AN: Whoa, was Season 5 something or was Season 5 something?! AHHH! :O
As soon as Kolivan sent ONLY Keith on that mission… Ohuhuhu, I KNEW.
Anyways, while everyone is writing their Keith having mommy issues angst fics, I didn't want to focus on that at all. So, have some fluff instead because I HAVE A LOT OF FEELS ABOUT THIS, OKAY. /Cry. TT-TT
Summary: Keith grumbles with crossed arms while rolling his eyes, denying that he's Mommy's Little Blade. Keith/Krolia-centric, Klance first meeting-friendship, Slight mention of Sheith friendship, BoM Fam, A mix of S1/S5 lore, Growing-Up AU one-shot.
Mommy's Little Blade
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
"You are with child" Kolivan says with a hard to read expression.
The woman narrowed her eyes, cautiously rubbing her stomach, "I am"
"This is unbecoming for a Blade" he gives a quick flash towards her flat stomach and deeply exhales through his nose. He wants to pace around and ask himself where did he go wrong. As a leader, he expected every single mission to run smoothly, expecting all of his covert operatives to follow his every command but oh no, not her.
She had always been a spitfire amongst his top-ranking men.
"I stationed you on Earth for three years and you fool around with the Earthlings" Kolivan's nostrils flair, his breathing ragged as he tries his best not to yell.
The woman bares her fangs and sharply raises her voice to her leader, "that is of no concern to you, what does, are my unrelenting loyalty and duties to the cause and you know, it has never wavered!"
"Krolia…" he begins, the tell-tale sign of him about to tell her that she can't keep the child.
"Don't you dare tell me to abort or leave my child behind. He would have no one left on Earth" she threatened as she wrapped her arms protectively around herself.
Kolivan pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to think of what to do. "The father?"
"K.I.A" she quickly says, "I was following a lead on the Blue lion's whereabouts when Zarkon's fleet interfered" she explains, gritting her teeth. She had lost her husband to the hands of the enemy. He had been a causality in a never-ending galactic war between the group she pertains to and an evil sum of her own race that followed a tyrant.
Over the years, the Blade of Marmora had worked in secrecy to secure as many planets in their known universe and the next. They worked meticulously to thwart Zarkon's rule over everything in the galaxy by infiltrating Galran ranks and collecting data via reconnaissance. Aliens were no longer a secret to even the likes of the Earthlings, having BoM outposts on Earth and the nearing solar system.
Earth – the weakest planet and possibly the easiest to overthrow was thankful to have the support of the BoM but even though they knew that the Galra that protected them were the good guys, many Earthlings held pre-conceived prejudices against them.
It didn't sway their decisions to not help them.
If anything, Earth's stubbornness was a driving force in their need of aid.
All life and all planets were precious in the eyes of the BoM.
"You're asking for permission to stay on Earth" Kolivan states, knowing Krolia all too well. She wasn't the type to ask the obvious.
Cunning, disciplined, loyal, intelligent, excellent fighter; she was one of his best spy's but he couldn't have her out there on active missions in her current condition.
"Don't think of me as weak solely because I'm a woman. You know that I'm more than capable no matter what the circumstance may be" she raises a brow, placing one hand on her hip. The sassy demeanor causing a small rumble of a chuckle erupt from Kolivan's throat.
Spitfire through and through.
"That I do but I'm not risking two lives instead of one. Knowledge or Death" he reminded her.
She nods, understanding. Normally, emotions would be a luxury and one that they couldn't afford in the battlefield but she knew her leader too well. He could act as cold-hearted as he'd like but she knew that deep inside, Kolivan cared deeply for all of his men.
"Aw, don't cry for my loss, Kolivan. You still have Thace, Ulaz, and Antok to replace me" she quips with a curl of her lips into a mischievous smile.
"True enough, at least they won't give me as big of a headache as I get with you" he bluntly jokes back, fighting the growing smirk, "permission granted, you may stay stationed on Earth until further notice and while I'm removing you from active duty – you will still be required to complete minimal recon with full access to other outposts"
Krolia straightened her posture, pointing her feet together and raised a fisted hand placing it over her heart as she saluted him. "Sir!"
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Krolia gave birth to a healthy baby boy with the Earthling features and skin tone of his father. Knowing and not caring of the prejudice that she had received from the confused doctors and nurses – she was just grateful to finally have her son in her arms.
He was a small remaining piece left of her husband.
"My Little Blade, my precious, Keith" she cooed as she felt his little jutted lips and bopped his little nose with a feather light touch of an index finger as she leaned further into the cradled sleeping bundle in her arms and kissed the top of his head.
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At the age of five, Keith had made his very first friend in the most unlikely of ways.
It was at a local park nearby the apartment complex they live in. Krolia had settled herself on a wooden bench painted red that resided under the protection of a large apple tree's shade. Over the years, she had learned how to ignore all the curious and at times – disgusted glares coming off some strangers. To her, as long as they didn't bother her then she'd play naïve and go about her day.
At the blue monkey bars of the jungle gym, Keith was patiently waiting for his turn to try his luck in crossing the bars without falling to the ground. While in line, he could hear the giggles from the children behind him as they made comments about a 'purple lady,' and just like his Mommy had taught him – he simply ignored them until someone had energetically waved their little arms from across the monkey bars platform.
"Hi!" the little boy greeted, missing his two front teeth, "I'm Lance!" he yelled from across.
Keith silently nodded in acknowledgement and awkwardly took his turn in gripping the slippery cold bars as the boy on the other side did the same. His entire weight was supported on his upper body strength as he swung himself across as fast as he could, determined to not fall until the boy who had greeted him earlier had gotten too close to him while exchanging bars to pass him and caused a minor collision accident to occur.
The five-year-old fell hard to the firm foam ground, managing to scrape his knees.
The palms of Keith's hands stung as he tried to process what just happened as he realized after a few tense minutes that this Lance had fallen on his bottom while Keith had landed on top of him.
Tears pearled up in the corner of Lance's eyes as his lips quivered, "I'm… I'm… o-okay" he tried to be brave as he scooted away from the boy he had introduced himself to and dusted himself off the ground. He gave a quick look towards the boy who seemed like he was still in shock from the impact and did the only thing he could think of – he ran away.
Keith sat frozen still as he watched the other boy leave his side as he bit his lower lip to try and stop the trembling. The truth was, he wasn't okay as his Mommy had set her magazine aside on the bench and rushed towards her son.
"My Little Blade" she worriedly breathed as she kneeled down, "are you okay?" she asked as she checked his palms, they were raw and red but okay.
Keith looked down towards his knees and watched the blood ooze out and trickle down. It was then that he shook his head and looked back up at his Mommy with a frown. Blue-gray eyes with speckles of purple quickly pooled with hot tears as Krolia picked him up and took him to the bench she was seated at.
"Did you kidnap that child or is he yours?" she heard a rude comment from a mother who had recently parked her stroller and sat down next to them ask.
Krolia sat her teary-eyed son down on the bench as she rummaged through her purse for a mini first-aid kit she always carries around. Gritting her teeth while taking out the kit, she rolled her eyes at the intrusive and assuming comment. Sometimes she wondered if a good majority of Earthlings were stupid or something. Zarkon's Galran army would have them quaking at their feet while burning everything in their hell raised path, the Earthling's wouldn't have time for snide comments if that ever happened.
The Blade of Marmora were the only Galra stationed on Earth and a vast majority kept to their work, or were pacifists – going as far as adapting to certain Earth customs such as religion. She calmed herself down as she took out an ointment tube and two bandages and took care of her son as she gave the rude woman a brief glance, "We may be of different planetary races but the Galra would never stoop so low as to kidnap children. And if you must know – yes, he is mine. I carried my son for nine months in my body, unless I need to show you a DNA test in order to prove it" she flashed the woman a forced smile and ignored her to talk to Keith.
"Feeling better?" she asked him while gently moving his wild bangs out of his eyes.
Keith sniffled as he nodded and wiped his eyes.
"Be careful and go make friends, My Little Blade" she affectionately encouraged as she stood up and kissed his chubby cheek.
Keith got up and went to play again.
"Why did you call him that? Is he dangerous? Keep your child away from mine!" the paranoid woman next to her barked.
Krolia pinched the bridge of her nose, silently asking for the patience of her commander Kolivan in that instance. "First off, you wouldn't understand and second of all, with pleasure. I will gladly tell my child to stay away from your germ-infested spawns" she snapped at the woman as she picked up her purse and magazine, walking away to another bench across the park and leaving the woman to gasp at the sheer audacity of the way she was spoken to.
"Hello, may I sit here?" Krolia politely asked a woman with four children, one being the boy that she saw with her son earlier.
"Oh yes, of course!" the woman happily moved her things to allow the taller Galra woman space to sit down.
Krolia sighed a breath of relief at having met a decent Earthling.
"Now Marco, you take care of Luis, Veronica, and Lance on the playground" the woman ordered the eldest as he gave her a toothy thumbs-up, "Si, Mama!"
"Your kid?" the woman next to her asked.
"The one wearing a red t-shirt" Krolia warmly smiled as she watched Keith finding his way around the playground. She knew that her son would face hardships later on in his life, the biggest hurdle being in knowing where exactly he fits in. She knew that while the Earthlings would accept him without a doubt, the Galra – especially the majority of the BoM would have a harder time. If one rejects him fully, she at least wants Keith to know that he'd have another that wouldn't. She didn't want him to feel stuck between choosing acceptance on either side but know that he's special because not many could say they have shared heritages.
Galrans were no strangers to mixing with other alien species and races but with Earthlings? Not likely.
The woman next to her lightly giggled, "you're lucky to have only one child, I have four and they're a handful"
Krolia chuckled at the comment and playfully shrugged her shoulders as if saying, 'I guess so.'
Truth be told, she would have loved to have more children but the loss of her husband had hit her hard emotionally and struck her on a deeper level than would be considered acceptable for her Blade duties.
Regardless, she was happy and content. She only needs Keith in her life, her Little Blade.
At the see-saw, Lance had found Keith again. This time, the social little boy tapped the quieter boy on the shoulder.
"I'm sorry that you fell and got hurt" he began as he gave the shy boy a two-front-teeth-missing bright smile.
"I'm Lance" he repeated himself.
"I know" the stoic child replied.
"What's your name?"
"Keith…" he cautiously said, wary of the boy knowing how people treated his Mommy.
"Hi, Keith! Is your Mommy the purple lady?" Lance tilted his head to the side, blue eyes curiously looked at him.
And there was the dreaded question.
Keith curled his tiny hands into fists as he kept them to his side. "Yes, she's a nice Galra! My Mommy loves me very, very much!" he defended his Mommy, knowing all too well that there was a lot of mean people out there. His Mommy had taught him that he should always keep a cool head when dealing with people that didn't and would never understand them.
"Wow, that's so cool! I wish my Mommy was purple too! Your Mommy is pretty!" Lance's eyes shined in awe as he looked over to where both women were sitting on the bench and waved his arms as high above his head as he could in order to gain their attention.
Lance's Mommy was the first to look over and blow him an air kiss while Krolia kindly gave the boy a small wave back.
He observantly watched the interaction, seeing the smile on his own Mommy's face as he turned to look over at Lance.
"Let's be friends!" Keith blurted out.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
At the age of seven, Keith deemed his Mommy to be the best Mommy in the entire world.
She ran a strict regime of a diet but every now and then she cheated and spoiled her son because there was nothing else like seeing the bright smile reach his little eyes.
She loves him endlessly.
So, it was on a particular hot summer day that she took her son out for ice cream.
Both Mommy and Keith walked out of the ice cream parlor wearing black sunglasses.
Krolia carrying both a white backpack behind her and her son in her arms as he happily licked at the fast melting cold treat in his sticky hands.
"Thank you, Mommy! You're the best!" Keith kissed her cheek, successfully covering her in melted ice cream as she laughed.
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At the age of thirteen, Keith introduced his best friend to his extended Galran family. They were visiting from their outposts scattered about the known universe, finally finding some time to visit Earth.
Keith and his Mom had long since moved out of their tiny apartment located in the heart of the city and instead had bought a house in a quiet suburban neighborhood.
The quietness took some getting used to for his Mom as she had always been on alert with the chaos of the noise of people talking, motors running, animals making a fuss, music in the air, etc. The noise had brought on some sense of comfort but at the same time, getting away from it all had brought an even bigger comfort.
"Wait, so you're telling me your entire family are Blade members?" Lance gasped incredulously as he still tried to stuff his full mouth with more popcorn.
They were settled in Keith's bedroom with Lance sitting on the edge of the bed as Keith sat backwards in his black swiveling computer chair.
"Yeah, that's what I just said" Keith twirled around his chair with a look on his face that Lance had grown to know all too well. He knew his best friend hated repeating himself but the new piece of information was just too good to not cause himself to sound like a broken record in amazement.
"Dude! So, does this mean that your Mom is also…" Lance flicked his wrist in a circular motion to indicate the rest of his sentence.
Keith stopped the chair and nodded, "yeeep, my Mom's a total badass, she hasn't been on the field ever since I was born but she does other things for the BoM"
Lance's eyes widened from giddiness as he stomped his feet a couple of times on the carpeted floor to emphasize his enthusiasm, "and these Uncles you mentioned?"
"My Uncles – Kolivan, Thace, Ulaz, and Antok are all coming to visit in T-Minus," he paused to look at his desk's computer screen, "ten minutes"
"Oh man, I'm so not ready! Do ya think they'll be okay with us being friends?"
Keith raised a brow at the peculiar question, "why would they have a problem with you?"
"Because, well, y'know… I'm an Earthling" Lance bit his lip as he gestured to himself with melted butter covered fingers.
"So what? So am I" Keith laughed, "I'm just as tall as you so that means I'm definitely short in Galra standards. My Mom's even short for them!"
Lance groaned, falling back on the bed as the bowl of popcorn jumped on his lap, "and I thought my brothers were tall… your family already sucks" he grumbled.
Keith rolled his eyes and shook his head as an amused smile played on his lips.
Lance turned his head to the side to look at Keith as he hummed in thought before speaking up, "can I ask you something?"
"Sure" he bluntly replied.
Lance knew he wasn't going to get a profound reaction from him as he continued on with his question. "Why does your Mom call you her Little Blade? What does that even mean? Like are you gonna be guaranteed a spot in their ranks once you reach a certain age?" he blew upwards at his bangs to move them away from his face as he awaited an answer. It was something that he had always been curious about when they were younger.
Keith could feel the rush of blood make its way to his cheeks and all the way to the tips of his ears. "It's… it's… embarrassing. I'd rather not say" he clamped up.
Lance was too lazy in that moment to shoot up as he quirked a brow, "dude, seriously?"
"Yes" he simply replied again. He couldn't tell Lance about how the term of endearment meant that just like a Luxite blade – he was tough, resilient, unique, and shines brightly. A BoM member's blade was more than just a weapon – it was an identity and a rite of passage.
"I'm definitely not guaranteed an instant spot amongst the ranks, even if my Uncle Kolivan is the head leader of the Blades. There's trials that you must pass in order to be deem worthy" Keith explained, trying to redirect Lance's question that had flustered him and turn it into a bit of a crash course lesson on how the BoM actually works.
"That sounds… tough"
"From what my Mom has told me, it is"
Getting up he walked over to Lance and took the almost emptied bowl off his lap. "C'mon, let's go get more popcorn and wait outside for them" he told Lance as he smacked his best friend's legs with the bowl and walked out.
Lance jolted up from the bed and scurried after him, "hey, you didn't answer my actual question!"
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
At the age of seventeen, Keith grumbles with crossed arms while rolling his eyes, denying that he's Mommy's Little Blade.
He had been suspended from the Galaxy Garrison for socking Commander Iverson in the eye after he had made a rude comment about his deceased Father and him having no structure in his personal family life. It also didn't help that Iverson had been insensitive about the passing of Senior Officer Shirogane.
The only friend other than Lance that he had there.
Keith remembers the day he had found out about Shiro. He was in disbelief as he walked out of the classroom in mid-session and yelled throughout the halls until Lance came after him and watched his best friend ball his hands into tight fists and punched the wall.
The wall suffered no damage but Keith's knuckles did.
He continued to punch the wall until Lance yelled for him to stop, pulling him back by the shoulders and roughly turning him around to tightly hug him as Lance watched Keith completely break down.
How could he be Mommy's Little Blade when he was quick-tempered and irrational, acting on impulse?
He had been taught from a young age to keep a cool head from his Mom and to know when to balance the luxuries of strong emotions from his Uncle Kolivan.
Now sitting on the edge of his bed, his head down-casted as he looked at the carpet beneath him. He kept his room dim with only a light source from the lamp on his bedside table on. It had already been two weeks since he was dismissed until further notice from the prestigious space academy. He was lost in thought that he hadn't heard when his Mom walked in and quietly took the place right next to him on the bed as the mattress slightly sunk with the added weight.
"Keith…"
"I'm a failure, Mom"
"No, you aren't"
Keith bit his quivering lip hard as he looked up, desperately searching her violet eyes, "I… I could've stopped him from going y'know… I could've told Shiro that I had a bad feeling about the Kerberos mission" he winced at the memory, replaying and creating new scenarios in his head.
Krolia wrapped an arm around him and squeezed him, "no, you'd only be lying to yourself"
"I knew he wanted to go, Mom, I knew but at what cost?"
"Keith, we can never know what lies ahead of us. That isn't how destiny nor life works"
She was right. His Mom was always right.
He deeply sighed, relaxing his tense shoulders, "You know what else sucks?"
She tilted her head, waiting for him to elaborate.
"I would've instantly failed the Blade trials… Uncle Kolivan had high hopes of me joining the ranks as soon as I graduate from the Garrison. Now I'm suspended awaiting punishment and I let my emotions sway me"
Krolia shook her head, allowing a smirk to tug at the corners of her lips, "you know you're like my little clone?"
"What?"
She leaned over and kissed his cheek, "Keith, having emotions isn't a bad thing. Yes, sometimes in difficult situations they can cloud our judgement but most of the time, having the luxury of emotions helps push us to greatness and I know your Uncle would never deny you the chance to discover your inner strength. You're My Little Blade because you're fragile yet strong, hesitant yet loyal, piercing yet defensive – all these words describe the imperfections and perfections of your dagger that I gave you for your sixteenth last year just as much as they describe you" Krolia swiftly reached for his sheathed dagger hoisted on his side, "I hate to break it to you, but you're truly my kid" she tells him with amusement dancing in her tone as she takes the covered dagger and places it over her own heart.
"You're my heart, my very being, Keith"
Keith chuckles as he takes the dagger from her offering hands and takes off the protective leather sheath, "knowledge or death" he repeats the Blade's mantra as he moves the blade in his hands, watching the facets reflect the light from his bedroom's lamp.
In the beveled sides, he caught a mirror image of himself. He looked torn apart but something in his eyes had caught him by surprise as his eyes widened. He understood then what he couldn't see for himself but what his mother knew all along.
"Mom…" he gasps, heart thundering.
Krolia's eyes shimmered with a proud smile, "Go" she whispered.
"But why… I…" Keith stutters, not knowing exactly what to say as his thoughts become jumbled.
"You were made for greatness. If you're one-hundred percent sure that your friend is still out there somewhere, I'm the last person that would ever stop you. You know I'll always be here, waiting for you to return" she stood up along with her son as she towered over him, being slightly taller. She knew what was on his mind, not needing to verbally express it to her as she immediately understood.
"If the Garrison doesn't want you then you always have a home with the Blade of Marmora but only when you're ready to unleash your dagger's full potential. Remember, one step at a time. For now, focus on what you're most worried about" she tells him, squeezing his shoulders.
Most mothers would do everything in their power to prevent their child from spreading their wings but not her. Krolia wasn't like most mothers, she knew that wherever in the known universe her son's travels would take him – he'd always have the support of the BoM following him but only and if only he ever truly needed them.
Krolia stepped aside, ready to leave his room as her hand paused on the doorknob, "oh yeah" she says, remembering something important.
"Hm?"
"I heard there's a new lead on the Blue lion" she twisted the knob, head looking over her shoulder at him. "Go get them, My Little Blade" she winked.
Keith blinked a couple of times, processing her words as he watched his Mom leave his room. Gripping the handle of his dagger as he puts it back in its sheath and places it back on his hip, he nods with a determined fire burning in his eyes.
A smirk appeared on his lips as he whispered, "I will"
Truth be told, he'd always be Mommy's Little Blade and was proud of it.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Done!
AAAnd then Keith went to call Lance to drag him along... Blue lion adventures! WHOO! :D
Can I just say that even though we got introduced to Krolia for not even a full episode – I want her to be a doting mother but not in an annoying way. Giving Keith his space and knowing that he's well capable of handling himself but at the same time – encouraging him and always being there for him because she really loves her son, okay. I mean, look at her cunning skills – double-crossing the enemy knowing damn well that the weapon was a beast and protecting both herself and her son in the process. I would love to know more about her and the reasoning behind why she left Keith – I mean, being a BoM spy can't be easy. A child would only complicate things… but real talk here – where's Keith's dad?! And can we please get some flashbacks and family bonding?! Like, Krolia retelling war stories to Keith and connecting with him on a deeper level because the boy needs his mother's love. Imma stop myself from rambling in these end notes. [Not like many even read them to begin with, haha… /cry]
I don't have much to say other than, Krolia's a badass and I love her already. I might write more of their relationship later on and include the Paladin Fam but for now, after binge watching S5, I was itching to write and I'm happy with the outcome.
Now I must tumble away and update my current on-going Shallura fic, Apartment 119.
Remember to R&R! Plz & Thankies! :]
Please do review! Follows and Alerts tell me that you guys are at least interested in the story but reviews really let me hear out what your feedback and personal opinions on my stories are! [But y'know, like don't Follow this story… since it's a one-shot, therefore it's complete, lol.]
If anyone is afraid to leave reviews due to language difference - please don't be! I can fluently read Spanish and partial French! :) And hey, that's why Google translate was invented after all! LOL.
I don't own Keith Kogane, Krolia, and all other characters mentioned/used in this fic – Voltron Legendary Defender is owned by DreamWorks/Netflix.
I just own the idea/plot/story/whatever you want to call it~ lol :P