"Prince Keith? Prince Keith! You are being called on by Emperor Zarkon, My Lord!"

Keith awoke to a loud voice calling him from the other side of his bedroom door. Through a haze of sleep, he recognized it as Shaln's, the Emperor family's head butler. This was one of the many reasons Keith kept it locked at all times. If he didn't, the help would walk right into his room and clean or even dress him for the day without even waking him. Why couldn't they just leave him alone?

He moaned angrily and pulled the warm covers over his head, trying to block out the noise. He had stayed up late last night training. It seemed like the only thing of late that took his mind off of things. Everything else made him feel like banging his head against the wall, especially Zarkon's recent order that Keith sit in on every one of his diplomatic meetings.

The loud shouts and banging stopped and Keith felt his consciousness fall back into the darkness of sleep…

And then Shaln's calling started up again.

Keith hated him, even though he knew he was only doing his job. Well, he didn't have to do it so damn well.

Keith threw the covers off, and stomped over to his bedroom door as loudly as he could manage with his small frame. He slammed his fist against the button beside the door that opened it, then glared at the tall, studiously dressed Galra on the other side.

His face was stupidly shocked. His eyes idiotically wide. Keith seethed. "Shaln. What did I tell you about waking me?" Keith snarled.

Although the man was much taller, he took a noticeable step backwards and lifted his hands in a placating manner. "Y-you said to… n-never… wake you… M-my Lord."

"That's right, Shaln. What else?"

"… T-to… g-get the human Shiro… i-if it was an emergency…"

"And where is he?" Keith asked warningly.

"I, uh…" The man looked ready to pee his pressed pants and Keith couldn't help but feel pleased with himself. It made his morning a little better.

"I'm right here," said a warm voice from down the corridor. The servant in front of him looked visibly relieved at the sound.

Keith frowned a little petulantly. He was enjoying seeing the man squirm. "Shiro," Keith said as the human came closer.

"Good afternoon, My Lord," Shiro said as he bowed deeply, the long white part of his hair billowing like a flag. When he arose, he smiled, clearly amused. "I see you've been toying with him instead of letting him tell you the news he was sent with, My Lord."

"Hmph…" Keith crossed his arms, not wanting to concede his point. Even though he knew he was right.

Shiro just laughed. He was the only one, Galra or otherwise, that treated Keith this way. Like… well, like a brother, even though they were of two different species. Even Keith's half-brother, Lotor, treated him like some sort of... toy.

"Well," Shiro continued, bowing in front of Keith. "Second Son of the Galra Empire, Lord of the Sword, Prince Keith of Zarkon," Shiro announced proudly, "you are hereby called to stand before Zarkon and all of the Empire in the Tournament of Marriage!"

"WHAT?" Keith shouted.

Keith shoved Shaln out of the way, storming down the royal corridors to make his way to Zarkon in the throne room. Shiro rushed after him.

"Prince Keith, wait!" Shiro called. "You can't just rush in like that! They're having a-"

Keith stopped listening to him. He could go wherever the hell he pleased. He was Prince, for Zarkon's sake!

He was going to march right up to Zarkon and tell him where he could shove his marriage. No way was Keith going to be used as a diplomatic pawn! Get married to some stranger who happened to win some tournament? Over his dead bloody corpse!

The gigantic doors to the throne room loomed above him, the Empire's Seal wrought into the door and painted bright red. Keith commanded the guards to open them with a single word. They sounded shocked to see him, but did as he commanded, pulling open the massive doors simultaneously to admit him into the throne room.

The throne room was a vast piece of art and was grand to behold. It was fashioned so that wherever you looked, you still felt the power and glory of the massive raised throne at the far end of the room. The roof slanted so that the ornate glass windows let in beams of natural light, shining onto the throne in shades of red, yellow and purple. Every one of the tens of thousands of chairs were turned strategically to have a perfect view of Zarkon's grandeur. All of these chairs were filled with diplomats, at least one from every planet that the Empire occupied, tens of thousands of them, some only there through hologram. Intergalactic camera's hummed around Zarkon's throne, showing off every angle.

It was truly the ultimate declaration of pride and vanity. Keith hated it.

Every occupant turned to look at Keith when he entered, the loud banging of the doors making him known immediately. They began mumbling and whispering to one another, a low buzzing reverberating throughout the cavernous room.

Zarkon sat on his gigantic throne, looming over them all, while Keith's half-brother, Prince Lotor, lounged on a smaller throne on his right side. There was an even smaller empty throne on Zarkon's left for Keith. As Keith stomped to the front, he caught his half-brother's yellow eyes watching him with amusement, hiding a mischievous smile behind one hand. He probably knew what Keith was going to say. Well, Keith didn't care. He wasn't going to let them do this to him.

Zarkon was still addressing everyone, even those not in the room, intergalactic camera's broadcasting his words to everyone in the entire empire. He was obviously ignoring Keith's unceremonious entrance. Well, Keith didn't care who he was talking to nor what he was saying. Keith was a thunderhead and could not be stopped.

Keith marched right in front of Zarkon's throne, planted himself firmly, pointed at his so-called father, and yelled at the top of his lungs, "I will NOT be the prize in your tournament!"

The entire room was silent, Keith's words echoing around the cavernous room.

Shiro had followed him all the way and was now kneeling behind Keith, mumbling quietly. "I told you to wait, why do you never listen?"

Keith stared Zarkon straight in his glowing purple eyes, panting from having nearly run there, waiting for his response.

Silence.

Lotor cleared his throat ever so slightly and Keith glanced at him. He mouthed overdramatically, "Look," pointing to his eyes, and "Down," pointing towards the floor.

Keith was perplexed. Was it some sort of trick? But he did as his half-brother suggested, glancing down to the purple carpeted floor under his feet.

He noticed first that he wasn't wearing any shoes. Then he realized that he wasn't wearing a shirt. Or pants. He was standing in front of Zarkon and all of the Empire in nothing but his underwear.

Keith felt heat flood his face as he tried to figure out what to say. All that ended up coming out of his mouth was a compilation of "Um, uh, er, I-uh, well…" and maybe even a few expletives.

Shiro was the one that saved him in the end.

"Please, Emperor Zarkon, Overlord of Day and Night, Ruler of Worlds, and All Powerful Majesty," he moved to kneel deeply in front of Keith to Zarkon. "Please excuse My Lord, Prince Keith. Someone, uh… stole his clothes, Your Majesty." And then he arose, his face cast down in a subdued manner as he took three steps back, then grabbed Keith's arm and dragged him out the side door.

Author's Note: Well, I hoped you liked reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! If at this moment you find yourself thinking, "Well, that was lovely and funny and sweet! I wish to read more chapters that are lovely and funny and sweet!" Please, do not read the next chapter. I wanted to explore some serious subjects that provoke true emotions in my readers and it is not very lovely and funny and sweet. Please send me your thoughts if you so wish. Thank you.