**Author's note: This new story is not related to my other fanfics, and it's loosely based on the 1980s Filmation series. It's rated T because there will be some violence and suggestive content in future chapters. This chapter has only canon characters, but there will be many original characters in future chapters. I do not own any MOTU characters or storylines, and I'm not making any profit here. This is just for fun, so enjoy it!**

Chapter 1

"...and yet you still have nothing to say for yourself, even after turning tail and running away from the enemy AGAIN - shamelessly, in front of your own troops, the troops you are supposed to be LEADING - I thought I raised you better than this, Adam! - but you reject responsibility at every opportunity! - and it makes me sick to know that my own son is a coward..."

The king's voice finally trailed off. The dining room was silent. The food was cold, and the faces around the table were colder. The queen had already left the room in tears several minutes earlier. A few nobles, a Master named Mekaneck and Captain Teela of the Royal Guard watched the scene with horrified expressions. Duncan, the king's Man-At-Arms, fixed his unreadable gaze on the crown prince.

The prince himself just looked down at his plate. After a minute, he seemed to make an internal decision before rising from his seat very slowly. He calmly removed his vest and personal jewelry, then stripped off his tunic, revealing his chiseled bare chest. Everyone gasped. Captain Teela's jaw dropped.

Turning to King Randor, Prince Adam of Eternia asked, "Father, if I'm a coward as you say, then why are there no battle scars on my back?"

The prince's torso was covered with scars - some seemed to run deep, some appeared quite recent, but the sheer number of marks was a shock to all present. Before anyone could say anything, the prince quickly exited the room, leaving his shirt behind, and sure enough, there was not a single scar on his back.

The Captain of the Guard was still gaping after him, speechless. All those present were silent. What had just happened? Suddenly Teela noticed his royal signet ring on the table before her, and she realized that he was leaving; her best friend since childhood was leaving. In light of the events of the past few years, she had also considered him a coward, a lazy party boy, but...but that wasn't true, was it? He was brave and honorable, just like he'd been when they were kids.

She jumped out of her seat to go after him. "Adam! Wait for me!" She dashed down the hall, but he was swift. Already gone. Not the slowpoke who moped around the royal palace every day, seeking new hiding spots for naps. Apparently that was all an act. Panicked, she picked up her pace, and found Prince Adam as he was entering his private suite. "Adam!" she called. "Wait! We need to talk."

"Let me go, Teela," he sighed. His jaw was set and determined: Teela hadn't seen that look on his face in years. "I'm going to pack up, and I'll be out of your hair in a few minutes." He tried to shut his door on her.

"No!" she yelled. Teela forced the door open and pushed her way inside. Then, softly, she added, "I'm here to apologize to you, Adam."

That was not what the prince expected her to say! "What?" He dropped down to sit on the corner of his bed, the weight of his father's words now heavy upon him. He no longer wore a facade of nonchalance.

Captain Teela sat beside him. She began, "I'm sorry, Adam, I made assumptions, and I doubted you, and I feel like we lost our friendship as a result of my lack of faith in you. You've always been my best friend, Adam. Please, please don't go." Tears were welling up in her eyes. "I'll never doubt you again."

It took Adam a few seconds to recover from his astonishment. Hesitantly, he answered, "Don't apologize, Teela. The reason you doubted me was because I deceived you, and my parents, and everyone - and for that, I am truly sorry."

"But why, Adam?" she gently asked. "Why did you hide whatever it is that you've been doing? I'm sure now that you were acting with honor, but why hide it from us?" She placed her hand on his.

Prince Adam closed his eyes for a moment before responding. "There are certain things that I have to do, as the heir to King Grayskull...the Sorceress swore me to absolute secrecy when it started...if you or my father knew the truth, you would be in great danger...I can't…"

"All right then, Adam, I understand," Teela said. She struggled not to become angry at the secrecy, but tried to consider his point of view. "I won't ask what the secret is. Will you humor me and answer a few questions, though?" She did her best to smile kindly at him. He nodded.

"Have you ever run away from battle?"

"No."

"Have you ever been lazy?"

Adam chuckled at that. "No."

"When you skip training with me, is it always because you have to do…these 'certain things?'"

"Yes."

"So you're telling me that everything you do is for the honor and glory of Eternia? To preserve and protect life?"

"Yes."

"Well, then, I don't need to know what this secret is, as long as I know you're choosing the right path. You're my best friend, Adam, you should have asked me for help from the start," she pleaded. "I mean, you're my oldest and dearest friend."

Adam flinched and turned away at the word "dearest." He pulled his hand away from Teela as if she had burned him.

"What is it?" she asked, hurt by his rejection. "Look at me, Adam. Is there something else you're not telling me?"

When he looked up at her again, there was a tear streaming down his cheek. Teela suddenly had a sense of his fragility and vulnerability - not at all apathetic, as he had seemed to be previously - even an hour ago, he had acted the part of a prince who didn't care.

"I'm afraid," he said, "afraid that I truly am a coward. If I tell you, I could lose you forever."

"No, Adam, what could be so terrible as that?"

He took a deep breath. Even then, he had difficulty making his voice work. "Teela, I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you for as long as I can remember. There's never been anyone but you…"

Teela scoffed involuntarily. "Hah! What about Frosta and Lady -?"

"That never happened, Teela," Adam interrupted firmly. "You shouldn't believe rumors, you know better." His jaw was set again.

"And then there was that princess -"

"She lied about me to cover up something else she did."

"What?" Everything that Teela had assumed to be true about this man was being thrown away! Hearing the truth was almost like having the wind knocked out of her.

"I love you, Teela, I always have and I always will." He stood up, as if he'd just noticed that he was half-naked on a bed with a woman.

"But I...I've never even thought about...I don't…" Teela stammered.

"I know, but I want you to understand that I'm serious," he continued as he walked over to his dresser and opened a drawer. He pulled something out, and walked back to Teela. That was when he dropped to one knee, and showed Teela a ring with a large gemstone that matched the exact color of her eyes: clear, brilliant blue-green. It was surrounded by dozens of tiny diamonds that seemed to magnify the central stone's fire. "Someday, Teela, if or when you're ready, it is my cherished hope that you will do me the honor of becoming my wife."

For the second time that day, Teela's jaw dropped. Her mind was reeling.

"Take the ring, Teela. Take it as a reminder of my question: Will you marry me? No need to answer just yet. I can wait months or even years. But you know the truth, and the question is in the open now."

Still in shock, Teela allowed the prince to slip the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly.

The captain looked back and forth between the ring and the man. Then something snapped in her heart.

Teela stuttered, "I...I...I can't…"

Adam looked away and swallowed her rejection hard. "I understand, Teela. Forgive me."

"...I can't...I can't believe I'm about to say this, Adam. Yes. Yes, I will marry you, yes. And the sooner, the better." After all, she thought to herself, I just said that I'd never doubt him again.

Adam was just as surprised as Teela. He smiled like he had never smiled before, and at that moment, Teela knew she had made the correct decision.

**Author's note: Not sure when I'll be able to post again. The next chapter will have a significant time jump. Please leave a review if you enjoyed the start. Thanks for reading!**