I apologize for the delay in updating. I have no excuses other than life has been busy. Now that summer is here, I hope to have more time to write, read, and review.

This chapter is for Cilla8, who begged me in her last review to update soon. So here you go, my dear! I hope it was worth the wait.

Happy Father's Day to all our Keiths! My husband is the Keith to my Allura!

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters and locations. The story is mine. All other characters and locations are also mine. Please do not use without my permission.

Chapter 9

Pacing nervously in the princess's sitting room, Keith waited anxiously for his fiancée to emerge from her bedroom. Arriving with just moments to spare, he was relieved that Allura wasn't ready yet. After his last check of the ballroom and security protocol, he ran to his quarters to get ready. After the fastest shower on record and a half-hearted attempt to tame his wild mane of black hair, he fretted that he would be late to escort the princess to the ballroom. That, and he just couldn't let go of the feeling of trepidation that gnawed at his gut. Pulling distractedly at the collar of his dress uniform as he tried to urge his discomfort away, he spun around when he heard Allura's bedroom door swish open.

All worry and nagging discomfort flew out the window. Keith's mouth went dry. He couldn't breathe; he couldn't speak. Standing in front of him was the most breathtaking woman he had ever laid eyes on.

Dressed in her one-shouldered, royal blue cocktail dress, Allura stood regally as she allowed her fiancé to take all of her in. Choosing to wear her hair down with the sides pulled back and fastened in a sapphire clip, Allura adorned her fancy dress with only three pieces of jewelry: her circlet, her tear-drop sapphire earrings, and the antique cushion-cut diamond engagement ring that Keith finally slipped on her finger just that afternoon. With crystal four-inch heeled sandals finishing her look, the princess never felt so beautiful or so sexy. She spun around slowly so that Keith could view her from every angle.

When she turned to face him again, she saw that his face held no emotion, but his eyes spoke volumes. The depths of his coal black eyes smoldered, communicating to her clearly the lust and desire that he was fighting to keep in check. Pleased with his strong reaction, Allura quirked a coy smile. "Do you like what you see, Commander?" she asked silkily, arching a blond eyebrow.

Unable to stop thinking about what had happened between them the last time the princess wore that dress, Keith closed his eyes and fought to slow his breathing and the pounding of his heart. Once he felt a little more centered, he opened his eyes and stared down at his fiancée. "You better stop the teasing if you hope to make an appearance at our engagement party." His dark eyes blazed in challenge.

Allura blinked innocently, her blue eyes shining brightly. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Keith. I just simply asked if you liked my outfit."

Growling in response, Keith grabbed Allura by both arms. He quickly pulled her flush against his hard, muscular body. Not giving her a moment to protest or react, Keith swiftly pressed his lips to hers. Feeling her melt against him, he deepened the kiss until he left her breathless. Releasing her suddenly, Keith took a step back. "I really think we better get down to the ballroom before I carry you back to that bedroom and spend the rest of the night having my way with you."

Feeling lightheaded from Keith's sudden passion, Allura grabbed her head as she fought to calm her breathing. "Yes, let's get to the ballroom. It would be better if I was not alone with you," she conceded. Looking her fiancée over from head to toe, she couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked in his dress uniform. Subconsciously biting her lip, she suddenly wished the party were already over. Turning away, she quickly walked toward the door to put more distance between her and Keith to maintain control over her baser instincts.

"Not so fast, Princess," Keith called just before she got to her chamber door.

Spinning back toward him, the princess rolled her eyes. Opening her mouth to deliver a snarky comment, she swallowed her retort when she found Keith holding a beautiful brooch out to her. The platinum pin gleamed in the shape of a lion's head, its eyes two large diamonds that seemed to glow with an internal light. "Keith?" the princess gasped. "Where did you get that? That was my father's!"

Keith nodded. Walking over to Allura, he handed her the priceless Arusian treasure. "I know," he replied. "Koran retrieved it from the royal tomb. He wanted you to wear it tonight."

With tears threatening to fall, Allura simply stared at the brooch in her hands. The last memory she had of her father was when he left to battle Zarkon at Zohar all those years ago. He had been wearing the brooch on his cloak as he hugged her for the last time. "But why, Keith? The brooch was buried with my father."

Noticing the sudden sadness that washed over her breathtaking features, Keith reached out to the princess. "Koran explained that the nobility and aristocracy of Arus will recognize the pin the moment they see it," he explained as he gazed at her. "When they see the brooch on you, it will signify to the people that your father approves of our engagement, that he acknowledges that you are ready to be married and become queen."

Walking over to a nearby mirror, Allura perused her reflection. Glancing down at where the fabric gathered just under her breasts, she affixed the pin in the middle of the ruching. The brooch looked like it was made for the dress. "How does that look?" she asked as she turned back around to gauge Keith's final reaction.

"Stunning," he mused. "You are absolutely stunning." Remembering the secondary purpose for the brooch suddenly, he morphed into commander mode. "Oh, and Pidge also added a homing device to the brooch. If something happens, anything happens, just press the button on the back of the pin. It will immediately start tracking you and send your whereabouts to Castle Control."

Shaking her head at how quickly Keith could go from loving fiancé to anal commander within the blink of an eye, Allura couldn't help but laugh. "Why of course it's a homing device as well," she repeated. Walking back toward the chamber door, she stopped and propped her leg up on the arm of the chair. Lifting the hem of her skirt, she shot Keith a seductive glance. "Oh, and don't worry, Commander; I'm armed." She proudly displayed the mini-blaster strapped to her leg before she lowered her skirt and stalked out the door on her towering heels.

Chuckling softly, Keith couldn't help but smile. Allura was never boring; she kept him on his toes. He knew their life together was going to be an adventure, an adventure that he was more than ready to start.

The nagging pull in his gut returned with a vengeance, and his smile dimmed as he followed his soon-to-be wife down to their engagement party. Not wanting Allura out of his sight for even a moment, he sped up to a jog to catch up with her. He wanted to enter the party with the princess on his arm, just where she was meant to be.