As the team docked their lions in the garage and gathered in the main deck they were greeted with the two . Coran clutched his data-pad, flicking his gaze to the princess and then the paladins. Allura's eyes cold, lips thinned as she peered at them all.
Back straight, hands pressed together in front of her as she stepped forward. "I am severely disappointed in you all." She said in a clipped tone. "This was supposed to have been a diplomatic mission and you were unable to secure an alliance. What exactly happened?"
" It was bad intel we were working with, not realizing before it was too late," Shiro answered shoulders set back, baring the weight of her anger. Out of the corner of his eye saw Pidge lower her head, hands balling into fists almost trembling. Lance had wrapped one arm around her body giving his silent support.
"Not good enough." Her shoes echoed on the metal floor coming to a stop in front of Keith who had arched an eyebrow incredulously.
"And you. When will you learn to control your impulses paladin?" The princess admonished. "Because of your irrational actions, you failed the mission." Turning away from him, beginning to pace back and forth, her scowl deepening as she looking back at him the then turning his gaze in front of her like she was mulling over a decision. Uncertainty curled in his stomach as she came to a stop, a blank expression on her face. "I wonder if I need to remove you from the red lion?" Keith's heart dipped in ice, his jaw went slack, staring at her in disbelief. Much like everyone else in the room.
There was ringing in his ears as the words echoed in his mind, a lump formed in his throat. This it was so out of the blue, it left him floundering for answers. Was this because his galran heritage had come to light, Did prejudices clouded her judgment? The thought of him parting from Red left a fear he had not felt in a very long time.
"You have no right to do that."
He was broke out of his stupor when Lance placed himself in front of him, the expanse of his shoulders blocked Keith from the princess's view. Trembling with rage, Lance moved closer the princess until he was inches apart from her.
She stepped back, and Keith felt the room grow hot, tension building with every second. "Know your place blue paladin or you might have the same consequences."
Something seemed to crack inside of Lance as his eyes glowed an unknown power, pulsing through his body. Brown hair began to turn white. "I think you forget princess. But we choose who is worthy of being our pilot. Just because the King left you in charge of the castle, does not mean you hold all of the power." His voice held another, more feminine which spoke in protective fury.
The princess's face turned ashen, tongue caught in her throat as she tried to speak but the words could not come out. Watching in horror as Lance body rippled. Bone creaking as it grew in sheer size as his anger grew in paramount. Marks appeared on his cheekbones and she started shaking like leaf.
Then Lance felt a hand touch his left bicep and his attention zoned on that, the warmth of the touch soon brought him back down. Grounding him in the reality of the moment. The power dissipated and he felt everything crash around him. Vision cleared, and he realized that everyone was staring at him. Now he would have liked the floor to swallow him up.
"Lance."
Keith's voice turned his gaze towards him, unease coursed through him, as the older man's eyes gleamed with concern, and an emotion he could not place. Breath becoming haggard, he wrenched himself away, stumbling away and turned heel to run to the door ignoring the cries from behind him.
Narrowly missing the hand that reached for him. He kept moving until he was out of the door.
