Standing off to the side of a lively gathering was Shiro, awkwardly flicking the mic of his earpiece this way and that as he surveyed the people of Borrea at their masked ball. He studied the Borreans' decorative preferences, finding that many seemed to gravitate towards the use of glass adornments and the autumn colors of red and gold. Courtly attire didn't seem to stray from ordinary wear, though to be honest he couldn't quite tell — all of the Borreans were trees, and he found it hard to tell if the arrangement of their foliage had changed. (1)

Allura, however, seemed to be able to tell at a glance who had changed out of what and which parts were new. She flitted here and there, speaking to what seemed to be every Borrean present at the ball and taking part in their foreign customs with hardly a stuttering word. She truly was a Princess. As the Black Paladin, he too was expected to partake in diplomatic conversation. And he did, whenever he could. He was lucky the Borreans were well accustomed to guests completely new to their native culture, and that they possessed kind, understanding souls.

Shiro's awkwardness here was an experience all on its own; he was usually great at social gatherings. But this one was different. This one… was a little weird.

The celebration was situated in a large clearing at the center of the enchanted forest. Alglé was filled with guests invited for the Borrean celebration. The entire upper-class populace was congregated here, while the peasants gathered around the black lake deeper in the forest. Lights and fruit adorned the bordering fauna, as well as streamers made of an unusual fabric that, while normally dull and unattractive during the day, gleamed brightly under the light of the moon. (2)

The musicians of Kazra invited to Borrea played a strong, vibrant piece reminiscent to orchestral waltzes back at home. They were similar to the scores that played in older films, when there was a dance for the actors. Shiro had never before attended a ball before (those were kind of not a thing anymore back home), but he'd seen enough movies to know what it was supposed to be like. (3)

And none of what it was supposed to be like did he see at a Borrean ball.

It really shouldn't have surprised him. He was on an alien planet inhabited by sentient, tree-like creatures and other lifeforms, and he was light-years away from Earth. The fact that the first half of the ball consisted of fierce, competitive sword fighting whilst screaming the Borrean national anthem shouldn't have surprised him. Luckily for the paladins, Keith and Allura represented them wonderfully.

Least surprising should have been the delectable Borrean refreshments — animals that Shiro could only describe as "giant insects" were prepared in every way imaginable. There were roasted cricket heads the size of watermelons, sauteed worms in a tangy sauce made from sporing shrooms, deep-fried centipede legs, filleted tarantula bellies with the hairs still attached.

The only thing Shiro could stomach was their tea, a delicacy imported from another planet. Because drinking insects was, according to one Borrean, "disgusting."

Shiro had just nodded politely and agreed. He also made sure to rub the lowest branch of the Borrean he'd been speaking to as a gesture of farewell before they parted ways. An intergalactic misunderstanding was the last thing he wanted to do as the Black Paladin of Voltron.

Shiro watched the young Borrean slowly creak away, its roots carrying it over the floor like tarantula legs, and join a group of other Borreans by a table with roasted cricket heads. Almost immediately, Shiro heard Lance somewhere nearby badly faking a cough followed by, "Psst. Shiro. Shiiiro."

Shiro easily spotted Lance in the crowd. Aside from the fact that the Borreans insisted the paladins stay in uniform, it wasn't difficult locating a humanoid creature in a room full of sentient trees. Shiro quirked an eyebrow when he noticed Lance wasn't looking his way nor coming close to him. "Is… everything alright, Lance?" he asked.

"Not so loud," came the angry hiss. Lance wasn't meeting his eye and was hiding his face behind a cup of tea and looking quite interestedly at a spot on his gloved hand. "Suspiciously hot babe, on your six. Don't make it obvious." At that last part, Lance did make eye contact with Shiro, but only for a split second. Lance was back to drinking tea and studying his glove in the next second.

"Uh," said Shiro, frowning and thinking of how to spot the "suspiciously hot babe" behind him without giving himself away. Lady Luck came to his side when one of the Borreans politely excused herself as she cut a path between Shiro and Lance. Her mask was a shining construct of yellow and green mirrors. Just as she passed by, Shiro happened to catch a glimpse of whom Lance was talking about.

A tall, thin alien with humanoid features dressed in a dark gown with small, white beads threaded through the first layer conversed with the Princess. The stranger's mask was a well-made piece of white reptilian skin stretching over the top half of her narrow face, with silvery bones fanning out from the top like feathers.

In the mirror, the stranger's glowing eyes met his gaze. Familiarity crept uncomfortably down his back. Shiro stared back at the stranger, holding the look for a long minute. Suddenly, a cold sweat broke out at his brow. He heard voices in his head, whispering over each other. They were saying—

.

"̰͕͓͒̃Y̼͓͚͕͈ͨ͋̏̓͌͞o̧͓̦̯̮̰͖͑ͩ̉̆u͉͓̺̩̺ͫ͒͗̊ͅ'͔̈́ͤ̒ͧl҉̖̰̭͈͕͈͇ḷ̩̠̘̘̞ͪͨ̏ͫ ̙͈̫̓͌ͥ͑ͮ͌̚m͆̓҉͙̟̣͉͎a̳̟̰̦̰̣̘ͤ͢k̦̪̞̯̀̊̒̊ͭ̿ȅ̯͙̰̲̖̪̭̉͑̀ ̜̘̤̗̈́̓̽́ͣ̎a͈̦̬̮͚̦̤ ̥̦͕̫̺͖͖ͥ̎̐ͣ͌̚f̖̆̉ͨ̆i̗ͬn̺̬̺̱͐̏̌̄ėͪ͐̀̿͐ͣ҉͚̪̗ ̺͚̩͚̠̆s̽ȯ̝͖̤͋̽ͪ͞l̟̤ͨ̐͒d͖̻̘̳̅̂ͬ̓̔͒͘ͅi̲̩͙ͤ͋̒ͨͧ̒ē̽́͗͡r̲̫̗̹͑ͩͪ̍͌͆ͭ͞.̷̹̪̦̪͓ͨ͌̓ͨͥ̉͒"͚ͥ̾

̼̦̟͉̮"̮͕̤͔͉̬ͫ͆ͭ̈́̚Y̹̜͚̲̝͚̼̋ͤ͆ͪo̙̣͎̟̣̻͛ͨ̇̐ͪ̚̚ͅu̹̘͎͇̮̒̋ͥ̆ ̨ͤ̓͋̍b̞̥ͅẹ̩̥̃̊͐ͯl̹͔̱̺̟͍̺͑ͪ̔ͥ͗o̦̦͔̦͍͉͆ͣ̏̅̎̃n̘̹̥̝̿̓̀͆͗̓͒g̢̀ͅ ͍̬̻͊ͨͪ͞ţ̗̐͑͛ơ̗̻͓̪̼̂ ̩̰̹̻͌̇t̘͎͍̟̻̰̻̍ͩ͊͂͜ĥ̰͔͖̘̪̂̚ê̞̦̟̲̠͉͓ ͕ͧ̈́Ġ͕͗̀a̞̬̭̙̹͐̑ͥ͑̈́ļ̩̯̫̜̤̓̽ͯ̊ͅr͈̫̠͇̎̕a̗̲̘̟͇ͦ,̱̳̯̚ ̜͉̞̼̯̦̻͋ͪ̊̄̈́̈̔n̲͎ͦ̽ǫ̟̘̝̞̩ͨw̬͔̦̟.̰̖̺̰"̷̙͓̘̾̿̂ͣ̀ͧ̑

̤̥ͩ́̾ͧ͊ͅ"̰͎͓̟͓̠̖̅ͣ̾̈́ͬ̈́T̗̙̟͎̞͕͐̽̀͒͟ͅh̯̗̔ͣ̏͋͠ḛ̹̠ͧ̾̕ ̦͙̻͚̰̖͟e̎ͫa̡̲͐̊̇̑̾r̝̺̲͉̓̒̊̚͠ț̩̬̯̩ͭ̽̓ͩ͑̋h̓̆ͯ͒͑͠l̥͕̄̉i͎̞̺̻̜͙̊̒n̵̅ͥͩ̋g̮̤̎͋ͥͦͯ̄͡ ͉͕̂̓̔͜î̴̲̫̗͈̗̼́̽ͪͬs̞ͭͧͨ̅̄̓̌ ̧̜̝̦͇̘͓̹̿r̟͉̠̝̙̞̝̔ͯë͇̳̬̤̗͎̪́̓̅͗̇ͥ͞s̜̹̯̺̥̠̫͡ĭ̢̺̹̞̯̰̄ͦͪ̂l͏̞ȉ̖͂̌e͓̥̦͎̜ͦ̉̈́n̹̪̠͔̪̤̾͂̎ͅt̩̝̥̗̫͋.̅̆̍͏̝ ͔͇̜͕ͤ̒I͉̪͍̮̫̗͛̅̚n̫̲̞͛ͣ̑̄͆c̮͕͉̙̙̞͍͂͊ͣ̎͊̂͘r̵͈̰͎̻̺̻̦ͪ͗̂ͯe͚̲͚̗̜͖͗ͪͬ̆̒ͦa͉̰̙̻̯̰s̠͂̊͒ẽͫ͊͗͛̽̓ ̜̊̌̈́̃͘t̨̬̱̖͇̘ͯ̒̓̑ͦh̸̻̣͓̰̟̊̓ͣͣ̑ͅe̙̫̠͍ͬ̓ͪͅ ̖̱̹̻̣̬͕̉ͤ̇̌̊d̝͉̜ͭ̔ͥ̎̎̌̿e͆ͯͦ̈̎̕c̡̣̦̜͈͍̑̔̈́̓ͥi͙̻̺̳͕̠ͤ̐ͮ̍̂̇b̙̘̤̼̘̖̲̊͋̈́̐̇͋ͨe̬̺̞͉̮̥̲͆͑͢l̵̞̦̫̗͔̊̍̎̂͗ ͇̜͎̂ͯ͗̏̔ͭ͒b̸̙͔̝̈͆̏͊̎̚y̗̫̤͉̫̥̱̅̌ͦͬ͒ ̇̈͏̩͔̗̠̫͇f̤̖͙̘́͑͋ͪo̞̤̘͚̞͙̊̂u̗͇͢r̛̠̐͐ͥ̽̍.̘͖̺ͩ͂̊"̹̘̝̤͙͈̱ͫ̾̈́ͣ

͍̍̇̃ͭͫͫ

"Shiro!"

Lance was right in front of him, one hand squeezing his shoulder and the other firmly at his side. A look of panicked concern filled Lance's face.

Shiro was quick to realize that Lance was the only reason why he was still standing. He was also quick to realize that the Borreans had gathered around him, their leafy branches reaching out to him in support.

"What's happened?"

"Who is that?"

"It's the Black Paladin!"

"Is he unwell?"

"Someone feed him," one cried, "He's as thin as a twig!"

"No!" Shiro straightened up. Lance's hand remained on his shoulder. He turned to the crowding trees around them. "Uh, no. No, thank you. I'm…" He cleared his throat. "Thank you for your concern. I'll be alright. I'm sorry for worrying you."

The Borreans murmured amongst themselves.

"Oh, he's okay!"

"Earthlings are like us, I hear. They need lots of water."

"Someone get him some water!"

"The Black Paladin needs water!"

Someone produced a cup of water before him, which he took gratefully. They dispersed once he reassured them with smiles and repeats of "thank you" and "no, really, I'm fine."

When they were alone again, Lance looked to Shiro with a frown. His hand was still on his shoulder.

"Do you know her?" asked Lance.

Unease chilled his bones. "Yeah. I'm pretty sure she's one of Zarkon's druids."

Lance's eyebrows shot up. "No shit?"

Shiro glanced over his shoulder at the Princess. Allura was laughing as the stranger spoke. The stranger's lips twisted into a wry look. Allura gave the stranger a dazzling smile.

Unease turned quickly into dread. "Come on," he said to Lance. "We need to get over there."

They were about to close the distance when, suddenly, a large tree descended on the two women before they could make it. It was the Borrean King, Sequoya. The stranger seemed to be on good terms with King Sequoya, even going as far as sampling the fruit hanging on his lowest branches. (4)

"Damn," Lance muttered under his breath. "She's close with the King. You sure she's a druid?"

Shiro grimaced. "Only one way to find out, right?"

Lance gave him a puzzled look. "…Right."

Shiro grabbed Lance by his wrist and pulled him closer. "We're keeping tabs on her. But we can't let her catch on. It'll look bad if she's not allied with the Galra, and if she is, then she won't be around for long. Look, the King's on the move. Now's your chance!" Shiro pushed Lance forward.

"Uh?" Lance dug his heels into the ground and turned wide eyes to him. "My chance for what, exactly?"

"What you do best." Shiro gave him a thumbs up. "Go talk to her."

Lance stared at him. "You want me to flirt with her," he deadpanned. "You want me to flirt with a hot, potentially-evil, space alien babe."

"Yes," Shiro confirmed with all the seriousness of greenlighting any recon mission securing the safety of the universe.

A grin spread slowly across Lance's face. He shot double finger guns in his direction and clicked his tongue. "Don't worry, Shiro, my man. I got this covered." Lance winked and turned around.

As Shiro watched Lance swagger over to the stranger next to Allura, he was struck with a whole new type of dread.

Murphy's Law, the new type of dread sing-songed in his ear, existed even in space.

Shiro pressed a hand to his earpiece and moved his mic in front of his mouth. "Guys? It's me. I need back-up."

Keith was the first to reply. "What happened? Where are you?"

"Is everything okay?" Hunk asked. "I see you. I'm coming over."

Pidge replied last. "Why is Lance trying to chat up King Sequoya's advisor?"

Dismay came over him in waves. Oh no, his mind worried. That— That was the royal advisor?! So she wasn't— Or maybe she was, and the King didn't know yet, and—

Wait a minute. How did Pidge even know who she was?

"Pidge. Explain."

"Uhhhh, about what? That she's the reason Borrea isn't colonized? Prince Sequoiden has the biggest crush on her, by the way. Which means Lance should hop the fuck off if he doesn't wanna throw us all into the Borrean circle of hate." (5)

"On it."

Shiro started. "Keith, wait—"

"…I didn't say anything," said Keith.

Before Shiro could ask who did, he heard a battle-cry worthy of a Spartan at the Battle of Thermopylae. Shiro looked up.

Hunk came rushing through the open space by the entrance to the southern forest and rammed head-first into Lance's stomach. The two women reacted instantly.

"…" "Oh my goodness! Hunk?!"

Hunk hoisted Lance, who was knocked unconscious, over his shoulder, and pumped a fist in the air. "FOR BORREA!" he shouted, and was answered by an echoing cheer of "FOR ATONAS!" by the Borreans.

And suddenly, chaos broke out around them once more, as the Borreans went into a battle-ready fervor and began pulling swords out of their scabbards and screaming lyrics to War Song of Atonas.

Shiro smacked a hand to his face.

.

.

.

.

.

End Notes:

(1) Inspiration for naming the planet "Borrea" came from the boreal biomes on Earth.

(2) Alglé literally means "clear" in Gaelic. It's to highlight the Borrean belief that the sacred grove, which in druid practice is a holy meeting site, is a place where the Borrean people can achieve spiritual clarity.

(3) Was listening to "Masquerade Waltz" by Aram Khachaturian as I wrote this fic.

(4) Sequoya is an alternative spelling of "sequoia," in reference to the tallest tree species on Earth. I thought it fitting to name the King of Alien Trees after the biggest tree on the face of our planet.

(5) Sequoiden's name is also inspired by the sequoia tree.