The silence in the hallway was unbearable. King Randor looked at his wife and friends hoping one of them would say something, but he had a feeling they were just as confused as he was:  Adam had been telling the truth.

There really had been an attack at Castle Grayskull that Adam had somehow known about. No, he knew how Adam had found out—the Sorceress must have contacted him while his son and he were speaking, but how? Telepathy? Duncan had insinuated a couple of times when he recounted past battles that she had the ability to do so, but Randor never thought she would use this ability to contact Adam. Why would she?

King Randor shook his head wearily. Nothing made sense anymore. He thought he knew so much about his son and Eternia, but obviously, he didn't have a clue.

He turned to Duncan and asked, "The battle went well?"

Duncan nodded slowly—even Man-at-Arms seemed to be at a loss for words.

Randor closed his eyes briefly in contemplation of the day's events before he added, "And, the Sorceress contacted Adam to help her win this battle."

Duncan didn't confirm or deny this because the king's words sounded like a statement rather than a question.

Randor turned his gaze to Marlena who had tears pouring down her face. "I've made things worse, haven't I?" he asked, forlornly. He turned away from everyone and then started pacing back and forth. "I don't even know what to say, do, or think anymore!" He suddenly pulled his crown from his head and threw it angrily against the wall.

The loud bang his actions caused made everyone else in the hall jump. Instead of retrieving the crown, Randor let it lay there and turned his attention back to Man-at-Arms. "I only wanted to help him, keep him at my side, and protect him. I didn't know…By the Ancients, he was telling the truth this whole time!"

"Yes, your Majesty," replied Duncan, who finally found the ability to speak and move again.

Randor sighed and shook his head slowly again. "I'm afraid I've driven him away for good this time. I've never seen him look at me that way. Did you see…after Teela questioned him about how he knew? He looked at me with such contempt when he said he must have made a good guess. I wouldn't be surprised if that look was really hatred."

Marlena wrapped her arms around him from behind and replied, "He doesn't hate you, Randor."

"Really?" asked the king, miserably. "Why doesn't he? I said such hateful things today…and I have no real excuse as to why! I thought he was lying to me. A good father knows when his child is being truthful or not…and I didn't know. No wonder he wants to go to Earth!"

Teela, who had been standing there uncomfortably watching and listening to the king's broken-hearted ramblings, gasped. Adam wanted to go to Earth? Surely, she didn't hear the king correctly! She continued to watch as her father went over to the crown and picked it up. It now had a sizeable dent in it, but the king didn't seem to notice as Duncan handed it back to him. He merely toted it in his hand as he, the queen, and her father walked toward the throne room. They were obviously going there to discuss the day's events, but she was torn as to where she should go. She felt an intense desire to see Adam, see if he was okay, and talk him out of leaving Eternia, but Adora was surely doing that right now. And, as for the king, he was terribly distraught over all the events plaguing the palace recently. If what happened in the hallway was any indication, he would want her to help him prevent Adam's departure, whether it was to Earth or elsewhere. Deciding to follow King Randor to see his thoughts on everything and what he would plan, she followed everyone into the throne room.

=)=)=)

He couldn't believe it—he was actually going to do this! Adora and he were going to tell their father everything! He didn't know whether he should be giddy or downright terrified. So many things could happen! And, once the words were uttered, they could never be undone!

He looked over at Adora as they walked towards the throne room and noticed the determination clearly etched onto her face. If she had any hesitations, she wasn't showing them. Of course, this had been her plan from the start, and only the Sorceress' urgings and explanations had stopped his sister from insisting that they reveal everything before now. After all, the Sorceress did have a compelling argument but so did Adora. And, the Sorceress always said it was their secret to bear. If that's true, then it was also their secret to tell.

Adam took a deep breath as Adora and he stopped outside the throne room doors. He smiled at his sister and asked, "Any doubts?"

"None," she replied confidently. You?"

Adam couldn't help but chuckle. "A million," he answered honestly, "but I want to do this. I hate lying to Father, and I know this will resolve all of our problems. I will no longer have to hide and he'll get the truth he's been asking for."

Adora nodded before grabbing her brother's hand and asking, "Ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

Adora immediately pushed the doors open, and the twins came to stand in the middle of the room before the throne where their parents were seated. Swallowing roughly, Adam took a deep, calming breath before saying, "Father, Adora and I have something we would like to tell you."

=)=)=)

Queen Marlena gasped as Adam and Adora walked into the room hand-in-hand. She knew something was up by just looking at them. Adora seemed confident and determined while Adam seemed nervous but relieved. She widened her eyes as she realized what might be happening. "Are they going to tell him?" she wondered.

As Adam announced that they had something to tell the king, Marlena couldn't help but hold her breath. The moment she longed for since she had discovered Adam's secret had arrived. Randor would know everything! He would know just who this young man was and everything he had done for Eternia!

Adam took into account everyone who was in the room: two guards, Man-at-Arms, Teela, and his parents. Everyone present could not hear their secret. He cleared his throat to get everyone's undivided attention and said authoritatively as he turned to the guards, "Man-at-Arms is in the room, so you two are dismissed."

The guards widened their eyes slightly at the prince. They were the king's personal sentinels and never before had the prince ordered them to do anything, much less leave. Not knowing if their obedience was from shock or the prince's tone which told them nothing else would be acceptable, they immediately turned their eyes downward in acquiesce. "Yes, Your Majesty," they replied simultaneously as they bowed and left the room, closing the doors soundly behind them.

Randor couldn't help but stand amazed as he watched the proceedings unfold. Adam changed before his very eyes: when his son had walked into the room, he had seemed like his usual self, but when he turned to the guards, he noticed that Adam stood straighter—more confidently—and gave his order with such firm resolve that everyone in the room knew he would not be disobeyed. Clearly, the guards got the message loud and clear. They didn't even look to the king for his dismissal! They followed their prince's command without hesitation. *This* was the prince Randor had wanted to see for so very long! Where had his son hidden him? The ability to create this kind of ambience and compliance in others did not appear overnight. No, Adam had this skill long before now.

Adam turned his attention back to his father and watched as the king almost stumbled down the throne steps. Once he stood before him, Randor opened his mouth to speak.

Immediately, the prince raised his hand with two fingers pointed upward to silence his father, and it worked. Randor stood completely mesmerized by the princely countenance in front of him as the future king of Eternia held his gaze and said, "There is something I wish to tell you, Father, something that I have wanted to tell you for a long time, but I had been sworn to secrecy."

Man-at-Arms could not believe his eyes or ears! Adam couldn't possibly be telling the king that he was He-Man, but that was clearly the boy's intention!

Adam continued, "I don't know quite how to say this since I've never had to reveal it to anyone before, but Adora and I have decided we can no longer keep you in the dark. You deserve to know, and I deserve the right to tell you. The truth that you have wanted to know since I got hurt at Castle Grayskull—and truthfully long before—is that I'm not who I seem to be. I am not the cowardly and fun-seeking Prince Adam everyone thinks I am. The truth is that I'm…"

Suddenly, a loud ring overwhelmed Adam and Adora. Both siblings dropped to their knees and held their hands over their ears. "What's happening?" yelled Adora.

Adam grimaced in pain and forced himself to look at his sister. "I don't know!" he answered. He turned to Duncan who stood there, looking at them questioningly. "Duncan! What is this noise? It's terrible!"

Duncan shook his head and replied, "There is no noise!"

Once those words were uttered, the sound seemed to get louder to the twins and they had no choice but to yell out in pain.

Randor quickly kneeled beside them and forced his son to look at him. "What's happening, Adam? Tell me!"

"I don't know," he gasped. "The noise…it's deafening."

Randor turned to Duncan and then Marlena and Teela. It was obvious no one else heard this noise. It was heard only by his children. In a moment of clarity, he knew what was happening. He stood, looked around at the ceiling, and yelled as loudly as he could, "SORCERESS, I KNOW THIS IS YOU! LEAVE THEM ALONE! DO NOT TORTURE THEM!"

The response was immediate: the twins disappeared.

=)=)=)

Adam and Adora found themselves screaming as the noise in their heads stopped. Immediately, they crawled to each other and wrapped their arms around one another.

"Are you okay?" whispered Adam as he hugged her.

"I think so," answered Adora as she buried her face into his hair. "What happened?"

The Sorceress, whom they quickly realized was in the room, replied, "I think the answer to *that* is obvious."

The twins instantly pulled apart and turned to see the Sorceress staring down at them from her throne. She did not look happy.

"What were you doing?" questioned the Sorceress. She almost seemed angry. "I specifically told you NOT to tell King Randor who you truly are!"

Adam looked to Adora, who huddled hastily to his side. She was clearly wary of the Sorceress since she was a woman his sister had not really dealt with directly. All Adora knew for certain was that the woman had immense power and had always been kind to her until now. Fortunately, he did know the Sorceress and wasn't afraid of her—his sister's uncertainty made him angry and he was not afraid to show it.

Adam stood and yelled in reply, "We were telling our father the truth, a truth he should have learned a long time ago! You have no right to stop us!"

The Sorceress frowned and instantly appeared in front of Adam. "I am the Sorceress of this castle and the keeper of its secrets," she said, calmly; "It gives me every right, so do not yell at me. The truth of who you both are is to remain a secret until I tell you…"

Adam shook his head and interrupted her by shouting, "And, *I* am the defender of the secrets of Castle Grayskull! *I* am the one who protects this castle, *you*, and the entire planet; therefore, I decide who knows my secret!"

"It doesn't work that way, Prince Adam!" the Sorceress said just as loudly before she backed away and closed her eyes. She would not make this worse by also yelling. Bringing her voice to a more acceptable level again, she continued, "You have always trusted me before, and I'm asking you to trust me now. You cannot tell your father your secrets."

Adam turned away from the Sorceress and looked at Adora who was already standing and walking toward him. Immediately, the twins hugged again. They had been so close to telling everyone the truth, so close to erasing the dark cloud that had settled over the palace and the Royal Family. To know that the Sorceress would not let them tell the king anything was devastating.

The Sorceress knew their pain and what they were thinking; she even shed a few tears of her own but persisted, "The knowledge of who you are would devastate him right now. You do not know the chaos and woes you would bring upon him and yourselves if you tell him."

Adam turned back to the Sorceress, prepared to argue with her again, but his words died on his lips. He had never seen her cry before. "Then, what am I supposed to do?" he whispered sadly, his anger finally fading. "This is destroying my life!"

The Sorceress reached out and clutched the prince's arm softly, "You will know happiness again, Prince Adam. Remember, I see glimpses into the future. I can tell you that things may seem hopeless now but they will get better, and one day, your father will know everything…just not today."

Adam wiped his sudden tears from his cheeks and replied, "Why can't it be?"

"He's not ready to hear it, yet."

=)=)=)

King Randor turned to Man-at-Arms immediately after his children disappeared and spat, "I know you can speak with her! Tell her to bring my children back this instant, or so help me, I will bring down a wrath upon her and that castle, the likes of which not even Skeletor has ever seen!"

"Your Majesty!" gasped Duncan; "The Sorceress would never hurt them! If she has taken them, she has her reasons…"

"I DO NOT CARE! She has already hurt them, and she has no right to kidnap them. Today, she has taken many liberties that I do not find acceptable. I will level that castle if need be! Make no mistake!"

Man-at-Arms turned his back on the king and called out mentally, "Sorceress!"

"I hear you, Duncan." she said quickly; "I am speaking with Adora and Adam. Wait a moment."

Duncan stood still for several minutes waiting for the Sorceress to address him again.

"Well?" questioned Randor impatiently, knowing that his man-at-arms was calling out to her mentally.

"She will respond to me soon, Your Highness!" he replied. "Sometimes this takes a little time."

Eventually, the Sorceress spoke to him: "The king is upset."

"Yes, he is," he agreed; "He is threatening to attack Castle Grayskull if you do not send Adam and Adora back now. Do not underestimate his threat right now. I believe he means it."

"I'm sure he does, and I do not blame him. We will be there soon."

=)=)=)

King Randor paced the throne room as he waited for Man-at-Arms to finish his conversation with the Sorceress. He knew they were speaking because Duncan was now standing very still and staring off into space without blinking. It was almost as if he were turned to stone.

After several minutes of waiting, Man-at-Arms finally moved. He turned to the king and announced, "The Sorceress said they would be here soon."

"'They'? Does that mean just Adam and Adora, or does that mean she will be accompanying them?" questioned Queen Marlena who had come down from the throne to stand beside her husband.

"She said 'we,' so I think she's coming, as well," answered Duncan. As soon as those words left Duncan's lips, Adam, Adora, and the Sorceress appeared before them.

Immediately, King Randor gasped, "Adam! Adora!" He ran to them and pulled both siblings into his arms at once, hugging them to him frantically.

Adam and Adora returned their father's hug and found themselves opening their embrace to include their mother, as well. Adam had not felt this close to his family in a very long time and he didn't want to see it end, but he knew that it would as soon as he pulled back slightly and met his father's gaze. The king looked worried but there was also a hint of anger in his eyes. "Are you okay?" questioned Randor.

Adam nodded and replied, "Yes, the Sorceress would never hurt us."

Duncan had said those words earlier and hearing Adam repeat them did not ease the king's turbulent thoughts. "It seems to me that she did earlier," he replied softly. "You and Adora were writhing in pain."

Adam shook his head, but Randor immediately broke the embrace and turned toward the Sorceress. "Why did you accompany them? I should call my guards right now and have you thrown into the dungeon!"

"Father!" shouted Adam to stop the king's words. He was astonished to hear his father threatening the Sorceress. He never heard him threaten anyone aside from Skeletor!

"Stay out of this, Adam," said Randor calmly as he continued to stare contemptuously at the Sorceress.

Adam, Adora, and Marlena joined Duncan and Teela off to the side to watch this confrontation unfold. Each knew something big was going to happen, even though they did not know exactly what.

"Well?" questioned King Randor. He couldn't believe the Sorceress was just standing there. "I think I deserve an explanation. Why did you kidnap my children?"

The Sorceress shook her head and stated firmly, "You know me, King Randor. You know I would never 'kidnap' Adam and Adora. I was merely preventing them from making a huge mistake."

"'A huge mistake'?" repeated the king. He looked briefly at Adam and remembered what was happening prior to his disappearance. Many things were now becoming apparent, and King Randor wondered why he never saw it before.

"You do not want me to know whatever Adam was going to share," he realized aloud. He wondered if she would deny it.

"No, I won't deny it," the Sorceress said, reading his thoughts by his mere expression. "You're right; I don't want Adam to tell you any more than he already has."

The king narrowed his eyes at the Sorceress and then looked at his children again. They seemed incredibly depressed and he knew they wanted to tell him desperately. He glared back at the Sorceress and said,  "Why not? Look at them! They want to! I'm their father. Why should they have to hide anything from me and their mother?"

The Sorceress gave a small smile and replied, "I'll tell you what I told Adam. You're not ready to hear it yet. You will know one day, King Randor, but not before you're able to open your eyes and see what so many others close to you can already see."

"What does that mean?"

"When you figure that out, you'll also know what they're not telling you," she answered.

The king closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. He was trying to remain civil, but he was finding it difficult. He spat, "I do not want to play games, Sorceress."

"Neither do I," she agreed.

Randor opened his eyes, looked back at his children, and stared at them for a long time. "Why won't you allow them to tell me? How long has Adam been keeping this secret from me?" He paused and turned his attention back to the Sorceress. "This deals with that prophecy, doesn't it?"

The Sorceress blinked, slightly surprised at the connections the king was quickly making. Maybe the day he would know wasn't so far away after all!

Randor continued, "Many, even you, prophesized that Adam and Adora would be destined for something great, something aside from ruling Eternos. Truthfully, I thought you were mistaken after Adora had been taken from us, but now, she's back. They can fulfill whatever destiny you and the others thought they would have." He paused. "Or, are they already doing it somehow and that's the big secret?"

The Sorceress merely stared at Randor, so the king looked to his children. "Well? Is someone going to answer me?"

The Sorceress moved to block his view of the twins. Standing there, she nodded and acknowledged, "I will answer you: yes, it deals with the prophecy. That is all I will say and that is all Adam and Adora will say. You will know the rest when you are ready to hear it…when you deserve to hear it."

"'When I deserve to hear it'? By the Ancients, what have I ever done to you?" cried Randor angrily. "Why are you doing this to us?"

The Sorceress did not answer. Instead, she turned into Zoar and flew through the window to go back to Castle Grayskull.

As the sounds of the falcon's cries faded into the distance, King Randor turned back to his children. When his eyes met Adam's, the two only stared at one another. Adam knew his father wanted him to tell him what was going on regardless of what the Sorceress wanted.

The king opened his mouth, prepared to ask Adam to tell him everything anyway, but his mouth immediately shut as he watched Adam shake his head at him slowly. Not knowing who he should be mad at, King Randor immediately stormed out the throne room. He didn't know where he was going, but he had to get away for a little while so he could think.