A/N: Wow, thanks for all the reviews! LLG and I were pleasantly surprised you're all still reading this. ;-) Hope you enjoy this chapter as much!

Randor settled on his throne, fury still slithering through him like an evil slime. He hated the feeling. He was sick with hatred towards Keldor and disappointment over Adam's choices. And his entire family was staring at him expectantly.

"What?" he asked irritably.

"You hit him," Mira said, her arms wrapped around her stomach. "You just…hit him."

Randor took a deep breath. "That man," he said forcefully, though as calmly as he could manage, "helped kidnap my daughter when she was a baby. Have you ever lost a child, Mira?" His sister swallowed, knowing it was a rhetorical question.

"I have," Miro said clearly, challenging Randor to differ. Adora had returned to his side, and she gazed at Randor imploringly.

"Then you know how it felt," Randor snapped. "What would you do if you had Keely's murderer here now, knowing he was responsible for the loss of your son all those years?"

Miro didn't drop his gaze, but he couldn't answer either. He had no doubt the old rage and hatred would return.

"I could have excused his actions against me in his quest for the throne," Randor continued in a voice that had grown dangerously quiet, "but there are many other times when he has hurt my family. The final straw was when he had Adam beaten in front of me, punishing him to the point of death. And do any of you know why?" Randor stood and his gaze swept over the family, all of whom were transfixed by now. He had, at Adam's request, never fully revealed what had happened to the rest of the family. 'But they need to know if they are to understand why Skeletor can't be trusted,' Randor reflected briefly before continuing. "All to find out information about He-Man." At this his eyes went to Pierce, who paled slightly.

"That's right," Randor said softly. "Those who think He-Man is against Adam have no concept of the bond the two of them share, and what He-Man owes Adam." He fell silent, his mind going nearly blank as his subconscious thoughts swirled wildly, trying to understand how his son could possibly believe Skeletor had truly changed.

"But Keldor went to Etheria and helped rescue you," Miro pointed out, his voice hesitant. He didn't want to rouse Randor's anger again, but he felt an undeniable urge to defend his oldest son.

"He did it only to get out of prison," Randor said levelly. Marlena and Duncan exchanged glances; the white-hot rage had finally gone, but the anger and hate still remained. "I was only surprised he never tried to escape after that."

"Doesn't that show some change then, Father?" Adora asked gently. She approached the throne almost hesitantly, going up a few steps before stopping, her eyes wide. "And that was more than two years ago. He has changed even more since then."

Randor's face was expressionless as he looked at her. "You too, Adora?" he whispered. "What spell does he have over all of you?"

"Perhaps none," Stephen suggested, speaking for the first time. Randor looked at his younger brother, who was, by his thinking, the most level-headed of them all.

"How can it be anything else?" Randor asked, feeling weary but refusing to show it. "How can otherwise intelligent people actually believe this villain is Keldor, and that he has changed so completely?"

"Perhaps it is the truth," Stephen said, his brown eyes holding Randor's. He held up a hand as Randor started to speak. "Hear me out, brother." At Randor's nod, he continued, his scholarly voice factual. "You lost twenty-two years with Adora because she was taken from you. Our father lost more than sixty years with Keldor. His reaction to forgive his own son, regardless of what he's done, is understandable."

Miro's vision became blurry as gratitude flooded him. 'Stephen understands.' He had not expected this support, but he appreciated it nonetheless.

"As for Adora," Stephen continued with a glance at his niece that tossed his straight brown hair about his face, "she knows what it is like to be the lost sheep. It does not surprise me that she is the first to welcome him back."

Randor was silent for a few moments, considering Stephen's words. "And what of Adam?" he asked, not expecting an answer. "How can you excuse his actions?"

Stephen raised an eyebrow. "Why does one need to excuse mercy?" he asked quietly.

Randor flushed red, remembering how quick he and Adam had both been to help and then pardon Cybilline. Perhaps he was the one who was wrong after all…but his logical mind refused to believe that. "What do you expect me to do?" he asked no one in particular.

"Give him a chance," Miro asked in a subdued voice.

"Perhaps we should discuss this later," suggested Marlena. She was rocking Josiah, but he was beginning to become fussy. "After we've had some time to absorb what has happened here."

"That's an excellent suggestion, Marlena," agreed Stephen, raising his voice to be heard over Josiah.

Marlena was almost at the door when Teela came through it. She angrily brushed some tears from her eyes and wordlessly gathered her son in her arms.

"Calm down, Josiah," she said sweetly. "Mommy's here. We're going to go see Ramos."

Adora came over to see her nephew for the first time. Worry filled her eyes as she saw the child's drawn face. "I think She-Ra is nearby," she said quickly for the sake of her aunts and uncles. "I'll go see if she will meet you at the healers' hall."

"Thank you," Teela whispered gratefully.

"And I'll go with you," Marlena offered.

Stephen and Hannah nodded to Randor. "We are still tired from our journey, Randor. We would like to go to our chambers and rest for a while."

"Of course," said Randor dismissively, with a wave of his hand in their general direction, still staring at the floor. "We will see you at the evening meal."

"Until then," agreed Stephen. He wrapped his arm around Hannah's waist and walked out the door with her.

"Pierce, why don't you go check on Jeremy?" suggested Mira. "I know all of this has shaken him as well." Pierce nodded and he and Prince Dal walked out of the room as Mira wandered over to her father. "Father, will you take a walk with me?" she asked, linking her arm through his.

Miro nodded. He glanced over his shoulder at Randor, who, now that most of the people had left, was alone, brooding on his throne. Miro sighed inwardly, wishing this turn of events had not hurt his son so badly.

Father and daughter walked in silence for a short time.

"Do you all feel that way?" Miro suddenly asked, his face stricken. "Like I chose Keldor over you all of those years? Like I didn't love your mother?"

"Father, Mother explained to us over and over that you loved us very much, and that your trips around the planet were necessary. I suppose we all felt unhappy at times about your travels, but we believed her and understood as best we could. I don't think Randor ever would have brought that up except for the fact of who Keldor was and the harm he's done Randor all of these years."

"If I'd been a good enough father you would have never needed the assurance from her."

"Stop that, Father-"

"It's not true anyway," interrupted Adam, surprising them from behind. The two stopped and turned, taking in the prince's tense face. "Father always knew you loved him very much. He said what he did out of anger about the whole Keldor situation. He knows you love us."

"Perhaps," said Miro, unconvinced, then he asked, "Where's Keldor?"

"I have him in the suite across from mine," Adam answered absently, his mind on Josiah.

"You trust him that much?" Mira asked, her eyebrows raised.

That brought Adam back to the present conversation quickly. "Trust him?" Adam shook his head slowly. "Quite the opposite, Aunt Mira, which is why I put him someplace I can keep an eye on him rather easily." At Miro's crestfallen look, Adam added, "Grandfather, I do believe Keldor has changed, but believing that that change is permanent is different. The one thing I could always count on from Skeletor was that he would break his word and betray any promise he had made. Camping out a few nights and fighting a few battles together does not build trust after years of that behavior. Keldor understands."

Miro breathed a sigh. "Thank you, Adam."

The prince nodded, the distracted look returning to his face. "If you'll both excuse me, I need to meet Teela at the hospital wing."

"I'd like to go with you to see Keldor, Father," Mira said as Adam disappeared around the corner. "To thank him. It's the least I can do after he's saved my people."

"Thank you," Miro whispered, his eyes bright. He turned and led her toward his son's room.

Keldor was pacing in the opulent suite.

"Will you calm down, bonebrain?" asked Lyn annoyed. "We've done what we felt we must, and there's nothing else we can do now."

"I know, worrisome witch, but I'm hurting them again. I never wanted that."

"They are hurting themselves," Lyn said as she sat on her sofa.

Keldor stopped dead in his pacing to look at Lyn. "How can you say that?" he asked, his brow furrowed.

"Simple. Keldor, you have done all that their laws command. You have surrendered yourself without contest to the proper authorities. You have not contested your guilt and when struck you did not strike back. Had any of them wished to hear an apology at the time, you would have offered. You did all you could do." She patted the seat beside her.

Keldor sat down and she took his hands in her own as she continued. "Randor is in pain because of his hatred," she continued. "You know personally how hatred binds and hurts the one that holds it a thousand times more than the one who is hated. He will have to let it go before he can be free."

"But his hatred of me…I deserve it. It's not like the hatred I had for him and Father all of those years."

Lyn laid her hand on his unbruised cheek. "Does that make the hatred any less damaging?"

"No," Keldor admitted. "It's just I don't know how to help him. If he needs to get over this hatred of me, I'm not sure I can help. Unless he needs me to be his personal punching bag."

Lyn chuckled. "Well it could be a place to start. As long as your father doesn't have to see the next few rounds. As for the others, they hold anger at you for betraying the family. They have to feel that and then let it go. It will take time, but they must do it. We can only be here and help as they need. It will not be easy for either of us, but I think this task is what holds us here Keldor. Somehow we are to help your family heal from this."

Keldor snorted. "Like I can help anyone heal. That's a joke."

"You had a fair start at it on Carina."

"I never hurt anyone on Carina," Keldor said looking away. He grimaced as a memory hit him unbidden. "Except Micah," he added softly.

"And you and he repaired that relationship," Lyn pointed out.

Keldor sighed. This was pointless. "I never hurt him the way I've hurt these others."

"All we can do is try," Lyn reasoned. "It's the least we can do."

Keldor's nodded almost at the same time there was a knock on the door. "Come in," he called.

Miro opened the door, Mira by his side. "May we come in, Son?" the former king asked.

"Mira," Keldor breathed, taken aback at the sight of his sister. "What are you doing here?"

"I believe the proper response is to invite them in," Lyn commented dryly.

"Thank you, my dear," Miro said with a nod to his daughter-in-law.

Keldor shifted uncomfortably as he motioned to the soft ivory sofa in the pale green sitting room. Lyn moved to the only freestanding chair, forcing Keldor to sit on the sofa next to his father and across from his sister in the plush ruby chaise. Lyn ran her boots' flat soles over the red and white pastoral scene that was so carefully wrought on the thick rug beneath their feet. Keldor looked over shoulder. The window was small and round, but he was fairly certain he could jump through it to escape this confrontation.

"I wanted to thank you for saving my kingdom," Mira said hesitantly, mainly just because she wanted to break through the awkwardness lingering in the room.

"It was the least I could do," Keldor said, his voice low in spite of his surprise at her words. "And there were many others who helped. I didn't do it alone."

"I know," Mira agreed. "I'm afraid we do tend to take He-Man's help for granted, and even She-Ra's. However, I'm a bit more...overwhelmed by yours."

Keldor snorted. "I can imagine."

Lyn chuckled quietly.

"I don't understand what happened to you, Keldor," Mira began. "Father said you had reasons, but-"

"No reason is enough to justify what I did," Keldor said, rising to his feet and walking to the window. He wished for a moment that he really could escape through it.

Mira rose as well and approached Keldor from behind. "Well right now, I don't really care, because I'm not sure I'm ready to hear it," she admitted frankly, startling the mage.

"You're not?" Keldor asked, his brow furrowed as he turned to his sister.

"No, I'm not," Mira reiterated. "I just wanted to make sure you knew that I don't understand. But right now, I don't feel like you're the same person that Skeletor was. All I know of you, my brother Keldor, is that you saved my husband and my kingdom. So for now, I just want to get to know you a little as my long lost brother before I really try to reconcile the past." She gazed up at him with kind brown eyes that contrasted sharply with Keldor's mental image of Randor's unyielding ones. "Is that okay?"

Keldor turned to look at his sister. Unthinking, he began to rub the back of his neck and nodded. "Of course, Mira." He motioned for her to sit and once again took his place between her and his father.

Mira smiled, a little wavering in the effort, but a smile nonetheless. "So, Keldor, tell me all about Carina." After a few seconds' hesitation, Keldor did just that.

The crash and tinkling of crystal smashing into a stone wall and clattering to the floor echoed through the hall outside Orko's new room. "You brought me flowers!" screeched Dree Elle. "You killed these beautiful blooms, when they could have lived and grown!"

Orko ducked behind a nearby credenza shaking. He'd heard of Trollan mood swings during pregnancy but this was beyond anything he was ready for. Dree Elle had been so weepy lately, and he felt so bad for his wife. He had hoped the moon blossoms would make her feel better. After all, they were her favorite flower—and she usually loved it when he brought her flowers.

Dree floated out, her hand resting on the bump that was showing through her robes. "They should have had a chance to create seeds, Orko! How could you have been so cruel?"

"I-I'm so sorry, Dree, I promise I only wanted to cheer you up because you've been so unhappy lately. I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I just wanted to make you happy."

"You what?" asked Dree Elle, her voice soft and watery.

"I only wanted to make you happy. I promise," Orko floated up in front of Dree Elle, covertly checking around him for a quick exit if necessary. "Can you ever forgive me?"

"Oh, Orko, do you really mean it?" Dree said, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Of course I mean it. You're prettier than a field of moon blossoms to me."

"You dear, sweet, husband. Of course I forgive you. Let's go work on the baby's crib again."

Orko tugged his scarf nervously as he trailed his wife into their room. Hopefully, she would stay calm for more than ten minutes at a time for the rest of the day. The little magician gulped loudly. He doubted it.

Adam found Teela in the infirmary, holding Josiah as the healer listened to the baby's heartbeat. She met his gaze with an angry glare.

"What's going on?" Adam asked in a subdued voice.

"Samantha was just telling me that they can't find anything wrong with him," Teela informed Adam archly.

Adam's brow furrowed. "So what's-"

"He cries constantly!" Teela exclaimed, her cheeks flushing. "There's something wrong!"

Samantha sighed with a long-suffering look of patience. "Prince Adam, as I told your wife, Josiah could simply be a colicky baby. We-"

"I want to see Ramos," Teela interrupted in a slightly petulant tone.

"Your Highness, I assure you," Samantha began.

"I'd like to see Ramos as well," Adam interjected firmly. "I'd like to hear what you both have to say." With a polite nod Samantha left, leaving the couple alone for a few minutes.

"Sounds like you've had a rough time with him," Adam said quietly, trying to gauge how angry Teela truly was.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did you care?" she snapped at him.

Adam winced. 'Angrier than I thought.' "Of course I care," Adam said as he took a deep breath. 'I have to stay calm for her now,' he reminded himself.

"Really?" Teela said with a derisive snort. "It seems to me that you've been worried only about doing the right thing lately and we've paid the price! How could you, Adam? It's bad enough that you could have called Skeletor back all of these years, but you decide to call him back just as your son is about to be born. How could you have called him back now? With everything else going on, now I have to worry about Skeletor in the room right across from me and my baby!" Teela practically shrieked. "And if he escapes, my baby won't have his father. And you weren't here for us when we both needed you because you were out fighting with him."

Teela's chest heaved as she finished her tirade, her face red and blotchy. Adam's jaw went slack; he hadn't had a tongue-lashing like that from her since before she had learned his secret. And truth be told, she had some valid points, even if she was overly emotional at the moment. But Adam couldn't help notice that in spite of the raised voice and Teela fairly shaking with anger, Josiah hadn't woken up, and that only added to his worries.

"Teela," Adam said, scrambling to think of what might soothe her. He hesitated. For Teela to criticize someone for doing their duty was so unlike her, he knew a great deal of it had to be related to emotional stress and hormones. Finally he settled on the truth. "You and Josiah will always be the most-"

"Don't you even dare try to tell me that we're what's most important to you," Teela interrupted, her voice still raised. "That stupid sword and that stupid castle and the entire kingdom will come before we do! They always have, and they always will!"

Adam was about to respond when he heard the click of the door behind him and Teela's eyes grew large. Ramos and Samantha entered, extremely official looks on their faces, as if they hadn't overheard a word. Teela went white as she recalled her own shouting. 'What if they heard me?'

Adam's face paled as he saw the healers. He hated arguing with Teela at any time, but if that conversation had gone even a few words longer…Adam ran his hand through his hair and did what he always did in such situations--he tried to distract them. This time however, his distraction was more than a smokescreen to cover Teela's looked at his sleeping son. Distraction or no, he had to find out what was happening with Josiah.

"What is it, Ramos? " he asked, his voice thick with emotion for more reasons than the healers knew. "What is wrong with my son?"

For the first time since Adam had known him, the old healer looked uncomfortable.

"We don' know, Your Highness," he admitted quietly. "Samantha and I agree that it seems to be somethin' more than just colic, but all of his tests have come back normal." He gazed at the baby in concern for a moment as Josiah whimpered in his sleep, his small hand punching the air. Teela's eyes flooded, and she dashed the tears away angrily.

Adam felt heartsick, but his jaw tightened with determination. He was about to speak when a knock sounded. "Can I come in?" She-Ra's voice called out.

Relief hit Adam hard. He was positive his sister could fix this. Hope flared in Teela's eyes as well. She-Ra looked over to the two healers as she entered, concern etched on her beautiful face.

"Of course, She-Ra," said Ramos. The healers' expressions brightened. "You are exactly the person we need right now. My team and I have run every test imaginable on Prince Josiah, but it doesn' seem to help. Our small magical healin' powers are not strong enough to help him. And I'm afraid," Ramos swallowed hesitantly, "…that we are no longer seeing simply a lack of vigor, but a slow decline."

"What do you mean?" Adam demanded harshly, his entire mind and soul rebelling at what the healer seemed to be insinuating.

Ramos started. He had never heard the prince use such a severe tone.

"I- I'm sorry Your Highness. I was just about to inform you that your son is losin' weight and his vital signs are weaker than other children of this age. Whatever this is, it's very serious."

Adam stared at Ramos without really seeing him. Teela gasped and started shaking. She-Ra's eyes went wide, but she quickly grasped her brother's arm and made him sit down. Then she turned to Teela and laid a hand on her shoulder, setting her down as well and squeezing lightly until her sister-in-law met her eyes. "Let me have him," she said quietly, her voice full of a comforting assurance.

Teela allowed She-Ra to take Josiah without a further word. Tenderly, the Princess of Power laid her hand on her nephew's forehead. "For the honor of Grayskull," she whispered. Power flowed from her into the baby. His face relaxed, and his whimpering stopped. Adam and Teela exchanged looks of profound relief.

'Of course it'll be all right,' Adam thought to himself. Things always had a way of working out.

She-Ra frowned as she concentrated. When she dropped her hand a few minutes later, she turned troubled eyes onto Adam and Teela, swallowing hard.

"Thank you, She-Ra," Teela whispered with a smile, reaching for Josiah. But Adam knew her better than that.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," She-Ra said, her voice sorrowful. "That's the problem. He's not sick. I can't help him."

"What do you mean?"asked Teela, her smile gone and her voice harsh. "Of course he's sick." Adam rose to his feet and pulled his wife to hers. Teela took Josiah from She-Ra's arms and leaned into Adam's chest.

A conversation with Adora echoed in Adam's mind. 'If it's genetic, she can't help him,' he realized, a cold hand of fear wrapping itself around his heart.

"We've got to do something, Adam," Teela said, her voice breaking.

Adam wrapped his arms around Teela and his son."I think it's time to take a trip to Grayskull," he said, his voice hard. He looked over at Ramos and Samantha. "We will be leaving for Castle Grayskull in within the hour, but if you find anything at all or have any other test you think may help, I expect to be informed immediately."

Ramos hesitated for just a second. Prince Adam's demeanor was different. For a moment, Ramos felt as if he was talking with Randor. "Of course, Your Highness," Ramos finally said with a slight bow. Both he and Samantha took their leave.

"What good will it do to bring Josiah to Grayskull if She-Ra can't heal him?" Teela asked into Adam's shirt. She hadn't forgotten she was angry at Adam, but for the moment she needed his love and strength.

"The Chamber of Life is at Grayskull," Adam said, steady in his resolve.

She-Ra eyed him warily. "I thought that was a wild magic that even the Sorceress couldn't control."

Adam's arms tightened around Teela infinitesimally. "He-Man can."

'How can this have happened?' Randor wondered for the hundredth time. His fury at Skeletor was absolute. It had always been strong, but now it was even deeper. He felt it to his very core now. 'My brother, how can he be my brother?' he thought, enraged by the idea. It was as though this blood tie to Randor was a slap to his face.

Randor shifted on his throne. The clock on the far sand-colored wall chimed six times.

'Dinner time,' he thought, absently running his fingers over the smooth arm of his throne. 'I really should go.'

Yet he continued to stare at the wall, unmoving as the confusion, pain, betrayal and anger tumbled and swirled within. He was unaware of additional time passing.

"There you are," Marlena said as she walked into the throne room. "This is the first meal you have been able to take with Mira and Stephen together since Adam's wedding, Randor." She walked up and took one of his hands from the throne. "You need each other now more than ever. Hiding here in your throne room won't solve anything."

Randor glared at her moodily, yanking his hand away. "I'm not hiding."

"What would you call it then?" Marlena asked calmly, sitting in her throne next to him.

Randor stared at her in disbelief. "You can't tell me you're okay with all of this?"

"Of course not," Marlena assured him. "But you can't process it all at once. It takes time and discussion, just as any mediation would."

"I'm not interested in mediation," Randor replied darkly. "I'm interested in justice."

Marlena studied him of a moment. "My dear, who has you most upset right now?" she asked gently. "Keldor, Miro, or Adam?"

"All of them," Randor snapped, then stopped. 'Oddly enough...' "Adam," he admitted grudgingly. "I can almost understand where Father's coming from, but Adam?"

"You feel like he's betrayed you," Marlena supplied softly.

"Hasn't he?" Randor whispered. "He chose our enemy over us."

"No, he chose what he thought was right over what we thought was right," Marlena corrected him. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you going to behave at dinner? I don't want you badmouthing Adam."

Randor grimaced. 'How many times has she said that to me over the years, when I was disappointed in my son?' "I won't," he promised, "but don't expect me to make the same promise regarding Skeletor."

"Keldor, dear," Marlena corrected him, rising out of her seat and tugging on his hand until he stood. "And I wouldn't. You have to vent to someone, it may as well be your siblings and me."

Chef Alan flitted from chair to chair with amazing poise for a man of his size. His black eyes sparkled delightedly as he chatted with the visitors.

"Oh and how you've grown, young Jeremy," the cook gushed happily as he placed a bowl of steaming soup in front of the young prince. "I believe that Reen Root soup was always a favorite of yours, wasn't it my lad?"

"Yes, sir," Jeremy said awkwardly. "I always liked it."

"Why, Chef Alan, how very thoughtful of you," complimented Mira. "You seem to have made each of our favorite soups. Really, though, that's too much work."

"Nonsense," the stocky man protested. "I see all of you little enough now that you've grown and left me. It's no trouble at all, and any extra made can always feed the staff."

"There's no need to protest, Mira," said Marlena with a smile. "You'll ruin his fun."

"Ah," agreed Chef Alan with a chuckle. "Someone who understands." He placed a large basket of steaming bread in the center of the long oval table and then nodded toward his staff waiting in the hallway. Several cooks and a few pages that were drafted into service began setting up a buffet table filled with steaming sauce-covered game, roast tensae fowl, broiled sea crawlers, and a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, all in Duncan's self-warming serving trays. Next to the wide buffet a cart of tempting treats waited under glass.

"Are you sure you don't wish us to serve you tonight, Your Majesty?" the chef asked Marlena after his crew swept out of the room.

"No," she said as she sat in the chair that Randor held out for her. The other men at the table stood for only a second after Marlena had a seat. "Thank you, but we will be fine. You and your wonderful helpers go enjoy your supper."

Chef Alan nodded and walked out, shutting the door behind him leaving everyone looking across each other uncomfortably over their soup.

A/N: After I put up this chapter, I glanced at something and learned that something odd is happening in the uploading--words are disappearing. So, after all the things I've written on here, I now know that I need to edit the chapter a final time in the document manager. I apologize for all the chapters that I edited in Word and uploaded and posted without checking them over in the document manager, as I probably have errors out there that I didn't know existed. Lesson learned.