Many thanks to the reviewers, I'm so glad you're enjoying the story. On we go!
Chapter 10
Standing beside his ship on a cliff overlooking the valley below, Prince Lotor glances back to find Princess Romelle and Prince Bandor struggling against their captors. Smiling to himself, he turns his attention back to the battle. Not that it's much of one. He only sent five fighters out, just enough to get their attention. Irritation fills him. The blowing snow is worsening, making it difficult to see the action below. After spotting another ship exploding, Lotor turns back to his men, "Order the last fighter to retreat and hail the lions, now!"
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Placing his key in the slot, Keith watches his display activate. He notes another fighter being destroyed by Allura then the last one flying off. Pulling back on the controls, he orders, "After that fighter! He may take us to wherever they're holding Romelle and Bandor!"
The lions race across the snow covered terrain in pursuit. Blowing snow reduces visibility to almost nothing. Cursing the planet's environment, Keith stops the lion abruptly at the sight of a large Doom command ship resting on a short cliff just ahead. As the other lions stop behind him, he hears Lotor's maniacal laughter coming through the communication equipment followed by, "What's the matter, Commander? Afraid to come any farther?"
Working the controls to his visuals, Keith is finally able to zoom in on the group standing just outside the ship. Surrounded by a squad of Doom troops, Romelle and Bandor cling to each other while shivering in the cold and blowing snow. He hears Allura's gasp through the comm. and grimaces. So much for hoping she hadn't seen them. Fear clinches him the next moment when Lotor declares, "I suggest a trade. Romelle and Bandor for Princess Allura."
"NO!" screams Keith, sitting forward in his seat, his hands balled into tight fists.
"Are you nuts?" Lance questions with a shake of his head.
Lotor's voice echoes through the comm., "You have two minutes to comply. If you refuse, Romelle dies. If you still refuse after that, Bandor dies next."
"Keith, I have to."
Closing his eyes against the pain and fear constricting his heart at his mate's whispered words, Keith shakes his head in denial but keeps his lips pressed together to keep it within. Unable to look at her, he listens to Allura's quiet crying coming over their private line. He opens his eyes to see the snow-filled landscape on his main monitor. The blowing snow makes it hard to see the large Doom ship, even as close as they are to it.
"You're running out of time. What's your decision?"
Lotor's demanding tone spurs Keith into action. Hitting his own comm. so it echoes across the valley, he replies, "We agree."
"What the hell?"
"Are you crazy?"
"You can't give her to him!"
"Trust me, guys." Finally meeting Allura's gaze on the side monitor, he finishes, "I have a plan. Just be ready to attack."
She nods to him before the screen goes black. Pulling the key from the switch, Keith rises from the seat, opens the side hatch, and jumps down to the ground. When Allura approaches him, he wraps his arm around her waist and looks up the short cliff to call out, "Allura's on her way. Send Romelle and Bandor over. They start at the same time or no deal!"
"Very well," Lotor replies down to them.
Keith tightens his grip on Allura's waist while whispering instructions into her ear. He places a kiss on the bit of her cheek that her helmet fails to cover then releases her, "Go."
"I love you," Allura whispers before pulling away and starting up the snowy terrain.
It takes everything within Keith not to pull her back and order her back into her lion. Taking a deep, steadying breath, he looks up the cliff-side to find Romelle and Bandor slowly making their way down.
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From his vantage point, Lotor watches Allura as she slowly makes her way up the cliff. When she trips and falls into the snow, he calls out, "Don't stop, Princess. I can still kill Romelle and Bandor from here."
A smirk slips across his face. He can imagine the fire in her eyes when she looks up at him from her place in the snow. Spirit. Princess Allura has so much more than Romelle. He can't wait to see what she does with that spirit when he is thrusting into her. A gust of wind blows the snow even harder, making Allura almost impossible to see for a moment as she walks between a small group of trees.
She becomes visible again after passing the trees, the snow collecting on her suit. Turning back, he finds Haggar standing near the open hatch, watching the proceedings with her blue cat in her arms. Victorious, Lotor orders, "As soon as I have her, send the robeast to destroy those lions."
The old witch nods in answer before turning away. The smile on Lotor's face grows as he watches the princess moving closer. After all his patience and planning, he'll finally have her.
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Turning her face away from the snow blowing in her eyes, Romelle tightens her grip on her brother. The wind propels her forward as they fight their way through the snow to the awaiting lions below. Freezing with the cold wind and a lack of appropriate clothing, she shivers violently. Relieved to be away from Lotor, she can't help the overflow of guilt racking her system. The Doom soldiers forced her to stand and watch them kill Violet and the others. Now Allura, a cousin she barely knows, is taking her place in hell so she can go free. Romelle spots the figure moving past, but has to turn her face away when the snow blows into her face again, blinding her.
Stopping, she looks back to find the figure walking up the hill. Despite her desire to go home, to end the hell that has been her life since Lotor walked into it, she can't do it. Bandor pulls on her arm, trying to force her to move forward. Pulling it away, Romelle says, "I can't do it. I can't let Allura take my place. Not when I know what that monster will do to her."
Bandor stares into her eyes for a moment then nods. Turning, Romelle starts back up the hill. She stops when Bandor falls into line beside her. Looking down at her brother, she asks, "What are you doing?"
"I'm going with you," he replies, his body stiff with tension.
Thoughts of arguing with him disappear when she finds the determination in his eyes. Nodding to him, Romelle takes his hand within hers. They slowly walk back up the hill together.
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Standing at the edge of the cliff, Lotor watches the princess approach. His eyes narrow on her, the blowing snow has coated her uniform, distorting her figure. As she finishes climbing the hill and stands but a few feet from him, he yells back, "Now Haggar!"
As the robeast breaks out of the snow and heads for the lions, he steps forward, "Come Allura, it's time for you to meet your destiny."
"Destiny will have to wait."
Hearing a male voice coming out of the princess causes Lotor to stop mid-step. He watches the figure open his utility belt and press a button. The snow melts quickly, revealing the Commander of the Voltron Force.
"You tricked me," yells Lotor as he pulls his sword from his belt.
"You honestly thought I'd let Allura sacrifice herself?" Keith asks, his eyes narrowing as he pulls out his own laser sword and ignites it.
Holding it high, he starts toward Lotor with a warrior's yell only to stop when Haggar's cat jumps up on him, claws digging into his arms. Dropping the sword, Keith manages to toss the cat off only to find Lotor holding his sword to his throat with a smile on his face. "Now, I'll be rid of you. The robeast will take care of the rest of your men and Princess Allura will be mine."
Raising his sword above his head, Lotor watches Keith closely. A small amount of respect rises within him as the commander holds his gaze, refusing to look away in the face of certain death. Bringing the sword down, Lotor gasps in pain as a laser blast hits his hand, knocking the sword away.
Both men turn to find Romelle standing behind Prince Bandor, who holds a gun on them. Lotor snarls, "I thought they took your weapons."
"They missed one," Bandor replies, his expression smug. His gaze moves to Keith, "Get back to your lion! They need you to stop the robeast!" He looks back to Lotor, "We'll take care of him."
Lotor looks over to find Keith reaching down into the snow. He pulls up his own laser sword, ignites it and takes a step toward Lotor while saying, "Lotor is too much for you."
Bandor comes running forward, "No, he's mine!"
They stop when they hear Haggar's evil laughter. A smile slips across Lotor's face as the commander looks around, trying to find the source of the sound. He doesn't find her fast enough. Lotor looks to the side hatch in time to see Haggar raise her staff into the air. The blast knocks the commander and Prince Bandor into the air. They land in the snow several feet back, close to Romelle.
Picking up the sword the commander dropped when he landed, Romelle races toward Lotor, "Monster!"
He sidesteps her thrust and backhands her, knocking her out. Picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder, Lotor walks into the open hatch of his ship with Haggar and her cat. As the door closes behind him, he calls out, "Get us into the air!"