Be Mine
By KittyShannon
Disclaimers: Voltron and all associated characters are owned and copyrighted by WEP. Original/new characters belong to the author.
Rating: PG-13 - Innuendo, Sensuality, and Language
PART 2
"Tell the Captain of my guard I wish to speak with him now," Lotor growled as he pushed past the soldiers who stood watch at the door leading into his bed chamber.
"Yes, sire," one of the men answered before taking off at a run.
Lotor glared at the other guard. "Have a ship made ready, I will depart in thirty minutes."
The young Drule wanted to ask which ship to have prepared, but as the door slammed closed in his face, he thought better of it.
When the Prince of Doom was in a foul mood such as this, everyone knew it was best to simply obey his command and stay out of his way. Hopefully the Prince's ire would run its course quickly, and he wouldn't be the unlucky one who caught the brunt of it in the mean time.
: )
: )
The moment the door had closed, Lotor began to pace. He had an overwhelming feeling of dread; he had no doubt he was running out of time. If things didn't go his way this time...He wasn't sure he'd get another chance.
The Prince of Doom had tried every way he could think of to win the fair Princess Allura s favor, to no avail. Today, he considered the situation at hand and decided if he was ever to stand a chance, he was going to have to change tactics. Especially after the news he'd received just a few short weeks ago...
He had begun laying the ground work to plant a spy within the Castle of Lions some months back, and those plans had been most successful. What the Prince had not been counting on was just how much he would detest the information he would receive! For all the stars in the galaxy, he had barely been able to believe it when the very first time his spy reported in, the intel he reported propelling Lotor into a murderous fury that resulted in the deaths of three slaves and one concubine.
Just days after worming his way into an invitation to dinner with the Princess, there was a private announcement made for friends and family. It had not yet been made official, but the Arussian Royal Advisor and Royal Governess had given their blessing for that wretched Captain Keith to court Princess Allura.
But that hadn't been the worst of it ...What had driven him over the edge was hearing how the Arussian Princess was positively radiant with joy, and absolutely enamored with Captain Keith. He had been told that the two made quite the loving couple, holding hands, sharing lover's glances and stolen kisses.
Moving to the back of his rooms, he ripped a painting off the wall and exposed a hidden safe. He entered the combination and pulled open its door, revealing various pieces of jewelry and gemstones scattered amid piles of gold, coins and other valuables. He dug around, pulling free a small box; nestled inside were a pair of stunning earrings that had once belonged to his mother. He pulled one out and held it up to the light. The stones were shaped like drops, their color a milky, opalesque shade - Moonstones, he remembered his mother telling him. The rare and precious stones were encased in silver threads that created an intricate, yet delicate pattern.
As he replaced the earring in its box, he slipped the lid closed and sighed. His heart was filled with a familiar sorrow; when he thought of his mother, his heart ached. But, he also remembered her whispered words when she had shown him the beautiful jewelry he now held in his hand... 'Someday my sweet boy, you will give these to your bride!'
Long ago, the Prince of Doom had decided the only woman who could possibly be worthy of this precious gift was the Princess of Arus.
However, in light of this Terran lover's holiday and the heart-rending news that the woman he had loved for so long had chosen another...Well, maybe today was the perfect day to give her his gift; the one thing he could offer her that might convince her that his love was true.
: )
: )
Back at the Castle of Lions, the Voltron Force had no more than returned from the orphanage, sat down and settled in, when the doors to the rec room flew open with a "swoosh."
"Och, you lazy bunch!" Nanny chastised. Her proclamation elicited a chorus of loud sighs and mumbled excuses from the assembled group of volunteers. "There is still much to do before the children come for tomorrow's festivities!"
When no one moved, she placed her hands on her somewhat wide hips, and continued her tirade. "Now you see here! All those little girls and boys will arrive tomorrow expecting fun and games...and lots of cookies! In order for my staff to get all those treats baked, you lot of rascals must get back to work!"
Ignoring any complaints, and without missing a beat, Nanny began directing the little group. "I'm going to need the Princess in the kitchen. Keith and Pidge go meet Coran in Castle Control, he needs help organizing the workers who are preparing the grounds for a treasure hunt. Hunk and Lance will be helping the maids with decorations, and you," she pointed at Lance, "there will be absolutely no funny business, Mr. Casanova."
With a few more good-natured sighs, and a muttered complaint from Lance, everyone moved off to complete their list of chores. Nanny and Allura watched as the young men disappeared, the door finally closing behind the last of the group. After a moment to be sure no one was coming back, the Princess turned to her governess with a brilliant smile.
"Thank you so much, Nanny!"
"Of course, child," the older woman returned the smile, her eyes twinkling, and reached out to take Allura's hands in her own. "But I must insist that you take someone with you! You simply cannot be wandering about without an escort, Princess!"
Allura had asked Nanny several days before if she would help her create something special for Keith to celebrate this Terran lover's holiday. Together, the two women had weighed and considered several options, but not just anything would do.
It had to be something special, the Princess had explained. She wanted it be a treasured memory - like when her parents had met on her mother's home world. Her father had gone to planet Verdant to reinforce the alliance shared with Arus and had come home with a bride.
To hear the late Queen Natori tell it, the moment she and Alfor had met, the moment they had laid eyes upon one another, they both had known there would never be another. Before the week was out, the two were wed in a small yet romantic ceremony. And part of that ceremony had been to share a special elixir from a loving cup; an elixir that was created from the sweetest berries. It was said that one sip of Havleous nectar would ensure that the bride and groom would always remember the exquisitely tender feelings of their new love.
Nanny had wiped tears from her eyes as she listened to Allura re-tell a tale she had heard many, many times when the Queen was still alive. She had never forgotten the way Natori would watch her sleeping babe and pray that one day her daughter would know the kind of love she and Alfor shared.
And that's when Nanny had jumped from her seat and exclaimed that she knew just the special thing Allura was looking for! The governess hurriedly explained that the Queen had brought seedlings with her from her home world - Havleous seedlings! She then went on to remind the Princess of the berries they had picked when she was a little girl, the ones that grew just inside the entrance to the cave just east of the Castle of Lions...
So, it had been decided, the Princess would gather the Havleous berries and Nanny would help her extract their nectar...Keith and Allura would share their own loving cup, just as the late Arussian monarchs had so many years before.
"Okay," she finally relented, knowing her governess was right. "But I cannot wait all afternoon! I must leave soon or I will never have time to reach the caves and return before nightfall!"
"Of course, Posy," Nanny nodded. "I will send one of the kitchen staff immediately."
True to her word, within fifteen minutes of Allura and Nanny parting ways, Jake met the Princess in the rec room, basket in hand and ready to go. The two headed out into the kitchen gardens where they slipped through the hedges and began the short hike to the mouth of the eastern cave nearest the castle.
: )