I'm back! Sort of...kind of...maybe? Next one might take 2 years too. Enjoy!

I make no claim to any WEP properties, just the contents of this story.

If It's What Allura Wants, It's What I Want

"Keith, hurry, I need you!"

Those urgent words had the young commander of Black lion gripping his communicator as he raced through the castle. He found a frazzled Princess Allura in her change room off the control room. Normally, used to change into her lion uniform, Allura stood in the middle of the small room with her huge blue eyes wet with emotion and a mass of pale purple fabric balled in her fist.

"Princess?" Keith slowed to a stop, his heart racing. His dark eyes swept their surroundings, looking for danger. His hand reached for the blaster that should've been on his hip. Disgusted with himself, Keith curled his hands into fists, ready to fight, hand-to-hand combat suited him just fine.

Allura looked up from the material. Her pink nose wrinkled like a rabbit's, and she shoved the lavender material into his chest, "Keith, oh thank goodness you've come! I need your help! Right now! Immediately!"

His eyes fell toward the wadded up material against his chest. It looked like a dress, a very large, voluminous dress, with a huge skirt that looked like something out of an old earth history book. It was the style of dress popular amongst the nobility and upper classes of Arus, and the princess owned more than a few. Why she shoved the dress into his chest was beyond him, but the sight of her teary eyes melted his heart. "What is it? What's the matter? Allura, are you alright?"

Taking hold of her arms, Keith gave Allura a tiny little shake to get her attention. When her eyes met his, he gave her his most winning smile. That did the trick because Allura smiled back at him, her cheeks rosy with a warm blush. He hadn't a clue as to what she wanted, but he already knew he'd do whatever she asked. Why was she so damn cute?

She turned to face a closet stuffed with dresses and shoes. Keith followed her gaze, taking in the closet and a vanity table with a huge, lighted mirror. Combs, brushes, and several small boxes of accessories filled the top of the table, leaving very little space for anything else. Why all this was in her change room, he couldn't begin to fathom.

"Keith, I need a huge favor. In fact, you're the only one who can help me." She reached down to take hold of the lavender dress once more, and held it up in front of him as if he would understand what she wanted. Which of course he didn't.

"Princess, if you tell me what's wrong, maybe I can help you?" He made that into a question, because he suddenly knew he wasn't going to like the answer. His instincts were spot on.

"Coran just notified me. I have a state dinner to attend. Tonight! In just five hours to be exact, and I have no idea what to wear. There isn't anyone I can ask to help me, except you!"

Good grief, was this the emergency to which he'd been called? Keith rushed over here, and all she really wanted was fashion advice?

"Me?! Where are your maids? Where's Nanny? They would be more help than I could be." Keith knew he wasn't the best qualified to help with such matters.

His eyes quickly glanced over her petite frame and he allowed himself the slightest of smiles. He thought the princess would look good in a burlap sack, so he really wasn't the one to ask about these sorts of things.

"They're all gone for the day. Shopping in the village of Haven, a good six hours ride from here. They'll never make it back in time to help me decide what to wear. These dignitaries are very important to Arus and I have only one chance to impress them." Her voice suddenly changed and she looked very serious, her eyebrows drawing up as she leaned forward, as if confiding in him.

"You may not realize this, but as a young leader of an entire planet, not everyone believes I am capable. I have to work hard to gain trust. Dinners like this are just as important as fights with robeasts or even Lotor himself." She looked down at the dress in her arms, and then lifted her gaze to his once more, her eyes flashing with determination. "That's why I need your help!"

Ok, he really didn't like this, but what else could he do? His princess needed him, and he was ever a fool for those baby blues. Whatever Allura wanted, that's what he would do.

"So what can I do, Princess? What do you need?"

Allura gave him a heart-stopping smile and held up the lavender gown once more for him to see. It had a single strap over the left shoulder, and the strap crossed the bodice covered in a mass of rhinestones that glittered in the bright lights of the dressing table. A rich, royal purple made up the ruffled underskirt, all in a light gauzy material that was perfect for a summer day.

She held the dress up in front of him, her head tilting to one side as she considered. Satisfied, she then made a twirling motion with her left hand, which he unconsciously obeyed and turned around to face the mirror. Princess Allura handed him the dress.

"Slip that on. It doesn't need to fit. I just want to see how it looks on you."

Keith blustered, turning red with embarrassment, and tried to shove the dress back into her hands. She ignored him, opened up an ornate jewelry box and fished through the contents.

"I'm not wearing that!"

The princess continued to ignore him. Or rather, she was so intent on her search that she didn't hear him until she finally looked up, a pair of rhinestone clip-on earrings in her hand. The dangly earrings would be perfect for outfit, or so she thought. Allura turned around to see Keith still standing there, lavender dress crushed in his fist, the look of a cornered beast in his eyes.

"Why are you just standing there? Please, put it on. With these earrings! I need to see how it looks."

Now, a man in love will do a great many things for the woman who holds his heart, and Commander Keith Kogane was no exception. With a reserved sigh he took the dress, unzipped it and was about to step into it, when Allura stopped him.

"No, you have to take off your clothes. I need to see the dress against your skin, not your uniform. Please, Keith?" Her cheeks were bright red as she motioned with her hands.

He'd dreamt of this moment, being undressed in front of the princess, but not quite like this. Not the slightest bit of romance filled this moment, but he'd already decided to help her. If nothing else, Keith was a man of his word, even though he felt like the biggest fool in the galaxy. Just think of it as Coplay!

In a daze, Keith stripped off his uniform and boots. He stood in his underwear as Allura helped him step into the dress. It didn't fit, of course, but Allura didn't seem to mind. Still blushing brightly, she zipped it as tight as she could get it without damaging the zipper and handed him the earrings. Keith dutifully clipped them on, and prayed for the earth to open up under his feet and swallow him whole.

"Lavender is definitely your color, especially with your dark hair. I'm not so sure it will look that nice on me."

A compliment, but not the kind he'd ever expected to hear. Keith peeked at himself in the mirror and cringed. Beside him, the princess stared seriously into the mirror, her finger tapping her bottom lip thoughtfully as she studied his reflection.

"I'm thinking the pink lipstick would go best, nothing too dark." Allura grabbed a gold tube from the vanity and turned him to face her.

"Allura, I don't think…"

"Pucker your lips, just a bit. Like this."

She made the gesture with her own plump lips. Keith stared for a moment, mesmerized, before mimicking her. He felt a sudden rush of heat and was grateful for the voluminous ruffles that hid everything nicely. Unaware, of his present dilemma, Allura dabbed the sheer pink lipstick on his lips and stepped back, a critical expression on her face. Again, she tapped her own lips as she turned him to face the mirror.

"Ok, I think that pink is perfect with that outfit. What should I do with my hair?"

Next, Allura grabbed two rhinestone-encrusted clips from the table, one in each hand, as she stared at his long, dark locks. Many times, Keith envisioned her running her fingers through his hair, but somehow he didn't think he was going to like what was about to happen. His eyes stared up at the ceiling as Keith prayed for deliverance. Sadly, his prayer went unanswered.

"Please bend down, Keith. Perfect!"

Her fingers moved skillfully against his scalp, gently twisting until she'd arranged his hair in a loose bun, with wisps of hair flying free. Keith stood frozen, horrified at the image reflecting back in the mirror. This was too much, even for love. He was about to say something when he heard her sigh and glanced at her reflection beside him. She had a certain look in her eye, and her cheeks were definitely rosier than usual.

"Allura?"

Her hands flew to her cheeks. When she looked up again, her big blue eyes were shining brightly. Allura turned to her vanity once more, opened a drawer, and rummaged inside. It was almost over, Keith thought, looking at her and not his reflection. It had to be.

After a few moments, the princess exhaled loudly and turned to him. Bunched up in her fists was something pink with ruffles and lace. Her face now beet red, she held it up to him.

You have got to be freaking kidding me!

"Please, just this last thing, I promise. I need to see if these go with the outfit. Please Keith?"

Her long lashes fluttered at him like twin moths. No, he was definitely the moth, trapped in the flame called Allura. Still, he tried to fight it, tried to get away. With valiant effort, Keith took a step back and held up his hands to fend her off as she advanced on him with a pair of pink, lace panties held out to him.

"Wait a minute. Allura, what are you doing?"

But she was beyond hearing. She bent down and grabbed one of his legs and lifted it up which caused him to stagger and hold onto her or risk falling. She pulled the panty up his leg while he tried to resist, feeling violated on so many levels as she tried to get it up his thigh. His excitement from moments earlier quickly deflated.

After a brief struggle, Allura stopped, holding the dress up to reveal the ruffled bit of lace snugly wrapped around his thigh. Keith stared at the panty and at the princess, his head spinning as he wondered just how in the world he could have ever let her talk him into something like this.

"It's perfect! Thank you for doing this. You're a perfect gentleman for helping me in such a big way. I love you!"

Oh, that's why!

Allura leaned toward him, hand still on his thigh, her eyes closing as she offered up her lips to him as a well-deserved reward for his enormous effort. Keith glanced in the mirror, cringed at the sight, but leaned forward to claim his kiss, which would almost make this worth it. Almost.

At that moment, just as their lips touched, the door to Allura's dressing room burst open. Lance hung onto the door knob, "Hey Allura, have you seen Keith around anywhaaa…?!"

X

Nanny and the maids managed to return to the castle in time to see Princess Allura properly dressed and coiffed for her appearance before the visiting dignitaries. It would later be said that she was a vision of loveliness, an angel in fluttery lavender, which gained her the admiration and support of their lofty visitors.

It was several hours after that when Lance awoke with a start, nursing one hell of a headache. He groaned and looked around. He lay on a hospital bed, an IV in his arm, as machines beeped softly in the background. At first he panicked, and wondered how he got there. But then a grainy memory clawed its way to the surface, which caused the right side of his face to throb.

Lance remembered seeing a swirl of lavender, and the sole of a foot flying at him at hyper speed. He couldn't quite figure out if that was a 360 spinning heel kick, or a round house right, that dropped him.

His hand moved to his forehead in an attempt to stop the pain, "I really do need to learn how to knock."