Hiding Lulu

Chapter One

Lulu had never been a difficult child. Considering everything she had been through in her short time among the living, one could say she had even thrived under the watchful eyes of her caregivers and protectors.

On the day that Da'vid left Botorayne, all of that changed.

No longer was the knowledge that her father fought to free her people a comfort, she only found despair in their separation. In her mother's illness, she found the fears of coming death, after discovering Miss Nyreal had been killed. Images of the golden skinned woman, who was Da'vid's mother, lying cold, with blue tinged lips, still and no longer bleeding, haunted her nightmares. She couldn't shake the image of the woman frozen in her mind, a hand at her ravaged throat. Da'vid, where she had once felt him in her mind and could almost know and feel his thoughts, was gone, his presence replaced by lingering silence and emptiness.

There was no solace for Lulu. Nanny's special desserts, Chitter and Cheddar sneaking her sweets, her mother singing her to sleep, none of this brought her comfort. So deep was the wound of her heart that her mother, out of sheer desperation, begged her husband to take a respite and come to their daughter's aid.

Weeks had passed, then a month, a second and then a third before the traveler had come to settle into Miss Nyreal's cottage. The day after his arrival, Lulu had spied him hobbling toward their cottage bent over a cane, wearing a large straw hat pulled down to cover his face.

She also noticed that the strange man wore rumpled clothing which didn't make sense to her. Even from some distance away, she could see that he wore clean, white gloves on his hands and, once he was on the cobblestone path, she could see his spit-shined shoes catching the bright sunlight.

It just didn't make sense to her, not in the slightest. Shaking her head she slipped out the garden door and began to pick her way through the vegetables and flowers to get a closer look.

"Lulu," Nanny called out from the door in alarm, "inside, quickly!"

Lulu scowled. Her Nan never let her have any fun, but something about the fear in her voice frightened her. She retraced her steps, before running in through the door without protest.

"Go, sit with your mother. I will handle this." Nanny spoke firmly as she rolled up the sleeves of her blouse.

Lulu nodded and soon found herself and her mother shut into the bedroom. She didn't know if her Nan was trying to lock them in or lock out the coming stranger.

"Mama, why is Nan scared?" she asked.

"Not a reason to worry, my sunshine. Nanny knows we do not often see strangers here, and just wants to make sure that we have no reasons to be afraid," Regina replied gently.

Lulu watched as her mother fidgeted with her bedclothes and nodded to her before rushing to the window. There, out on the front porch was her Nan, sweeping vigorously. As the old man approached her, Lulu held her breath and then blinked in surprise. Her Nan had dropped her broom and was running. "Lulu! My Lady!" She cried, as she helped the old man inside. "Come! Come quickly!"

Lulu turned to watch her mother swing her spindly legs over the side of her bed and push herself to standing. She teetered for a moment and instantly Lulu was at her side, trying to help steady her. Together, they managed to unlock the door with the key her mother had been clutching in her hand and carefully crept through the door and down the short hallway.

There, standing in the middle of their sitting room was the man, now straight as an arrow, with his back to them. Nanny fussed about, sobbing, managing to choke out something about tea and cookies and preparing dinner.

"Naaaaan?" Lulu asked in confusion. "Who's the strange man?"

She watched as the man turned around and her mother lurched forward with a cry "My husband!" She nearly fell to the floor, but found herself caught up in the man's arms.

Lulu watched with wide eyes as her mother was spun around, her feet nearly knocking over a lamp. When he set Regina on her feet, Lulu's eyes grew wide as he kissed her mother breathless.

He wrapped an arm around her mother, then wiped away first her tears and then his own, before gently calling to his daughter: "Allura."

"Papa?" she sniffed in confusion, while trying to reconcile the man before her with the images of her Papa in her memories.

He nodded and kneeled before her, reluctantly letting go of his wife, who steadied herself by placing a hand on his shoulder, before he opened his arms.

Swallowing back the lump in her throat she glanced first from the man, to her Nan and then her mother who nodded. "PAPA!"

She threw herself into his arms and they folded around her. What she found was that forgotten, familiar feeling of safety. "Oh, Papa!" she babbled. "Miss Nyreal died and I found her and she was so cold and she didn't move no more. And Da'vid is gone and I'm scared 'cause you're gone and he's gone and..." she hiccuped and buried her face in his shoulder. "And.. and mama's sick and I heard them. Nan says she's dying, like Miss Nyreal, and I don't wanna be alone. I want Mama to live forever and be with me always and... I wanna go home, Papa. Please, Papa! I wanna go home!"

Nanny gasped. She hadn't realized her little Princess had overheard her conversations with her Queen. Did this mean that Da'vid knew as well?

"My daughter," he whispered into her hair. "No matter what happens in our lives, no matter what happens to us or how far a part we are, we are always home. For in our hearts, we are and always will be together."

She sniffled and pulled back slightly. "Papa, can you make Da'vid's papa let him go?"

Alfor looked up at his wife and met her eyes. In his own mind he could hear his Bride's voice, 'The crowned Prince Da'vid Lotor Zarkon.' Alfor strained against the anger that flooded his veins. "How has the Prince of Doom been able to insinuate himself into our daughter's life?"

Regina sighed, motioning for her husband to sit upon the sofa. His eyes never left hers as he lifted Lulu into his arms and carried her across the room. Once they were all seated comfortably on the sofa, with his wife at his side, Regina continued to explain to him and him alone. 'Queen Nyreal came to Botorayne while she was still with child to hide him from Zarkon. Come to find out, the son of our greatest enemy shall be our daughter's greatest protector.'

'Her Protector?!' he demanded as the color drained from his face.

"Please, Papa. I can't hear him in my head anymore, but I just know he's scared... Papa, please..." she sobbed.

His arms tightened around her on their own. On one hand, a fierce need to protect his child flooded his entire being; but, at the same time, he couldn't help but find relief in the irony of his daughter's bonding being to the only son of the man who would likely end his life. Knowing that, even after he was gone, someone other than himself was destined to protect her from the horrors of the war relieved him.

"Allura, I cannot promise you I will be able to find him, but I will try," he said gently. "I can promise you, however, that one day he will be in your life again."

Alfor remained on Botorayne with his wife and daughter for six glorious weeks. During that time, his wife, who suffered the brunt of their separation, grew healthy and changed from a weakened, ashen woman to one who was glowing with life and health. His days were filled with fishing with his daughter from out of the pond in his strange disguise, and his nights were filled with making love to his wife. While he still worked late into each evening in order to deal with the strained affairs of his Kingdom, they had been full of a joy and calm he had never known before. Even his daughter was a happy and smiling child again.

He smiled and closed the folder he was reviewing and placed it on the stand beside the bed. Regina rolled into his side, yawning. He couldn't help but to smile when he saw the love in her eyes. A slow, peaceful smile graced her lips, and she couldn't resist but to reach out across her husband and brush her daughter's hair away from her face.

This was how they found themselves each night, at least until he carried Lulu off to bed.

"You're pensive," she spoke gently, interrupting his thoughts.

"Coran has sent word that Zarkon has retreated from our world and focused his attacks on Balto. The reports of casualties have been staggering. So many young children becoming heads of households or being moved to orphanages."

Regina stiffened and let out a slow deep breath. "You're leaving, aren't you?"

He could only nod.

Knowing that their time left was fleeting, she reached up and placed her hand on his cheek. She'd been hoping she could wait until she was sure and that he was sure, but she couldn't wait. She couldn't risk him leaving without knowing. "Alfor," she said gently, trying to force her own thoughts into the back of her mind. "I know my health has been in question, but I fear that is only the strain of our bond, caused by our separation; and, Bailey, he's confirmed my suspicions."

He stretched for a moment, interrupting her before drawing her closer to him.

"Alfor," she whispered, "I had hoped you would be able to remain here longer, but I know that you staying and us building a life here without our responsibilities is only a fantasy. I hope one day it will be safe to return to Arus..."

"Regina -"

"I am with child," she interrupted. "It is not without risk, but Bailey believes that even if we are parted that we could both make it."

"A baby? We're going to have a baby?" He himself had dared not to hope that their union would be blessed with another child.

She nodded, happy tears in her eyes.

"A baby?" Lulu mumbled sleepily. "Who's gonna have a baby?"

"We are, sunshine," Regina answered.

"Would you like a little brother or sister?" her father asked.

Lulu sat up, her eyes wide with excitement. "Would I? Oh! Thank you! Thank you!" Like most only children, Lulu had wished for a brother or sister every year for her birthday and this year, her eighth birthday spent with her mother and father in safety, she had wished for two things. The first was a sibling, the second was Da'vid to return to her life.

She cocked her head to the side and scowled in thought.

"What is it," her mother inquired.

She took a deep breath. "Where do babies come from?"

The only response was laughter.