Once Upon a Time

by Mertz

For Cynthia's KAEX Challenge, short story.

This story is dedicated to my dear friend Cynthia, who needed something to warm her up, which is part of a KAEX Challenge.

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Until next time,

Mertz

Once Upon a Time:

"…and they lived happily ever after."

It is a beautiful day for sitting under a tree and reading. Just enough sun shines through the leaves to leave the group resting on a blanket in front of the tree feeling peaceful and warm. Placing the well used book down beside him, the elderly man looks up and smiles at the children encircling him. The young girls have dreamy expressions on their faces. Most of the boys are smiling, having enjoyed the tale of the brave knight and his beautiful princess. One simply stares at him, his expression clearly showing his skepticism. Arching a bushy eyebrow at him, the elderly man asks, "Don't you believe in happily ever after, Evan?"

The boy wrinkles up his nose at him, "No. My big brother says these stories are nothing but stupid fairy tales and fake."

"Really?" he asks, crossing his arms in front of him. "Is that what you choose to believe?"

Mimicking him, Evan stares back at him, "I've never seen it."

Leaning forward, his deep blue eyes twinkling, the elderly man shares his secret, "I have."

"When?" Evan asks, his face full of wonder.

"Not so very long ago."

"What happened?" Evan asks, moving closer to the old man to encourage him.

Settling back against the tree trunk once more with his entwined fingers resting on his belly and crossing his ankles, the elderly man asks, "Are you sure you want to hear it? It might be considered one of those silly fairy tales."

"Please?" all of the children reply, moving closer to the man.

Smiling at them, he says, "Well, like any story, you need to begin it properly. Once upon a time…"

Walking through the lower service area of the castle, Commander Keith Kogane shakes his head at the damage. Another battle with Planet Doom. Another victory. But always at a cost and this one is high. He stops beside a large hole in the exterior wall and watches the crew working on repairing it. The cold winter wind blows through, causing him to shiver despite his cold weather gear. This battle couldn't have happened at a worse time. In the middle of one of the coldest winters Arus has seen in an age.

Moving away from the hole, Keith walks into the electrical room to find the men hard at work clearing away the destroyed equipment. Sparks fly as yet another wire breaks free and swings just above a worker's head.

"Hey! Watch it!"

Using a utility pole, Hunk Garrett loops the sparking wire and pulls it away from the heads of the workers. "We don't need anyone getting electrocuted."

"What's the repairs looking like, Hunk?"

The big man looks over at his commanding officer to reply, "It's going to be ugly. I'd say it'll be at least three days before we get everything repaired and have full power again."

Smothering a curse, Keith says, "The backup systems will never last that long trying to power the entire castle."

"I know." Hunk looks back at him, his expression grim.

"We'll have to conserve power and shut down everything we can."

"Cap!"

The two men turn to find the youngest member of the group quickly approaching. Stopping in front of them, Pidge Stoker exclaims, "I finished checking the furnace room. We've got major damage there as well. Half the system was blown away."

"No heat?" asks Keith, his eyes showing his frustration.

"Not for a couple of days at least. Coran has already contacted Pollux for help bringing in equipment."

The curse he smothered earlier bursts out of him. Taking a deep breath and releasing it in an effort to calm himself, Keith looks straight up at the ceiling, staring at the blacked remains as he thinks through all the ramifications. They just need to get through the next few days without anyone getting sick or dying.

"Well, this is going to suck."

Dropping his head to find Lance McClain and the castle advisor, Coran, have joined them, Keith asks, "You heard?"

Stuffing his cold hands into his pocket as another icy blast of cold air rolls through, Lance nods, "Yeah, we were approaching as the kid filled you in. What the hell are we going to do in a big castle with no heat and almost no power?"

"Send home all non-essential staff," Keith states. His eyes meet Coran's and the advisor nods in agreement. Looking back at the others, he adds, "We don't all need to freeze. We also need to cut power to everything but the defense systems and medical. We can't afford to run out of power and become defenseless."

"Did I say this is going to suck?" Lance says with a shake of his head. "Suck is an understatement!"

"Tell me about it," Keith replies. "Everyone get moving. We have a lot to get done."

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Two days later, Princess Allura rubs her hands up and down her arms in an effort to warm them while walking down the hall. No heat beyond the too few fire places available in only a few rooms. The big castle that has always felt warm and safe to her has become a place of cold and misery. No hot water, no hot meals, nothing that would make this never-ending cold bearable. Dressed as if she planned to spend the day out in the bitter cold, Allura tightens the scarf around her neck, pulls the zipper of her coat up as far as she can then rubs her gloved hands together in an attempt to warm her fingers. Even when it was just her and Coran in the old decrepit castle, she never felt this cold. She sniffles as she enters her bedroom a moment later.

Walking over to the dresser by her bed, Allura grabs a tissue to wipe her nose with. Moving over to the fireplace, she tosses the tissue in, picks up a log, places it on top of the smoldering embers of the previous fire and then holds her hands up to the meager flames as the wood slowly catches fire. A knock at the door draws her attention. Rising, she calls out, "Yes?"

The door opens to reveal Lance, with a pile of wood in his arms. He smiles at her as he sets it down near the grate, notes the pathetic flames just starting and tosses yet another log onto the fire. Rising, he says, "Keith figured you needed more wood."

"Tell him I appreciate it," Allura replies then sneezes.

Lance looks at her concerned, "Are you getting sick?"

"No. I just put a log on. Some dust must have scattered with it."

He arches an eyebrow at her in disbelief, but doesn't contradict her. She doesn't want to be any bigger burden then she already has with this crisis. Keith has had the guys working around the clock to restore the heat and power, but they have still managed to constantly bring her wood and check on her. It's just a small cold. She'll get over it when the power comes back. Relieved when he doesn't say anything about her obvious lie, Allura asks, "Any update on when the repairs will be finished?"

"The new equipment arrived about an hour ago. Pidge and Hunk plan to work through the night to get everything running."

Smiling for the first time in days, Allura exclaims, "That's fabulous news."

"I'm sure we'll all love a hot shower and meal after the last couple of days," Lance replies then starts for the door. "I've got more wood to deliver and the rec room fire to get stoked up. Night Princess."

"Good night, Lance."

As the door shuts behind him, Allura walks to her bathroom. Time to wash her face with icy cold water, brush her teeth, and then crawl under her blankets and pray she can get warm and sleep. That's the only thing that will cure this cold of hers.

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Sitting on his haunches before the fireplace in the rec room, Keith watches the flames slowly rising from the wood he just added. A sense of peace fills him, watching the red and gold of the flames moving along the logs. He glances at his watch, midnight. Returning his gaze to the fire and the dancing flames, he contemplates making a run to the lower levels to check progress, but knows it's futile. He is more of a nuisance than a help at this point. Hunk and Pidge have all the help they need. A loud snore echoes behind him, destroying the peace. Sighing, Keith rises and looks behind him. Lance snores again from his place in the recliner.

He can't wait until the heat is on so he can return to his room. Two days of sharing the rec room, and the warmth of the rec room fireplace, with his teammates hasn't exactly left him in great spirits. His eyes move to the room's other occupant. The advisor, Coran, is glaring at Lance from his place on the sofa. The lieutenant has kept everyone up the last two days with his snoring. Hunk threatened to stuff Lance's pillow down his throat the night before. Only Keith's presence in the room stopped him from trying. A loud snort escapes Lance. He turns slightly to his side and starts snoring again. Coran shakes his head at the younger man in disgust.

Unable to resist, Keith says, "Just think, Coran, tomorrow night you'll be back in your own bed."

"Thank the gods above," Coran grumbles. He arches a bushy eyebrow at Keith, "I can see why Hunk wanted to kill him last night. Does he ever quit?"

"When he wakes," Keith replies. He picks up a set of ear plugs lying near his own sleeping pad, "Want them?"

"No, you use them," Coran answers. "We need you alert tomorrow."

Smiling at the older man, Keith is about to push them into his ears when the door to the rec room opens and Princess Allura enters. The meager light from the fire shows the tears sliding down her face as she stops in the middle of the room and hugs herself. Approaching her, Keith asks, "Princess, what's wrong?"

"I'm so cold. I can't take it anymore," she replies then coughs.

Reaching up, Keith touches her cheek to find the skin clammy and feverish, "Princess, you're running a fever. You should go to MedTech."

She shakes her head at him, "It's full to the brim after Lotor's attack." Her eyes close and she shivers almost violently, "I'm so cold."

Coran approaches and they share a concerned look before he says, "Keith, we have to get her warm." He gestures to the place he just vacated, "You're going to have to share body heat with her. Use the sofa, I'll take the other recliner."

"Nanny would pitch a fit if she was here," Keith says as he leads Allura over to the couch.

"I think in this instance, she would understand. This is about Allura's health," Coran answers as he settles into the recliner next to Lance. "Besides, with me here to chaperone, there is nothing to worry about."

Turning his attention to the princess, Keith asks, "Do you have on an undershirt?"

She nods in answer, her whole body trembling with cold. Keith removes his jacket then his shirt until he is down to his undershirt. He helps the princess remove her jacket and shirt then directs her to lie down on her side with her back against the sofa. He lays down beside her then pulls the blankets around them. Gathering Allura into his arms, Keith cringes when her cold fingers slide between them and settle against his back. Her nose presses against his chest as she curls into him and she moans out, "You're so warm."

The thought of…not for long…goes through his mind at the feel of her icy body next to him, but Keith says nothing. He rubs his hands up and down her back, trying to warm her. She seems to settle down, the shivers slowly dissipating until finally she falls asleep. Closing his eyes, Keith attempts to join her in sleep but the sweet smell of Allura's hair along with the press of her body against his teases his senses. She shifts in sleep, her knee pressing between his legs. Clamping his teeth together to keep from groaning out in frustration, Keith forces his eyes shut and begins counting the hours until morning.

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In that space between wakefulness and sleep, Princess Allura slowly becomes cognizant of the warm body next to hers. For the first time in days, she feels warm. She sucks in a deep, sleepy breath and inhales a mixed scent of outdoors and something spicy. Memory returns…Keith. The few times she's managed to get close enough without drawing attention to herself, or earning her governess' wrath, she's learned to love the smell of him. She listens to the sound of his breathing, deep and even. As he breathes out, she feels the hair on top of her head move. Everything feels so peaceful. This is the place she has longed to be since the first moment she met Keith so long ago. While the last few days have been painful, Allura isn't going to complain about the outcome. None of her wildest dreams match the actual feeling of Keith's arms around her. She hears a rumble of a voice across the room. Lance…asking about something. The muscles under her fingers flex as Keith moves slightly to look behind him and quietly answers, "Get that fire going, Lance. We need it warm in here."

The lieutenant replies, but Allura fails to hear the words. Keith's hands begin moving along her back, the same way they did last night when he was trying to warm her. She sighs as she curls into him, her nose pressing against the thin shirt separating them. If only she could stay like this forever. His hands stop moving and Allura simply enjoys the moment…a moment she knows will end all too soon.

"The fire is at a roar, Keith."

She wishes Lance would just go away. Fearful of giving away her wakeful state, Allura simply holds still as Keith shifts again to look back at him and says, "Thanks."

"Is Princess all right?"

"I think she will be," Keith whispers back. "Her fever is gone."

"Good. I'm going to check in with Hunk and Pidge."

"Thanks," Keith says before turning back into her.

Allura almost sighs in relief when she hears the door to the rec room opening and closing. Finally…nothing more to disturb this moment. His fingers move up her back and into her hair. Reaching her neck, his fingers rub that spot between her ear and shoulder. A happy little moan escapes her. So much for faking sleep. She listens to his chuckle then leans back to look at him.

Unable to see his eyes in the near darkness, Allura reaches up to touch his cheek. The scruffy beard he has been growing the last couple of days scratches her fingers. His hand rises and he cups her hand within his for a moment. Releasing it, Keith reaches over to push her hair out of her face and slides his hand along her cheek.

Feeling her heart beginning to race, Allura turns her head enough to place a kiss against his palm. She feels his body tense beside her. Wrapping her arm over his waist, Allura pushes her face back into his chest and hugs him. His arms move to surround her and she is once again cocooned within his warmth.

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"From my place across the room, I watched the commander place the sweetest, most loving kiss on the princess' forehead and I knew…" the older man says with a sigh.

"Knew what?" Evan demands, more interested in this story than any other the old man has ever told.

The lips beneath his bushy mustache twitch into a smile before he answers, "That was the beginning of a great love. One that would last for the ages."

"But how do you know they lived happily ever after?" Evan pushes, wanting to know.

Their discussion is interrupted as a coach arrives followed by several armed guards on horse back. The group watches as the door opens and two identical dark haired boys jump down and begin racing around the coach. A man dressed in royal attire steps down next, his dark gaze watching his sons closely. He shakes his head at their antics as they race by him once more. He turns back to the door and accepts a bundle wrapped in blankets before reaching in with his free hand to help a beautiful woman step down from the coach. She points to the group by the tree and calls to the boys to join them. They walk together toward them, the man's arm around the lady's waist.

As they approach, Coran, the retired advisor to the Queen and King of Arus, finally answers Evan's question, "Because they have."