7/17/12 Author's Note: When I posted this story yersterday, I posted the wrong chapter! Sorry for the confusion.
Author's Note: This story is the sequel to 'All The Right Moves', and in the timeline of that story, the beginning of this story would dovetail with the end of chapter 25. After the opening chapter, this story will parallel 'All The Right Moves', and then go forward. However, you don't need to read the previous story, but the pairings, and certain references, will make more sense. For those of you who watch 'Voltron Force' any references stop after the episode that I took the title for my story from.
Disclaimer: I do not own Voltron, characters, etc. This is a work of fiction!
A M Reflections
It was around 10:00 in the morning, and Keith was sitting in his office waiting for the axe to fall. He still could not believe that he'd actually said what he had to Allura yesterday, and under the circumstances! The whole eight and a half years he had known her, he'd played out, in his mind, how he would declare his love for her. Not one of them ever came close to that awkward scene in her study!
Keith had etched in his memory the first time he had seen Allura, as she came down the candle lit stairs, in the ruined castle. Her dress had been pink, and her gold, curly hair had been off set with the platinum and sapphire cornet of the heir to the throne of Arus. Her dark blue eyes, gleaming like the sapphires in her headdress, had glowed with admiration as she looked at him.
He still remembered the conversation that Coran had had with him, Lance, and Sven. The Prime Minister explained in no uncertain terms that Allura was heir to the throne, and the last member of the ruling family. She was a virgin, and must be a virgin when she married, to ensure the purity of the royal line. Coran had also explained the religion of Arus, but Keith really had not paid attention. Earth had not been religious for centuries. All that he knew was that Allura was a future queen, and must marry a proper consort.
Keith had spent three years trying not to fall in love with her, and then the next five years trying to forget about being in love with her. After the fiasco with lions, and Black's disappearance, he had taken it on himself to hunt for the missing Lion. The only person he had told was Lance, and he still didn't know how Lance had explained it to the team.
For Keith it was a personal mission that ate at him, with an intensity that he didn't understand. He wasn't sure if it was because Black was his Lion, or because he was the team leader. All that he knew was that his life was on hold until he had found the missing Lion.
When it had all come together, and Allura had welcomed him back with a hug, Keith was sure that they were ready to move to the next level. Unfortunately, it had not worked out as he thought, and Lance was a big part of the reason why! Lance and Allura, along with Pidge had pretty much run everything while Keith was gone. Hunk had been Pidge's assistant, but Lance and Pidge had orchestrated the bulk of it.
Keith was very sensitive to the fact that Lance had better relationships with the court officials, as well as the servants. Lance's father had held several high government posts for the Alliance, and had interacted with Coran in his statesman role. Lance was also quite comfortable with the idea of servants, and the castle staff adored him. Lately, with the mess about Daniel and Vince, Lance had bonded with Fredericks on a level that Keith would never achieve.
He had been very suspicious of what Allura and Lance might have been up to since he was gone, but ultimately consoled himself with the thought that Allura was too high minded for a casual relationship. The turning point for Keith had been when he'd found out about his Arusian linage. He still wondered why he'd been raised on earth, when he was really from an old Arusian family.
With the new found knowledge of his Arusian heritage, he and Allura had bonded over the shared history of their bloodlines. He had loved spending time with her, and discussing Arusian policy and the rebuilding of Arus. Pidge had been a big a part of that, but he'd never had a problem with him.
He had occasionally been annoyed that Pidge had enjoyed the same easy relationship with the Arusians that Lance had, but Keith knew that at the end of the day that he was head of the Voltron Force. Pidge didn't threaten him on the level that Lance did. Only in retrospect, did he understand what a force Pidge really was.
Keith brought his mind back to the scene yesterday, outside of Sick Bay. Allura had come out of the room, wearing the mantle of the Queen of Arus, and throwing her weight around. He had been overawed by her, and remembered everything he had learned about the Knights of Arus. Their duty had been to protect the monarch, and uphold the dignity of the ruling family. Keith, torn between Voltron, Allura, and the Knights of Arus, had, he knew, chosen badly.
He saw Lance in his mind, and how he had responded to the situation. "She is a cold hearted bitch! Maybe you won't do something about it, but I will!" Lance stated and took off after Allura. Keith knew that he would never have treated, or responded to Allura that way. He was both appalled and envious that Lance was strong enough to tackle the situation head on.
Later that afternoon Keith had gone up to talk to Allura about everything that had gone on. Lance had told him about Pidge and Larmina several weeks ago. Pidge had done so much for Arus, and was a much better choice for Larmina than Bandor. Keith had no issue with Pidge and Larmina sleeping together.
Pidge was the most upright person he knew, and Larmina with all of her Arusian standards, only respected high level intellect and physical strength. Pidge had both of those, and he had rebuilt her planet. Keith didn't understand why Allura was upset about the relationship. When Allura had brought the subject up, he had seen it has natural segue into his feelings for her.
Keith had been struggling with his response to the scene in sick bay, and when he arrived at her study he had been overwrought in his emotions. Her sentry had looked at him like he was garbage, and had grilled him on why he was there. Keith didn't know that he was going to pay the price for what had happened earlier that day!
Rigsby, the Sentry was in fact annoyed that Commander McClain had blown past him like he wasn't even there. Further, Count Fredericks had taken the Commander's side in the issue. Rigsby had been waiting for Her Majesty to call him into her study and dress him down. His father had been King Alfor's sentry, and he understood what his role was.
He was by now wondering why Her Majesty had not taken him to task. The fact that Commander Kogane, who didn't like the servants, or anyone else of the castle staff, was in front of him was too much. He couldn't get annoyed with Her Majesty, Count Fredericks, or Commander McClain, but Commander Kogane didn't fall under that protection.
Keith brought his mind back to the present, not wanting to think about yesterday in Allura's study. She'd seemed slightly off to him, but he figured it was because of Larmina's condition. He rather wondered what would have happened if Dr. Gorman had not interrupted. Keith, at the back of his mind, did not want to think about what Lance's reaction would have been to Dr. Gorman interrupting him!
His train of thought was broken by a message window that opened up on his computer. It was a text message from Allura, asking him to meet her in the 'Sundial Garden' at 10:30. Keith realized that he was going to spend the next half hour stewing about what she was going to say, and also trying to figure out where the 'Sundial Garden' was.
Allura, up in her study, finished sending the message to Keith about their meeting. She'd meant to do it earlier, but time had gotten away from her. After she'd left Lance Allura had stopped into Sick Bay, to check on Larmina now that she was awake. She knew she still needed to talk to the girl, but that could wait until later. Allura had given Larmina a quick hug, and then Dr. Gorman had come in, so she'd excused herself.
She'd really meant to talk to Keith next, but had decided that Coran needed to be briefed on the situation. Allura thought about everything her Father had told her, about needing to take care of herself first. She knew that Coran liked Lance, but didn't know what his reaction would be to their relationship. It turned out that Allura had nothing to worry about it; Coran had been overjoyed when she'd told him.
Coran told her that she'd made a good choice, and he would let the Dominion Council know right away. Allura must have looked surprised at his response, and Coran commented on that. When she'd tried to explain he'd told her almost what her Father had said to her. Allura privately thought that not only had she been a bitch, she'd been an idiot too!
"Did you send the message?" Lance asked, bringing her back to the present. He was sitting on the sofa in her study, his long legs resting on the coffee table in front of him. He was looking at her intently as he said it. Allura rose up from her desk, and came over to sit next to him. She wasn't sure how it happened, but she ended up on his lap.
After he finished kissing her, he adjusted his position, and said "You really need to get some comfortable furniture in here!" Allura snuggled against him and said "I'm going to have Larmina redecorate the study, and my." She caught herself and went on "Our bedroom. She did a wonderful job with her room! If you have any requests, we should talk about it."
Lance lightly rubbed his nose by her ear and said in a low voice "I like the sound of that; our bedroom!" Allura realized the implication of what he was saying and blushed bright pink. Lance laughed and said "I think we will need to spend lots of time there!" He stroked her hair and got serious all of a sudden. "So, did you send the message?" He asked again. "I am meeting him at 10:30 in the Sundial Garden." Allura told him with a sigh. She said "I hope he is still speaking to us when I'm done!"
"I hope so too! I'd like him to be my best man at our wedding!" Lance declared, and thinking about being married to Lance caused Allura to smile. "Thank goodness Count Fredericks agreed to a quick wedding!" She declared, and Lance said "It seems he has had it planned since you were eighteen! Of course, everyone is going to think you're pregnant."
Her eyes flew open wide and she sat up as she looked at him. "What do you mean?" She asked aghast! Lance laughed and said "The usual reason for quick weddings is because of pregnancy, not because the bride will only have sex if she is married!" Allura huffed and stood up, saying in annoyed tone "Lance McClain, I have told you that I have to set a moral example!" She tossed her head, which caused her gold hair to sparkle in the sunlight.
Lance slowly and appreciatively eyed her up and down, and she saw how he was looking at her. "Stop it right now!" Allura declared, tossing her head again. "Stop what, Darling?" He said in his slow, lazy way that made her heart race. "You are looking at me like I have no clothes on!" She told him, raising her chin, and looking off the side.
"Darling, I love it when you do that cold, royal attitude!" Suddenly Allura felt Lance pulling at her, and she went from being on top of him to him on top of her, as she lay on the sofa. "I get a secret thrill out of knowing that only I get to see the sexy, wild side of you!" He was kissing her deep and hard, as his hands played over her body.
She didn't understand it, but her body was moving against him with a will of its own. Her heart felt like it was going to explode it was beating so fast, while her core felt like it was on fire. When he stopped kissing her, she managed to say "How do you do that, and how do you know I have a sexy, wild side?" Lance sat up, and extended his hand to help her up.
He laughed with a sensual tone as he said "I do it because I can! And I know you have a sexy, wild side with how you respond to me. Our honeymoon is going to be a lot of fun!" Allura was busy smoothing her hair, and straightening her clothes. "Well, until I tell Keith nothing is happening, Lance!" She said, and then a thought occurred to her. "You need to tell your parents! I hope they are all right with it."
Lance smiled and said "My parents adore you! And they will be glad I'm finally settling down. I was thinking for the last part of our honeymoon, I will take you to South Carolina." Allura smiled and said "I'd like that, Lance. You used to say that you wanted to show me where you grew up!" She reached over and kissed him.
"What about the first part?" Allura asked, with narrowed eyes. "Darling, that will be a surprise! Now, you have a meeting in the Sundial Garden. Be kind to him, he is a good man!" Lance told her, with a soft smile. He had always known, at the back of his mind, that getting Allura would mean hurting his best friend. Lance wished now he would have spoken to her while Keith was gone. They would already have been a couple, and Keith would not have spent the last six months getting his hopes up.