom lip. She looks like I feel, Pike thought. He waved her in. "No need for formalities Cadet. It seems were going to have plenty more to deal with than our own rules and regulations." She relaxed.

"Captain, I don't really understand what's going on here. Spock has spoken of his mother, but he never said anything about…" she waved her hand around her as her voice trailed off.

"I admit to being slightly confused Uhura." Pike said. "I knew that his mother was Amanda Grayson, and I had known his father as Ambassador. However, a mere Ambassador and a teacher don't live in castles. So it's obvious that this family is not your typical Vulcan delegation"

They sat quietly, each having the same thought, but not wanting to express it. After all, it was only an assumption. But the facts were there. The greeting, the fortress...But seriously…royalty? Vulcan didn't have royalty…did they? And if so, what did that even mean here? There was no logic in placing one group of people over others…but the evidence was clear.

Uhura got up and sighed.

"Well Captain, I'm going exploring. If I'm going to be staying in a castle, I might as well know where I'm going."

Captain Pike looked at her. "Go ahead Uhura. I've got to send some messages in to Starfleet. It seems even off-world, I get no rest." The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled.

"And if you happen to locate my first officer, tell him I want to see him, as soon as he's available"

She blushed. Pike noticed. "Uhura? Don't worry. It's safe with me."

III

Spock hadn't been in his own bedroom in years, and it was exactly as he had left it. It felt oddly comforting to see his familiar surroundings, incomplete gadgets he'd begun but never finished, the ancient drawings of sehlats and lematya's that surrounded the room. It had been his father's as a boy and when he was young Sarek had shown him hidden pathways to get into and out of the different wings of the fortress unseen. Now the familiarity of his surroundings hit him, and he wandered over to his bed. He climbed the stairs and sat down, crossing his legs, and closing his eyes. He began meditating to calm the emotions raging inside him.

A part of him felt completely at peace here. Despite the last moments of his life on Vulcan, his room, the fortress had brought back many pleasant memories he'd long since suppressed since leaving. His mother, mostly. He had missed her dearly.

But another part of him vividly felt the pain and hurt that existed within these walls. The fights between his parents, over him. His discovery of the Pon Farr, facing his father's wrath after he himself had lost control, the feel of his father's hands around his neck, squeezing….

Spock's eyes shot open and he centered himself quickly. He was getting wound up. He needed a release. And he would not find it in meditation. He opened his suitcase, pulling out black yoga-pants. He quickly stripped out of his Starfleet uniform, hanging it in the wardrobe.

Now, clad only in a pair of pants, no shirt or shoes, he made his way out the door.

If living on Earth for nine years had taught him anything, it was not to be shy. Vulcans by nature were not body-conscious, but Spock, being half-human fell susceptible to teasing as a child. He was smaller than the other Vulcans and not as physically strong. That had all changed when he started training.

He had only improved when he got to Earth and after living among humans he'd quickly she'd any lingering doubts about his own physical countenance. It was, after all, illogical to dwell on what cannot be changed.

So, he ignored the glances of the female staff as he strode down the hall, heading towards the gym. None of them stared, and as Spock was their master, none commented. But faint green blushes appeared on the tips of ears as he walked by.

Sarek had the gym constructed after his first trip to Earth. He, like his son, enjoyed physical activity, and Earth-style gyms seemed to be perfect outlets for his energy. His son had used it frequently as a youth, and Spock had every intention of working out his own nervous energy there.

IV

Nyota made her way down the halls. She had discovered the fortress was laid out as a grid. With the main hall as the central focal point. Logical. She had just rounded another corner when she heard grunts coming from down the hall...

Curiosity claimed her and she walked towards the sounds. As she got closer she heard thuds, and pings. The sound of metal clinging and something falling.

She peeked into an open doorway, and looked on in shock, as Spock, her Spock violently attacked a lonely punching back with fists, kicks, punches, jumps.

She'd never seen this side of Spock. But she watched as he jumped, his long, lithe body stretching out in the air for an instant. She watched as he curled and flipped effortlessly mid-flight, before landing in a crouched position, his long legs balanced, his body inches from the floor. She watched his movements as he spun on his heels, still croached low, and with breakneck speed lashed a series of kicks and punches at the bag. It flailed wildly, and she remembered the sounds she heard. The clangs. Spock's fists making impact.

She could feel his tension radiate around her and she couldn't deny she was more than a little afraid right then. She'd never seen Spock raise a hand let alone a fist and Spock, who always was so peaceful…this was a different him. And if she were to tell the truth to herself…aside from being nervous and scared, she was more than a little turned on right then.