Chapter Two

Keith could see Nanny eyeing him. She was putting utensils in a sorting tray, but much more loudly than was necessary. As he loaded a small box onto the cart, he said, "You don't have to make all that noise. If you want to ask me something, just ask." Wiping a small drop of sweat from his brow, he glanced back over to where Allura was talking to the village leaders just a few yards away. Moving so he could keep a better eye on Allura, he looked briefly to the older woman and said, "Well, Gretchen?"

"Who says I have any questions to ask you, young man?" She put a ladle forcefully into the bin.

Keith chuckled. "Well, if you don't have anything to say to me, then I'll-"

Picking up a large kitchen knife, she pointed it in his direction and said, "I DO have something to say to you, young man. I just don't have any questions."

Less than a year ago, the sight of Nanny brandishing a knife in his direction would have caused him great concern. Now, the sight just brought a smile to his face. "What is this 'young man' stuff? What happened to 'my Lord?'" He watched her put down the knife and smiled all the more as he watched her fight the smile that wanted to turn up the corners of her mouth. "So, what do you want to say to me, Gretchen?"

Nanny watched as he turned back to Allura. He was always on guard for the princess. Always protecting her, even if it meant protecting her from himself. "Keith, you only have one quest to go. You have almost completed them. Can't you be a little more affectionate with Princess? "

Oh, if Nanny only knew the verbal flirting that they engaged in on an almost daily basis. "Don't worry, Nanny, Allura knows exactly how I feel about her."

Nanny turned from the utensils to see the gaze that Keith directed at Allura. In her younger years, she had been the recipient of 'smoldering' looks, and she knew that was just how the commander was looking at the princess. He might be keeping Allura at arm's length, but it appeared he was fighting to do so. The thought made her smile. As long as this final chapter hurried along and he returned from it unharmed, the future looked bright indeed for the young couple.

Her smiles continued, when suddenly, she saw Keith tense and hold the table. The black of his irises seemed to overtake his eyes, making them dark and unseeing. A vision was upon him. Nanny moved quietly, but carefully to his side and as he began to blink, she patted his hand as his eyes returned to normal. She said, "It was just a few minutes."

The look Keith gave her was one of confusion. His vision was unlike any of the others. In the vision, a voice spoke to him. It was a familiar female voice, but he wasn't sure who it was. As the voice spoke, he had looked at a platinum and gold band in his palm. The feminine voice had said, "You must choose." Choose what? What choice was he being asked to make? He just shook his head, grateful that Nanny wasn't asking any questions yet, but he was sure they would come. He just didn't have any answers to give.

Keith was pleasantly surprised that Nanny hadn't mentioned the vision at all when they returned to the castle. They had all wearily headed to their rooms for a restful night's sleep, although Keith's was haunted by the sound of the voice telling him to choose.

So it was with slightly ringed eyes that Keith made his way to breakfast. No sooner than they were seated with their meals than Nanny placed her hands on her hips and directed a glare his way. He looked carefully at her, he knew she could see the dark rings around his eyes and she knew their cause. The other pilots and Coran looked to him.

Still looking at Nanny, he said, "I had another vision. It was while I was helping Nanny pack up items. It was a small vision and makes little sense at this time." However, he proceeded to tell them the little that he knew.

Pidge asked, "Was it the same as your Lion House ring?"

Keith frowned in concentration and thought for a moment. "Yes, it could have been, but I didn't gaze at it fully before the vision ended. There didn't seem to be any onyx for the signet part, but it was all so fleeting."

Allura, Nanny, and Coran were very quiet. Finally, Nanny said, "After we eat, there is something we must show you."

Keith nodded and wondered how in the heck he was supposed to eat anything with it was obvious they had something important to share.

At the conclusion of a very quiet and very fast meal, everyone stood and followed Nanny. It seemed that Coran and Allura both knew where she was going. Moving quickly and quietly, they made their way through the gleaming metal walls of the castle to a stairwell that took them down into a little used section of the castle that once was part of the original castle. Pulling out her master set of keys, Nanny unlocked the room that housed the few remaining royal jewels, Allura's mother's wedding gown, and other Arusian relics. But it was the tapestry on the wall that drew their attention. King Alfor stood in full battle armor, young and full of vigor. His sword firmly raised in his right hand that was ungloved. Upon his fourth finger gleamed a platinum and gold band with a small blue stone.

Keith's breathing grew ragged as he closed his eyes and went back into the vision. While the stone wasn't completely there, there has been a crescent light of reflection from a glass type surface. He opened his eyes and said, "It is the ring."

What did it mean? What was he meant to choose? To be king? What of Allura? What happened to bring him to a choice of ruling Arus? He turned and left the room leaving everyone in silent reflection on what it could mean to all of them.