"Blood is Etched in Stone"
"I mean she aimed right for my face! She could have gone for the legs, or the arms, but no it had to be my beautiful, perfect face!"
Lance gesticulates, rubbing his hands all over his face to emphasize his point.
Pidge, and Hunk barely heard a word, I mean they heard, it's not like they had much a choice, hearing is a default. But, they didn't care enough to urge him on to elaborate details about his "romantic" escapades with Lotor's generals, instead they just mumble their usual, occasional yeah, yeah sure, sure right, and a couple of uh huhs, just to keep him quiet.
"I think she brunt off some of my gorgeous locks!" Hunk and Pidge did take a second to peek up from their tinkering to see a good couple of strands of burnt hair, they could have sworn that also saw smoke residue fuming from the split ends, but they both digressed and shrugged.
"Bummer, dude."
"Yep, must have been terribly traumatic."
"Are you guys even listening!"
"Yep."
"Uh-huh."
"Uggh! You know what guys suck! Some friends you are! First, Shiro, Keith, Allura, now you guys! Traitors the lot of you!" he hissed through clenched teeth. If lance were any more desperate he would've tried to fake tears for pity points, unfortunately, dry eyes was constant since-since well, being in the far reaches of space. His cards were up.
"Yep..."
"Sure thing…"
"Whatever you say…"
"Fine!" they heard his feet pound against the metallic floor in indignation, and the faint mumbling of "I get no respect around here. Maybe Coran will listen(pity) to my woes?"
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
"Well, that was certainly harsh, Acxa."
"Your one to talk, seeing that you tried to snap his spine in half."
Ezor narrows her eyes "Well, I guess that was kind of harsh, but at least I wasn't trying to Y'know, actually blow his brains out all over the ship. Lotor's ship mind, you." She taps her fingers on Acxa's chair for emphasis.
"Yeah, he definitely wouldn't have liked that." Zethrid adds.
"How is paralyzing him any better than killing him." Acxa points out, exasperated.
Narti's incessant typing vibrates throughout the room.
"Well, at least he'd still be alive."
"I do not regret my actions." Acxa states pointedly, "I am a general of Prince Lotor. I am not, or never will be a- a-
"Whore." Zethrid cut in.
"Zethrid!" Ezor cried out in a falsely scandalized voice.
"What!" She was looking for a word, and I gave her one." she shrugged her massive shoulders.
"Exactly, Zethrid. Thank you!" Acxa sniffs.
"Okkay… I'm pretty sure it was just harmless flirting, Acxa I don't think he meant to imply that you were a prostitute or something. That would imply that he actually had a brain."
Acxa growled, crossing her arms tightly, her fingers digging into the crook of her elbow. Her nose scrunched, lips screwed. "have you've forgotten that he also tried to imply that you were a prostitute too."
"I doubt it. It was just half-baked flirting at best." Ezor flicked a dismissive hand "besides, even if he did, it's not like he isn't too far from the truth."
"I still find him insufferable."
"I think he's kind of stupid. Though, it makes me wonder how he got chosen."
"Unfortunate luck."
"How is that unfortunate?"
"Not, for him, Ezor. For the rest of us."
"I think he's actually kind of cute." Zethrid supplied out the blue, her eyes downcast as she was peeling some kind fruit.
There was a sudden, oppressive silence.
"Yeah- I what!?"
Acxa had a momentary look of pure disgust. Then it was betrayal, and then she choked on her spit. Then her thoughts back tracked, replaying Zethrid's words over again.
Ezor was shocked for the lack of a better word, even Narti's attention was on Zethrid as well, hence her incessant typing pausing abruptly.
"He said that I had nice thighs….." she mutters sheepishly. Had anyone had known any better, it would appear that Zethrid of all people was blushing a dark shade of purple.
Soon, Ezor's expression of shock melted and twisted, her brows pressed together, her lips spread ear to ear, showing off her razor blade like teeth, it was almost maniacal.
Lotor now entered, took one glance at Ezor's bout of insanity plaster plainly on her face, practically spun on the balls of his heels and quickly booked it out there.
No one noticed.
"Zethrid!" Ezor squealed and giggled. "You have a crush!"
-0-0-0-0-0
He couldn't sleep. Not that was a new development. Sleep had always been a chore to him, a simple involuntary need. Despite that, it was hard to sleep, and even harder to stay asleep.
8 to 9 hours was the set ideal of a healthy rest, he heard the Green Paladin once say offhandedly.
Ideally his idea of a healthy sleep would be one foregoing nightmares. But, alas this night, and previous ones were fraught with burning stars, and the frightening fury of his father's rage set against him. It was certainly magnificent, as it outshined any fire any star could produce. The sight of it drenched him in cold sweat.
His clothing, and sheets soaked, thoroughly.
The rest of the hour was spent dousing himself in cold water, it chilled his bones, and flesh. He redressed in his armor, and out the room he went. He no longer wished to sleep.
Without thinking, he wandered through the castle's seemingly endless halls and corridors. Weirdly enough his thoughts were blank, and his mind supplied him with nothing to pick apart. He was- at a lost to say the least. So, he decided to walk.
The only sounds that greet him that whole night were the ones of his own footsteps.
0-0-0-0-0-0-
Nonononono.
His hands shook, as the barrier crumbled away, allowing him entrance. The air was still all around, tension so thick, a knife could get stuck in it.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Lance is the first to break the silence. "Him!"
Keith was about to protest, but Lance already put the words right in his mouth.
Pidge and Hunk were at loss for words.
But, Shiro stills, a feeling, a feeling, so foreign comes over him in that instance. It was one of cold fury festering in the swell of his chest, consuming him where he now stands, as he watches all that he stood for break and crumble before his very eyes.
Allura gaps, her mouth opening and closing.
This can't be.
Lotor is the new Black Paladin….?
All eyes are on him now.
His knees feel weak, his chest ever so heavy as if his lungs were going to cave in upon themselves. He feels their gazes, both the paladins and his generals on him, waiting to anticipate his next move.
The paladins: betrayal.
His generals: a complete breakdown.
He laughs, it comes out choked, then bitter, then maniacal as the pitch got higher, his hands found their way into his hair, scraping at the scalp, he stooped to his haunches.
The bitter taste of irony poisons what little control he had, as well as makes his stomach lurch.
This can't be. This cannot be. He murmurs repeatedly.
"Uhh, is he okay." Lance whispers. He wanted to lighten the situation, this was getting a bit too uncomfortable watching a guy's sanity starting to slowly ebb away, right smack dab in front of you.
Both Pidge and Hunk elbow him in stomach.
"This is not what I wanted!"
Everybody flinches. His generals hover closer, but not too close for the fear he my snap at them. Truly they wanted to protect, or at least try cover up what was left of his dignity.
After, all you are your father's son." Haggar's crackling voice comes to him.
And mine as well.
Betrayal?
"Lotor." Allura murmurs. She couldn't watch this anymore, she just couldn't watch someone just-just break apart like this.
However, the moment she took a step towards him, reaching her hand out to comfort him, her wrist was quickly snatched by Acxa's ironclad grip.
"Do not lay a hand him!" her eyes matched the indignation that seeped out her lips.
"Back off!" Zethrid sneered, her voice booming.
"Hands off!" Shiro's galra arms rests upon the Acxa's shoulder the grip was light, squeezing tighter, and tighter, it was a warning.
"You've got it all wrong! I'm trying to help!" Allura pleads. Her stance is neutral to convey her point.
"As if! "Ezor's snaps, she jams one of manicured fingers into the other women's chest.
"Hey! Don't point your finger at her!"
"Lance, shut it!" Keith hisses at him.
"Truly I am. I know it's hard, you must believe me!"
"Why should we trust you!"
"Enough!" Lotor's voice echoes, and rickshays off the metallic walls and doors.
The chains in the hanger rattle.
"Acxa! Zethrid! Ezor! Stand down! I don't wish for a fight. Now, is not time for petty squabbles!"
But!
Leave me at once.
But...
I want to be alone.
But…
All of you leave!
They want to stay, but they heed their Prince's orders, and without another fuss leave. Hunk and Pidge soon follow suit with a lack anything better to say. Allura tries to herd the rest of them out-
"Hey!" Lance swirls around Allura "Who do think you are! This is our castle, buddy and if you think you can just hop right in, Mr. Daddy issues and start screaming orders at us, I-
"GET OUT YOU, SWINE! I TIRE OF DEARLY OF YOUR INSIPID, DRIBBLE!
Whatever Lance had to say at moment died on his very tongue as he met, Lotor's unrelenting rage. He quickly turned himself around and fled for his very life.
Keith and Shiro didn't dare say a word or breath or linger for that matter. As much as Keith enjoyed watching lance finally getting told off, and choke on his own words; he couldn't stand to be in there one more minute, it was clear his Majesty was on a one-way trip towards mental breakdown, and he definitely didn't want to be in there when his sanity finally goes soring gloriously, straight out the window and or when he does to engulf the hanger with a fire that rivals his own burning rage.
Off all the ways he could possibly die being asphyxiated by smoke wasn't one of them.
Allura was the only one that didn't follow.
He eyed Shiro wearily, as he too noticed.
Allura was strong, she could protect herself. But, still- They both decided to trust Allura's decision to stay, but if she doesn't return on the hour- their gazes linger on the closed hanger door.
"Geez, I think I need a drink-" Lance dragged a hand down his face.
"Lance we're underaged." Pidge piped in. Not that she cared either way.
"Yeah, I pretty sure there are laws against that." Hunk stated.
"I don't care, report me to space police for all I care. I need a drink, after-
"After what getting yelled at Prince Lotor." Hunk quirked a brow.
"I didn't get yelled at- "
"You know everyone heard that, right?"
"Every word?"
"Every word." Hunk nods.
" Ughhh!"
"Well, you were kind of asking for it, especially when you implied that he had an Electra complex." Pidge shrugged.
"What! When did I imply that!"
"When you called him, I quote Mr. Daddy issues."
"I thought it was Oedipus complex." Hunk asked.
"Well, technically, it's an Oedipus complex if one has a weird fixation one's mother, and Electra if it's the father." Pidge rubbed at her chin.
"Isn't the first one more of a - I don't know a mother-son thing and the other father-daughter?"
"Well, yeah. But, I guess it can go either way in my opinion."
"Like can you guys not…." Keith was not likening where this topic was heading.
0-0-0-0-0-0-
The sensation was surreal- sitting in the same place that he father once sat. Inheriting what was once his father's legacy.
At first, nothing happened. He sat there, in the dark. He leans back, closing his eyes, and - listens-
Father - the young prince was greeted with silence. He father hadn't once looked at him, the bridge that they stood on was quiet save for the on goings of the druids, and other Galra soldiers. The vastness of space surrounded them with only the clear, barrier the only thing keeping all the inhabitants safe from the dangers of exploding stars, and roaming asteroids.
For the moment, he decided to take his father's silence as permission to speak.
"Father, may I ask you a question?"
"Why do you seek Voltron, does really matter anymore, when you have the whole universe's power at your disposal. Is it really worth all the man-power, you put into it?"
The question hangs in the air. Lotor feels his stomach sink, wondering, if maybe he had crossed a line, again.
"You are just child. You cannot begin understand." though his father's voice is low, to a child as small as Lotor it thunders.
Lips parted, but closed. His eyes shyly peer, cranking his neck up, his father was built like a mountain, both figuratively, literally, metaphorically.
His gaze rakes across his father's face, though it is obscured by the sharp edges of his helmet, he can see the glow of his eyes. Sometimes he wonders what his father face looked like without the helmet in the way. His eyes descend eyeing his father's large hands dropped at his sides, he once again found himself pondering what his hands must feel like. He wonders what it would be like to feel his hand pressed against the softness of his cheek, or cradled in his large arms.
He places his smaller, chubbier hands out in front of him, his claws still barely noticeable, slightly gleaming under the starlight. The witch, Haggar says they'll grow out soon enough.
There's a heaviness upon his head, suddenly once again he cranks his neck up to see his father's glowing, pupiless eyes, boring down on him, his expression vacant, and cold. Cautiously, Zarkon brushes back strands of white hair.
"Your hair's gotten longer-"
"Oh. It has." Lotor twirls a strand of it, eyeing it curiously. "I suppose it should be cut, but I rather wish to grow it out."
"It'll become a liability."
"Then I'll just learn to fight with long hair then."
"There's a price for vanity, my son."
"Mother had long hair."
He feels his heart hammering, thudding against his ribcage like a wild animal, his breath erratic. He finds it difficult to breath.
Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. He breathes in harshly through his nose. His fingers tremble, as they slowly gripped the Black Lion's steering control. He hears the high pitch whirling of the Lion's machinery becoming conscious. The lights flicker, the operating systems come alive. He's swarmed by blearing blue and white lights.
So, then. This is it.
His fingers turn white, as his grip strains. His teeth clenched together. His head drops. A harsh intake of breath, and shaky inhale, and soft sobs break loose from their restraint.
No.
You are your father's son,
And mine as well, Prince Lotor.
There is no escape from blood, for it is ever binding, for blood is etched in stone.
0-0-0-0-0-0-
Lotor does something, that he never thought in his 10,000 years of life he would do.
Victory or Death….
Victory or Death….
Victory or Death….
Resign himself to his fate.
0-0-0-0-0
Alarms were blaring, as the whole castle shook violently.
"What heck is going on!"
"Paladins we're under attack!
"Ezor! Zethrid! Narti!"
"Its Zarkon!"
"Oh, come on! Can we like get a freaking break!"
"Princess, where are you!
"In the hanger, Coran. Quickly, what's the status!"
"Were surrounded by Galra forces from every angle, and more importantly, Zarkon's ship is heading straight for us, and it doesn't look like he's going to stop anytime soon!"
"You don't mean-he's going to try and use his ship as a battering ram!"
"It seems that my father has grown desperate."
"Paladins we must form Voltron!"
"Quickly, the blade can only stall for, so long!"
"We need to regroup, how much fuel do we have left!"
"Only enough for one trip, Princess, However, I doubt we'll be able to get that far!"
"That's fine, it gives us enough time to make a plan!"
"Right on it, Princess!"
"Keith and I and the rest of the Mamora can offer cover, however we are low on man power, our forces are spread thin. So, our range is limited."
"Not, so Kolivan is it, if you are low on man power, my generals can provide backup."
"Even so, Zarkon's coalition still out numbers us by the hundreds."
"That is exactly why we need to assemble Voltron."
"But, Shiro- "
"As much as I hate to admit it, Lance, Lotor is the new Black Paladin now."
"But-"
"Shiro's right. The Lion has chosen Lotor, there is nothing we can do about it. We must accept the reality before us with grace."
"Are we all forgetting that is guy is like super mega evil."
"If you hadn't notice; this situation isn't exactly ideal for me as well."
"And now we're all supposed to sympathize with you?"
"It's shame that the princess is ever, so lenient. She should have you fitted for a muzzle."
"What-HEY!"
"Anyways, it is as the Princess says, we must resign ourselves to our fates. Running away will only do us harm in the end." he sighs "it is time that I face my father."
"Armor. The Black Paladin's armor." he hesitates. He feels his throat constrict.
"Princess, you can-"
"Take it."
Lotor inhales, shakily, but nods. I must resign myself to my fate.
"This was newly made, it is not your father's armor-I know it's not much, but perhaps this piece of information will offer you some comfort."
"Thank you, Princess."
It was weird, to be thanked by Prince Lotor of all people, but to her surprise it wasn't unwelcomed.
"You are most welcomed. Now, we have a battle to win."
0-0-0-0-0-0
"I thought I would find you here."
He flinched, uncharacteristically, startled. He hadn't expected her to find him here.
"It's late Princess-
"It is late, isn't." her hands were clasped behind her back, her dress swaying around her ankles. He noticed that her feet were bare.
"I can't sleep, and it seems I'm not the only one."
"Nightmares?" she arched her brow at his question "none of the sort "she shrugged halfheartedly "I just can't seem to relax enough to do so."
There was an awkward silence around them-a huge metaphorical white elephant, or Black lion in their case was practically stomping through the hanger room, and Lotor was sitting right on top of it. One knee bent with one arm draped over it, and the other leg dangling off the edge of the Lion's snout.
Allura hadn't spoken another word, for a good minute he thought that she had simply left.
"Why are you here, anyways?" Twice in one night he nearly jumped out his own skin. Her breath felt as though it were beating against his neck, though there was a good distance between them, well a good couple of inches. Her lips were painfully close to his ear. He twisted his neck slightly, to find her on her hands, and knees. She had crawled onto the Black Lion. Her hair appeared as if it had seen a good war or two. Despite, her earlier rambling about being unable to sleep, she looked wide awake, and alert. He also noticed the curious gleam in her crystalline eyes.
She sits beside hims, knees pulled up to her chest.
A stillness settles over them both. It is laying between the realm of uncomfortable, and comfortable with neither not knowing exactly, what they wanted to say.
"You need to have your Blue Paladin muzzled."
"What-oh, you mean, Lance?"
"Yes." There is a distinct aura of venom that makes Allura cringe.
Allura grimaces "Ah-well, I'm sorry about that-Lance is not all that well versed in good first impression."
Lotor hums, his tone is either one of apathy, or cold disbelief.
"He does have a good heart, even though there are days where I dearly wished to slap him at times."
"And a spray bottle."
"Why a spray bottle?"
"To keep him off my generals. Is he that driven mad by hormones that he cannot exercise decorum."
"Um."
"He made a suggestive comment towards Ezor about her ability to contort her body."
"Oh. And what did she do- "
"Showed him, of course."
Allura made a face.
"Let's just say in the end, that your Blue Paladin isn't well suited for aerobatics."
Allura hisses through pressed lips, as she tried to imagine the pain of having one's limbs stretched beyond one's capabilities.
"Narti also tried to asphyxiate him with her tail as well. Acxa nearly blew his brains out on my ship. Surprisingly, Zethrid has taken a liking to him, for one reason or another."
" Really?! She-um Zethrid, doesn't seem like the type-no offense."
"None, taken Princess, I find it quite odd as you do, Zethrid has never been one for half-baked flirting and pretty words."
"Why the change of heart."
Lotor shrugs.
"I haven't the faintest idea."
"Hmm- well, I be sure to have a talk with Lance about his behavior." Lotor nods is see-that-you-will- kind of way.
"Though, Ezor seems quite giddy about it." Lotor grimaces this time, his ears pulled back.
Allura noticed the twitching of his ears. She can't help but find it cute. So, he was capable of a larger range of emotions, after all.
She wanted to see more.
"What's with that look?"
"Hmm, ah well let's just say that Ezor's track record doesn't inspire trust."
Allura's brows scrunched up "huh?"
"Ezor's has a knack for meddling-as in match making-and when I mean knack I don't mean it in a positive light. Unfortunately, I nor the others have the heart to discourage her well-meaning endeavors." his expression remains a tad bit sour, it made Allura wonder if Lotor was a frequent victim.
Allura snorts, then a rain of laughter pours from her lips. Lotor blinks, unsure of what to think about the Princess' sudden burst of mirth. He was under the impression that she was laughing at him. For what? He didn't know, he hadn't done anything worth finding humorous. Did he? She falls over, her hands gripping her sides, as she laughs out loud.
"Are you having a fit of temporary insanity, Princess." He deadpanned.
"N-no!" she snorts again, trying to ease her laughter, but she couldn't help it. She dearly couldn't help it. Just imagining Lotor getting tied up in some ham-fisted match-making debacle was just too much for her not to entertain. Though, judging by his frost demeanor, he didn't find his misery all that funny.
It took an enormous effort, but she eventually calmed herself down, though bits of snickering came out here and there.
"Are you quite done." He looms over her smaller frame. His white hair tickling her nose. She wrinkles her nose at the sudden sensation.
"Yes-*snort* sorry, sorry! I'll stop."
Once again, the chains rattle in the stillness, save for slowly fading embers of Allura's laughter. Soon enough it's just hushed giggling that vibrates under her bones.
Lotor is still looming over her, his claws erect, tapping against the metal of the Black Lion's head. His expression is vacant, and somewhat cold, yet Allura finds herself serene, despite the intensity of his stare. She gazes back, curiously, waiting, wondering what he'll do next.
He does nothing, it's as if his body is stuck on autopilot and his mind is elsewhere. Unnerved, but annoyed by the apparent scrutiny.
Allura wraps her fingers around his lower arms, the junction of the elbow, she feels the muscles tense, his pupils dilate more, slowly, but reassuringly brushes her thumb against the bunched muscles.
Lotor eyes her cautiously, he wanted to ask what she thought she was doing, but ultimately decided against it.
"Do you think history has a twisted sense of humor?"
"Perhaps."
"Perhaps?"
"History is merely a cycle, Allura, a series of domino effects, if you will, one events causing others to follow, sometimes said events all entail each other. All things-I suppose in their own way are intertwined with each other one way or another."
"Y'know there's an earth saying that goes "Those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it."
"Wise words."
"Do you think history is repeating itself again?"
"What do you mean? Are you implying that we will eventually follow into our fathers' footsteps? To fail where they too fail."
"Yes."
There's an uncomfortable pause, a haunted shadow falls over Lotor's face, his eyes seem glassy, not all together there. She squeezes his arm.
"…Unfortunately, I do not have the answer for your question, Princess." his expression became vacant, hollow. His eyes staring off into the distance. Allura frowned. That wasn't an answer she was expecting. What was she expecting, anyways? A soliloquy of hope? Surely, she had gone mad expecting something of the sort from Prince Lotor, ruler the of cynics. He was skeptical, as she was optimist.
She tugs at his arm, he stiffens. The muscles straining. He reminded her of a wounded animal, with that feral gleam in his blue eyes.
She rubs the inside of his elbow with the pad of her thumb "come."
She gentle coaxes him down across her body, they were perpendicular to each other, as she places his head against her chest. He's still, very still, there's an air of tension. Allura maybe wondered if she were being a bit too pushy.
"Lotor, are you alright?"
"I'm- "he peers up at her searching gaze, her crystalline eyes- he feels his throat restricting-
I'm fine. But the words never came-he hesitates-this position-he feels her fingers testing, run through his hair. He doesn't protest. Her heart seemed to be just as erratic as his. Beating against her ribs, he feels it against his cheek. He moves in closer, his arms snake around her waist. He here's a soft oh, but nothing more, as her fingers find their way to his scalp. He never knew having one's head scratched could be this – soothing.
"I do not know. I do not know how to answer your question because I'm at a lost on what to say. This beyond my own calculations. This is- this is not what I expected." He finally answers.
"You don't need an articulate answer for everything. Sometimes, it just fine to just be- "the Princess pauses, for a moment, her lips pursed, he wondered if he had done something to offend "are you purring."
She feels the lustrous prince tense once more. He coughs, averting his gaze, she could have sworn that he was blushing, well his ears were pushed back again.
"Sorry." He winces "It seems that I cannot help... it…. it's rather- a involuntary action." She laughs lightly.
"There's no need for apologies. I don't mind it. Don't be embarrassed. I think it's rather cute! Like your ears!" giddily she cradles his head closer to her breasts, nuzzling the top of his head.
Lotor tries to bury the rest of his face in the valley her chest, trying, in vain to hide his inflamed cheeks. Though, doing that probably made the burning worse. He bit the inside of his mouth, hoping to draw blood.
This was all beyond his own calculations. Not only did he "steal" the very object of his father's obsession, but was currently, getting all comfortable with King Alfor's daughter.
Zarkon was definitely going to have aneurysm.
He sighs through his nose. He must resign himself to his fate.
You are your father's son, Prince Lotor, as you are mine.
For Blood is etched in stone, you can never hide.
Ever….