(a request for keitlura here on tumblr who wanted to see Keith and Allura flirting in the midst of combat. Alas I can't really imagine these two sincerely flirting on the battlefield, so I'm sorry if this isn't really what you wanted.)

The ambush had, so far, been rather underwhelming.

Neither Keith nor the princess ever thought they'd ever get to this point. At one point an ambush would have set their blood and adrenaline rushing, but after having experienced ambushes from some of the most proficient assassins in the galaxy… being jumped by some run down sentires with no coordination was just a let down.

Still, the sudden attack had to be dealt with.

Keith drove his bayard into the chest of one of the sentries and dislodged it with the aide of his foot before swinging the blade just fast enough to slice through another. His eyes scanned his surroundings trying to locate the princess's familiar silver hair.

"Princess?!" he called, his voice tinged with concern.

A clank and a thud caused the red paladin to whirl around, just in time to catch a decapitated sentires head. His eyes went from it towards where the bots main body crumpled to the ground. Allura emerged from behind the body, bo staff in hand, and her meticulous hair for once out of place. Small wisps of silver locks clinging to her sweat beaten brow.

He felt his face grow hot at the sight and, without taking eyes off of her, swiftly took out a sentry coming up on his right. After that he rushed over and took a place by her side.

"Princess, are you alright?"

It was a stupid question.

"Of course I'm not alright! We're surrounded!"

"Yeah." Keith huffed as he saw the holes between the ranks fill in. "I noticed."

"Keith," Allura spoke urgently. "I will carve a path to the exit. You cover my back."

The paladin snorted. "Screw that!"

"I beg your pardon?!"

"I'll carve a path. You cover me."

"But it's my idea! I should be the one to do it!"

"I have a sword! You have a stick! Which one do you really think will slice up those sentries to make a path?!"

They were closing in now.

Allura growled and caved in. "Fine!"

She stepped aside, and Keith charged.

He was like some dangerous wild animal. The only thing that slowed him down were the sentries that he carved through as he went.

The princess watched him go with admiration in her eyes. He wasn't what she'd call a natural warrior. There wasn't the grace of a trained soldier in his movements.

No Keith moved like some uncontrolled beast. A creature that lashed out and struck its enemy out of instinct, rather than trained precision. She tried not to react to the numerous scratches and minor hits he took, as he moved forward.

They were at the exit now.

Keith made it through the doorway first. He quickly turned, ready to close the door behind the second Allura's foot was through the threshold. But just as she stepped through the door and Keith activated the door, a cold metal hand reached through and pulled the princess backwards.

"Allura!" Keith screamed.

Time seemed to slow down.

An overwhelming feeling of deja vu washed over the princess.

Right. She'd done this before for Shiro. If she were honest she'd do it again for any of her paladins. And she'd definitely do it again for Keith.

However just as her self sacrificing inner monologue got underway, a twinkle of a blade shot through the opening and lodged itself into the offending sentries arm. From the corner of her eye she identified the familiar blue sigil that belonged to the Blade of Mamora.

Keith pulled both her and the blade through the opening just as the doors closed. Slicing off the already damaged arm. Allura landed on top of Keith, and they both lay there attempting to catch their breaths.

The princess was the first to move, pushing herself up and looking down on her exhausted paladin. And she wasn't exaggerating when she said exhausted.

His black hair was slick with sweat, and his eyes were bleary and tired.

"A-are you… okay… princess?" he huffed.

"I'm fine." he moved off of him and grabbed his arm. "Come on. We're almost out. The red lion is just down this passageway."

"Heh… yeah… I can hear 'er." He chuckled. "She is NOT happy with me."

Allura glared down at the young man.

"The red lion isn't the only one." She slung Keith's arm over his shoulder and got him to his feet. "You really have to learn to be more careful in a fight. It's dangerous."

"Heh, you sound like Shiro."

Allura ignored the comparison as she dragged him back to the lion and shoved him into a healing pod the moment they were back at the castle.

The moment he woke up, they were going to start defensive training.