Bonds of Love
By KittyLynne
Voltron: Defender of the Universe is the property of World Events Productions. This story is being written for fun and fellow fans, not for profit. The original characters, prose and plots created for this fiction that were not in DOTU are my creative/intellectual property and should not be reproduced in any form without my written permission and proper citation as the source of inspiration for ideas/plot/dialogue, etc.
Chapter 9 Light of Day
A tickling sensation caused Keith's nose and lips to twitch, and his eyes to open. As awareness of his surroundings returned to him, a downwards glance revealed several bright strands of golden hair draped over his bare shoulder.
His gaze traveled even further downwards to the graceful curve of the feminine arm that was draped around his middle. The arm's owner was pressed up against his back, her face buried between his shoulder blades, her legs nestled behind his.
He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again. The arm and the woman it was attached to were still there.
Not a dream, then.
His arm moved, and his fingers found the stone amulet. It still hung around his neck, an affirmation of a bond that was comforting if still a little surreal. Recollections of the previous night's events pushed to the forefront of his mind, clamoring in the manner of impatient children who have been waiting in line for an ice cream vendor to open.
Once he'd climbed the steps to the bedroom and gently deposited Allura on her feet, the draining impact of the power he'd channeled hit him full force. All he had wanted to do was crawl into bed and save the discussions of the repercussions for the clear light of day. Allura had been utterly exhausted as well, and in interest of getting that good night's sleep, they had agreed to share the bed, as its huge size afforded a decent measure of separation even while it satisfied his sense of decorum.
So here he was, ever the conscientious soldier, still positioned safely on his side of the massive bed. And here was the Princess, just snuggled right up next to him, as if they had been sleeping together for years.
Once again Keith's lips twitched, this time in amusement. He wouldn't have suspected her of being a bed hog; she'd even commandeered the quilt. Not that he minded. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt such contentment. This kind of serenity and having peace of mind were luxuries, things he had mostly done without since his mother had left the family, leaving his father to do his best as a single parent.
Growing up as a Garrison special operative's son wasn't exactly conducive to coddling and fuzzy moments- it had been more like boot camp with a reward system based on activities, rather than rest and relaxation. Yeah, his dad had been hard on him. The advice may been unwanted, the hugs might have been a bit rough, the hair tousling annoying. But it was clear that his father would walk through fire for his kids. Even though his wife was absent, the man had been determined to provide a good life for them, while making sure they could take care of themselves in every aspect of daily living.
There had been no bitterness, and no complaining- never ever had his dad spoken ill of his wife and mother to his children. When asked, all he had said is that everything had happened for a good reason, and no matter where she was at that moment, the love they shared was present, eternal and unbreakable. Keith had often dismissed that statement as an exaggeration born of sadness and denial- how could a love exist between two people who weren't together?
But now, after last night, he found he finally understood that kind of connection. He was in love with Allura, but that feeling went way beyond saying the words, and feeling intense desire. What the lions had shared had shown him that love was the strongest bond possible between two souls. What had been joined in spirit could not be put asunder by persons, circumstances or distance.
That being said, their positions dictated that there were going to be many problems to surmount in gaining approval for a relationship. What they had already done, even though she technically remained chaste, could result in dishonor and scandal for Allura. For him, disciplinary action from the Garrison; an inquisition, maybe even a recall and demotion.
The Garrison was unsympathetic and unyielding regarding an explorer's conduct in their personal life, which ironically, was one of the things that had attracted Keith to this career. He was used to not having a normal family life, and hadn't thought he needed or wanted one. He was well aware that serious relationships couldn't develop as he was always moving on to the next mission; he'd never thought he was merely surviving rather than truly living.
Then came the day he arrived on the Planet Arus, and met its Princess. Right from the start, Allura had shown him the value of compassion and the power of a genuine smile. She'd gone on to show him a view of a world where honest and deep emotional ties weren't viewed as excess baggage but as essential to its survival.
The outcome was that he'd opened up, become closer with the guys he called teammates. He'd started seeing people as people rather than 'civilian casualties' and that things weren't always set in black or white. The woman snuggled up behind him had changed his view on life. He couldn't and wouldn't go back to his solitary existence, nor could he compartmentalize this relationship. Wherever it might lead him, he'd follow.
He lazily fingered the magnificent golden strands that draped over his shoulder. He'd always wanted to run his fingers through its luxuriant mass; what was merely duty for the maid who brushed the Princess' hair every night would be a forbidden, pleasurable treat for him. He thought of the time he and Lance had stood guard outside on the Princess' balcony one night after one of Lotor's infamous nighttime excursions. They'd been able to witness some of Allura's before bedtime ritual, and both of them had been in awe of her glorious mane, staring in fascination as the brush stroked through it before laughing and elbowing each other, reminding themselves they had a job to do.
Would this relationship with Allura change the way he related to the rest of the team? What would they think about him and the Princess being a couple ? Would there be resentment and dissension? Would it inadvertently undermine his authority or alter perceptions of his actions towards them? It was unlikely that Coran would interfere in their relationship; he suspected the older man might even be pleased. Nanny would have a fit about the commoner aspect, but he could deal with antiquated notions and winning her over.
Yeah, it was the possible negative reactions from his comrades that most bothered him. The Voltron Force needed to be a unified unit...
He sighed, and a sleep softened voice broke into his thoughts.
"I can tell that you're overthinking things again."
Keith's frown turned to a smile. Allura was awake, but hadn't moved away or removed her arm. Despite his worrying, that pleased him.
"Define 'things'," he said, still playing with her hair.
Allura stared at Keith's back, barely registering the movement of his hand as it caressed her hair. She was focused on his shoulders. which always tensed up when he was pondering something troublesome. With her arm around him, she could literally feel as well as see that tension.
She supposed it was to be expected. After their declarations of love and what that declaration had wrought with their lion spirits, Keith of the guarded emotions must be struggling to process the changes on many levels; though she hadn't consciously tried to probe his mind, she had sensed the turmoil of his thoughts from the time she had awakened...or perhaps, it was the turmoil that had roused her from sleep.
"By things, I mean... all of the obstacles in the path to us being together! You're making a list of them, aren't you?" She answered, making the question a statement.
"There are a lot of potential stumbling blocks." He admitted. "Our friends and the team. My employer and position. Your position as a Royal, the public reaction. And the uncertainty of the truce-"
"You haven't mentioned the biggest obstacle," Allura said, interrupting his list. "What's that?"
"Yourself!"
Keith stopped his idle stroking of her hair, and turned over so that they were face to face. "What do you mean?"
Allura sat up, pushing back the hair that tumbled in front of her face as she looked down at him. "Keith, I can give you so many examples where you've let me know that spending time with me socially is incompatible with your mission and duty! Given that, I can only imagine the conflict you feel in thinking of having a relationship with me!"
"I don't have any qualms about being in a relationship with you," he stated, also sitting up.
She smiled. "I believe you! But it's still finding ways to turn your back on happiness when you think you always need someone's approval to live your life or to adhere to some outdated notion of what's 'proper' for a Princess!"
"Being realistic about the repercussions of our status on my position and your title doesn't mean I'm turning my back on being happy," he retorted, clearly stung by her candor, "but I want your happiness more than my own!"
"Prove it, then," she challenged. "I've witnessed your courage and fortitude as you faced the toughest challenges presented to you day after day on Arus! There were many days where you alone have inspired me to keep fighting the good fight. The memory of those times inspires me to stay positive, and keep battling for my right to choose you..." her eyes grew misty,"I hope you will be at my side in that battle, no matter how difficult it may get for us!"
Keith swallowed hard- were his eyes getting watery? But that seemed a minor detail as he went to his knees, grabbed her hand, and brought the back of it to his lips and kissed it.
"I love you, Allura, Princess of Arus! I swear eternal fealty to our bond, and I will do everything in my power to uphold it!"
He looked at her with eyes that burned with conviction. His aura was controlled but strong, setting rippling waves of emotion through her. She brought their joined hands to her lips, pressed a kiss to his knuckles, and met his ardent gaze once more, repeating his words with equal intensity.
"I love you, Captain Keith Powell of the Voltron Force! I swear eternal fealty to our bond, and I will do everything in my power to uphold it!"
They stared at each other in silence. Then Keith raised his other hand, gently touched her cheek with a forefinger, drawing a line to her lips, which curved upwards as he brushed it over the contours of her mouth.
"You do realize that our spending the night alone together, no matter how innocent it was, will compromise you if word gets out," he said gently, as his hand lowered.
"It isn't a matter of being compromised!" She declared. "The lions summoned us here! Arusians are spiritual people, they will understand what that means for them, and that I will always do what's right for our world!"
"Maybe so..." He acknowledged. "But Earth is another matter, what we shared with the lions last night... I don't know that we will ever be able to explain that to anyone at the Garrison- Central command isn't known for advocating the use of spirituality in a pilot's decision making!"
Her lips pursed. "Keith, are you saying the Earth Alliance won't condone you bonding with me and our lions?"
He grimaced and nodded. "'Fraid so, it's very likely they'll be dead set against the two of us being together!"
"Well, that's just too bad!" She cried. "I don't care what they think- not that it's any of their business, as long as we are maintaining the peace in this quadrant! Besides, no one knows that we're alone here except Varten and Sarita..." She paused and eyed Keith, attuned to the subtle change in his expression. "What? Don't you find them trustworthy?"
"Yes, I trust them," he said in a firm tone.
"Then why are you worried? How else would someone on the outside find out we stayed here?"
"When I called Varten last night, he said that Lance contacted him and left a message for us."
"Oh!" She tensed. "Is everything all right?"
"Everything and everyone's fine. But something happened that Lance thought we should be informed about..."
"Which was?" Allura prompted, when he hesitated.
"Apparently, and about the time we had contact with the lions, the guys also experienced contact with a spiritual phenomena, and there were certain aspects of the encounter that they feel were linked directly to you!"
Her mouth rounded with surprise.
"And Varten promised Lance we'd contact him once we returned to the village today," Keith finished.
Allura fixed him with an unblinking look. There was a pregnant silence, then she said, "Please tell me Lance doesn't know we were here, alone in the wilderness, overnight."
To her surprise, he laughed. "I thought you didn't care what people think!"
"I don't! But Lance?" She sighed dramatically. "'I'm going to be constantly teased- either that, or he'll be using it as leverage!"
"He likes to tease you, for sure," he agreed ruefully. "But keep in mind he's also protective of you. He's told me he'd beat the tar out of me if he thought I did anything to hurt you!"
"Lance really said that to you?"
The Princess didn't look as appalled as she should have at the prospect of fisticuffs on her behalf, Keith thought with a prickling of irritation. In fact, she looked quite pleased. He probably shouldn't have said anything, but he quickly pushed aside his irritation-after all, Lance wasn't the one who was in bed with her, was he?
"Yeah, he did. Doesn't always show it but he does care about you and your feelings. In fact, he's the one who lit a fire under me to ask you to come here." He replied in an even tone.
Allura grinned. "It has been confirmed! There is a tender and noble heart beating under that sarcastic, tough as leather exterior!" She clasped her hands. "And I'm wrong to worry about a little teasing- it's a small price that I'll gladly pay for a dear friend who has my best interests at heart."
Keith clenched his jaw; the prickle of irritation had turned into a sharp jab that was impossible to ignore. He had envied Lance his warm and easy friendship with the Princess- and now she was looking way too happy about Lance's noble gesture on her behalf. That he knew his best friend greatly admired Allura and had expressed some romantic thoughts towards her upon their arrival on Arus only added fuel to his ire.
He didn't stop to think- his arm snaked out of its own accord to snag her around her waist and yank her to him. He bent his head, and claimed her mouth in a hot, hard, and very thorough kiss.
When he finally lifted his head, he glared down at his wide-eyed Princess.
"Lance is a great friend, but don't forget that I'm the guy you bonded with!" He growled.
Allura stared at Keith and touched her lips, which were tingling from the pressure of his mouth. His aura was stormy and electric, flinging bolts of emotion at her. His eyes looked dangerous, almost feral, which both thrilled and scared her. This wasn't her gentle, noble protector. This was someone primal, and possessive, an aspect of his personality she had never seen or felt before.
Even though they'd fought side by side, spent countless hours in training and meetings, there was still so much to learn about him. She never had realized he would ever be jealous about her friendship with Lance. Now that she knew, she needed to be sure not to take advantage of it. Hopefully he would continue to open up to her...and she would not be tempted to cheat by using their bond to probe his feelings without his consent.
To build trust, she should share something private and very personal with him...and she knew exactly what that should be. "Keith, let's finish reading my mother's journal together!"
His eyebrows shot up. In a moment, his aura had calmed. "Are you sure?"
Allura nodded. "I think it would be good for us both!"
He was still hanging on to her, but she knew the storm had abated.
"I should go pick some fruit for breakfast," she added, rolling out of his grasp and out of the bed, checking to make sure everything was in its place- for modesty's sake she still had his t-shirt on and the bikini underneath it.
Keith sat up and tugged the quilt over himself. She hadn't noticed what he was wearing, but she was suddenly very aware of his bare torso.
"A swim before we eat?" He asked.
"Sounds lovely!"
"Has to be kind of short, though, if we want to leave in daylight," he said, then added, "Not that I'd mind if we had to stay another night-this bed is really comfortable!"
He was smiling, and there was a wolfish look to it that set her tummy all aflutter. Was he suggesting...? No, this was Keith, the consummate gentleman! He had to be teasing! "Yes, a short swim and then the journal, and then we head back, " she said cheerfully, "it's probably best not to tempt fate. If we don't return at a reasonable time, Lance will call again. We don't want to give him any cause for...um, concern."
Keith's smile faded to a smirk. "And we sure wouldn't want that, would we?"
"No!" She gave him an uncertain smile as he remained in bed. "Um. So...are you coming?"
"Go ahead, I'll be there in a minute."
As the Princess made her way downstairs, the Black Lion pilot sighed and combed his hair with his fingers. Despite their newfound intimacy, at the moment, he wouldn't want Allura to be shocked by a blatant display of morning desire.
~Am I coming? Sure Princess, but only with some help...~ Keith snorted as he imagined her expression- unfortunately, it wasn't the time or place for that reveal!
Old habits died hard...Allura probably still thought of him as a killjoy. Well, he'd show her that wasn't always the case! Until it was time to leave Althene and head back to reality, his mission was to 'seize the moment'! Just because he couldn't indulge in other things, didn't mean he couldn't enjoy the sight of her in her bikini!
He sat and concentrated. When thinking of a certain old witch seeing him had ensured his hard on had subsided, Keith bolted out of bed and into the glorious light of day.
The swim was refreshing and fun; they agreed that standing under a waterfall was more invigorating than any shower they'd taken. Afterwards, they found a place to picnic near the water, appreciating the sparkling sunlit water and the delightful scents of flowers as they feasted on a variety of fruits supplemented by bread and cheeses from the supplies they'd brought.
And now, the soft murmur of the Princess' recitation mingled with the sounds of the waterfall cascading into the stream below it. Allura sat propped against an apple tree, clad in her jeans and t-shirt once again, as was Keith, who lay on his side to her left, his head resting on one hand. As he listened, he watched the play of dappled sunlight upon her circlet and bound up hair and enjoyed the sweet intonation of her voice, which unknowingly gave a lyrical quality to her mother's rather plain prose. While she read, her hand absently caressed the new sapphire and gold amulet she wore with pride.
Keith touched his own necklace; his long fingers traced the embossed lion's head with reverence. Their amulets were a symbol of the bond between themselves and the lions, a symbol much like a wedding ring would be. And just as profound...
What kind of ring would a guy give to a Princess, anyway?
And where the hell did that come from? It was far too soon for those kind of thoughts! He'd had independence that Allura never had- he'd experienced much more of life. It was important to her growth as a person to have a chance to explore how she felt before making a final decision! No easy task, given the very pressing complication of her piloting a lion, his officer's commission as Captain, not to mention dealing with presenting the idea of marriage to a commoner to her subjects.
To fight the good fight, as she had called it, she needed full understanding what she was fighting against and fighting for; she would need all the skill of a diplomat and the power of the throne to keep herself in the good graces of allies, and others who would influence the future of Arus.
Ugh, politics. If only they could live in Althene, where formality was a foreign word and the need for political maneuverings and posturing was in permanent suspension. But that was a pipe dream for a Princess and the man who had sworn to guard her with his life. If he thought he'd been living in a glass bubble before ...when it got out he was Allura's boyfriend, life was going to be one unending reality transmission episode with millions of strangers watching...
"What is it? You look troubled," Allura said, alerting him to the fact that she was watching him instead of reading.
He kept his reply brief, while staring at a nearby tree, his fingers now playing with the coarse blades of grass in front of him. "It's nothing. Please continue."
She hesitated, then nodded and returned to the entry she had been reading. It was similar to the others; an accounting of daily activities at the compound. The happiness infused in every word lifted the mundane to a litany of love. The royal couple had lived simply, disdaining servants, performing the tasks of cleaning, cooking and obtaining supplies on their own. According to his bride, the King spent much of his time writing and researching the legends of the lions, although nothing regarding Voltron or its secrets was mentioned.
The Queen had included a few random details that surprised and amused them. Apparently Alana liked to spar for exercise, and she had cajoled her husband into several practice skirmishes using a quarterstaff or wooden swords. Allura lifted her eyebrows and smirked as she showed Keith the Queen's charting of her progress as a fighter. The days she bested her husband were underlined in red. After initial grousing about a lack of victories for herself, there appeared to have been a run of them.
"Do you think maybe he was letting her win?" Keith suggested slyly.
"No, I do not!" Allura retorted. "Mother was very athletic and a quick study! She worked hard, and became good enough to more than hold her own with any man!"
"Like mother like daughter," Keith said, earning himself a quick redemption.
It seemed that Alana also had playfully tormented her husband with the fact that she could read his intentions with astounding accuracy. The King could never surprise her with any of the gifts he'd gotten for her, although he tried many times. Books, the writing of poetry or the telling of stories of his own making to amuse her seemed to be the surest means of currying her favor.
A few entries were rather intimate in nature and Allura's voice became quite subdued while reading these; Keith had to strain to hear her. Her parents had a very strong attraction for each other that manifested itself at all hours of the day and night. No explicit details were revealed, but the inferences and implications were clear.
And then came the entry where Alana had revealed that she was sure she had conceived a child, due to a dream she'd had the previous night. The premonition proved to be true; a princess had come into the world nine months later. The entry made it very clear that King and Queen had been beside themselves with happiness, though the bittersweet reality was that they would have to allow others to tend to her, and be away from their daughter far more than parents should be.
Keith watched with tenderness as Allura smiled and brushed away a tear. Knowing that she'd had to be left to the care of nannies, he was fiercely glad she had written affirmation of how much her parents had loved her.
"Here's something interesting..." Squinting in concentration, Allura put her finger down on a page, then read:
"Sarita presented me with the blue amulet today, saying it was the proper time and place, as I carry the blood of our warrior ancestors. Alfor has completed the plans for our secret defense robot, but something seems to be lacking. It is so cold, so lifeless and unwieldy. Alfor has been obsessed with this project to the point that he is working on it here in Althene. I bitterly resent the evil that has managed to infiltrate our last bastion of sanity, forcing us to ponder war in a place of peace. Alfor is determined to protect our planet at all costs; as our dear child grows, his determination to give Allura a better future grows as well. I will do all I can to assist him. The amulet may provide the answer, as it did when we helped the lions secure the lineage. I shall ask Sarita for the proper mix of herbs for a dream quest..."
She broke off, looking with wide eyes at Keith who was now sitting up, his expression alert. "Sarita is related to me, Keith!"
He nodded. "It sounds that way!"
"So...Mother was descended from the Lion Warriors like Sarita is, which means they're from the same clan," Allura stared into space, while piecing together the facts. "And Father is connected to the warriors as well, if the stories about his ancestor are true!"
"You mean Arielle, and the story of how she was adopted and raised by the five lions?" Keith asked, glad he had found that book on the history and legends of Arus. "They pledged to protect her and the people of Arus for eternity-and they've kept their promise- but how they managed that isn't fully understood."
Allura smiled. She remembered all the times she had seen Keith in the control room, book in hand or after dinner in the lounge, poring over various tomes. "You have done your homework!"
"I've been studying Arus and Arusian history ever since I got here," he admitted.
"That's so wonderful!" She said, beaming. "You never complain, but I know it can't have been easy being so far away from your home planet, and I hope that the more you learn about Arus, the more you will feel at home here-"
He interrupted, "it's not about my trying to acclimate to a new world, it's about you! Anything to do with you is of greatest interest and importance to me..."
"Oh!" She blushed, both pleased and flustered by his bluntness. "That's very kind! Thank you."
"You're very welcome." His eyes smiled while his tone gently mocked her prim response. "So, is there anything else mentioned about Voltron or the lion spirits? Or your mother's dream quest?"
Allura looked down at the book once more and flipped though the remaining pages. "Yes, there are! Oh my-"
Her mouth fell open, and she started to read silently, too eager to assimilate the information to read it aloud.
Keith waited patiently for her to finish. She read through to the last page, then turned back the pages and read the passages again, as if she couldn't believe what she had read the first time. Then, closing the journal, she lowered it to her lap.
"Allura?" He gently prodded, when she remained quiet.
"I can't believe it." She murmured.
"What did you read? You look shocked..."
"My mind is in a bit of turmoil." She said slowly. "But it's all right. It's just...so amazing, I'm trying to take it all in," she put a hand to her mouth, then to her throat, "I'll give a short explanation, because we need to leave soon."
"Don't worry about that," Keith answered, still concerned that she had lost color, "take your time, okay?"
She gave him a wan smile. "What my mother has revealed here is something that isn't documented in any history book, and apparently is only known to a handful of people, most of whom are dead now, I don't totally understand why, but there must have been a good reason for it..." she paused, took a deep breath, and continued, "we already know that my father is credited for the creation of Voltron and the ships we fly today, but now...it seems my mother is the one who is solely responsible for giving him life."
She looked up. "In other words, Voltron has an organic, spiritual origin, Voltron...is alive!"
Keith's jaw dropped, and then he bit off a profane exclamation. No wonder Allura looked shaken...he couldn't begin to fathom the implications of that statement! He cleared his throat, struggled to form words. Even with what he had seen, his first impulse was to dismiss it. "Okay...but we know as pilots.. that Voltron is a super sophisticated piece of technology, a mass of titanium, steel, circuits and dynotherms, that is brought to life only by the people who operate him! How could she have..."
His voice trailed off as the Princess thrust the journal into his hands.
"Read this!" She opened the journal to a specific page. Seeing his hesitation, she said, "please, it's okay, I want to you to see it!"
He looked down at the crisp handwriting with silent respect. After smoothing the yellowed page, he began to read aloud.
"We achieved our objective today, though at what cost to ourselves I fear I will know all too soon! The dream quest was a success- with the help of the herbs and the stones I was able to contact the lions. The other amulet bearers were there as well, supporting me every step of the way.
I summoned the five, their auras colorfully swirling around me, materializing into the awesome images of the lion protectors. Their golden eyes looked upon me with love, kindness and wisdom. I requested their help once more, as Arus' need for protection was growing by the minute. Evil had risen again and we all were in danger of losing everything we held most dear. Our families, our friends, our world, were facing oblivion.
The Lions, bless them, did not hesitate in their agreement to our plan. I stood in the center of the stone circle, surrounded by the other warriors. Blue Lioness came to me, as she had on the night of our reconciliation. I felt her spirit enter me and the others followed. The sensations they engendered within me were unbelievable and close to overwhelming; power and passion, peace and tenderness; joy and fierce protectiveness. Alfor came forth, held the crystal in front of me; designed for solar power, it would now hold the spirits of the lions. The spirits lifted from my body in a swirling kaleidoscope of color that encompassed and merged with the crystal, infusing it with power greater than a thousand suns. Voltron would defend us; he would battle with the hearts of the lions and the souls of every generation of my ancestors that have been bonded with these marvelous, selfless, loving, perfect beings!
When it was done, Alfor vowed that the image of the lion would always be in the visage of Voltron, and in the shape of the ships, to honor and glorify the special gifts of each lion as it reminds us of the sacrifice and great love our protectors have given to our people!
As long as Voltron exists, there will dwell within him a mighty soul, one made out of five. A part of my own soul now lies within the crystal...the process has drained me, but the exhilaration of creating this protector of peace far outweighs any fatigue I might experience! And I am vigilant as well...Blue Lion faintly appeared to me as the merging was complete with a warning to not reveal to anyone else what I had done lest those with impure motivations try to corrupt the warriors or myself and thus, what we had wrought. She gave instructions that when we five are gone, the amulets are only to be given to those humans chosen by the stones, and deemed worthy enough to inhabit Voltron's body and control his movements.
I can tell Alfor is afraid for me- if Zarkon or Witch Hagar find out about my being the catalyst for the lion souls, my days on this planet would come to an abrupt end...
All the bonded who were there to witness were sworn to secrecy. I pray most fervently for the future of our world and for the future of my darling Allura!"
Keith stared at the words he had just read, feeling that his capacity to understand a phenomenon like this was limited at best. This was the stuff of fantasy and folk tales. Yet hadn't King Alfor appeared to them several times? What had been the force that had guided his comrades here safely after escaping Zarkon? Last night when the lions had found them he had communicated on a level he never thought possible for the human mind to achieve. He had always been skeptical of the term 'magic', believing Hagar's spells were just sleight of hand coupled with a vast knowledge of engineering and weapons of mass destruction. Obviously he needed to become more open to the possibilities of magic, a thought that was astounding...and potentially terrifying.
"Keith?"
He looked up from the journal and stared searchingly at the daughter of its author. As the only member of the team who was a descendant of the lion warriors, was Allura now the catalyst? It was a question to ask the governor and his wife, and he had many more where that came from. He stated his thought aloud.
"It's beyond amazing, and I have a lot of questions. I think the sooner we get back to the village the better!"
Allura instantly agreed and sprang to her feet; as she began to fill their packs, Keith re-holstered his blaster and went to fill the canteens, feeling a sense of urgency he couldn't explain. He noticed with relief that the Princess had regained her color and was even more determined than he to make short work of their departure.
Even so, he noticed how her gaze lingered on certain items, and somehow he knew that she was trying to imprint every last detail into her memory. She had gotten used to letting go of the things she treasured most.
"We'll miss it, but it'll all be waiting for us when we return..."
Allura felt an arm being placed around her narrow shoulders and a soft kiss was pressed on her left temple. She leaned on Keith for a brief moment, taking the comfort he offered, then straightened and mentally shook off the gloom that threatened to infiltrate her thoughts.
He was right, this place of love and happiness and shared memories was going to live on for herself and the man beside her. As long as Keith was with her to cherish the memories made here, it was good.
As he reached down and clasped her hand, she smiled up at him with shining, slightly moist eyes. Keith smiled back, and then gently turned her around with gentle hands and protectiveness in his manner.
They exited the clearing hand in hand, taking the path that would lead them back to the village, and hopefully, to further enlightenment.
The trek back to the village seemed to fly by, not just because they now knew the way, but because they were savoring their last moments of being truly alone.
But still, it was always a good feeling to return home after a successful mission, Keith thought. And even more of a good feeling to know they had a home away from home.
Sarita Carlac was waiting at the gate to greet them; her expression said she was both anxious and eager.
"We found it!" Allura exclaimed, as she flew into the older woman's open arms. "Oh, I'm so happy!"
"And I for you, dearest girl!" Sarita embraced the Princess tightly, as her mind reached out to Allura's, seeking to convey the deep happiness she felt over the success of her young protegee. Allura's mind reached out as well, and the two women shared a psychic embrace just as loving as the physical one.
After a time, Sarita loosened her hold to glance back at the Voltron commander, who looked happy and very content, she was pleased to see. She extended her wordless congratulations to him as well, finding the swirling power of his thoughts and connecting with him for the first time.
Keith's eyes widened as he felt the gentle, almost motherly feeling envelop him. A sensation of serenity, interspersed with joy. He smiled and mentally returned her hug.
Sarita broke into a grin. "Well done, Keith, I am impressed!"
"Thank you," he said simply.
Sarita drew back and looked at the young people- she didn't need any gift to see the glow of newly confessed love that surrounded them. "As much as I would like to hear your story now, you need to freshen up first, and then contact the Castle at once! Lieutenant Hartwell has reached us again this morning, and requested that you call him as soon as possible!"
Keith and Allura exchanged a meaningful glance then nodded at Sarita.
It was time to run the first gauntlet.
After their showers- which were lovely, but not as lovely as the waterfall- Keith and Allura found themselves back in Varten Carlac's office, punching in the contact codes for Lance's personal communication device.
"I'll run interference, Princess," Keith said. "You can jump in once the snark subsides!"
She gave him a grateful grin. "Snark. Ha. I like learning slang, but sometimes wish I didn't know so much about that one!"
Keith laughed. "Yeah, really!"
Their call was picked up and their friend's image appeared on the small view screen on the wall of Varten's office.
"Hey guys! Long time, no see," Lance greeted them. Seeing his leader was the only one on the screen, he inquired, "Where's the Princess?"
A hand intruded into the screen from off camera, fluttering its long fingers. "I'm right here, Lance!"
"So what's up?" Keith's businesslike demeanor was designed to discourage small talk and prompt Lance to get to the point of the call. "I understand your message was about a spirit presence?"
"Yeah, and the guys and I think it was tied to Princess!"
"Why? What happened?"
Lance started by describing his own encounter while viewing his photographs, and then quickly filled them in on Pidge's dream. But the Red Lion pilot hesitated as he contemplated the delicacy of his next account.
"What about what happened to the three of you? There's more, isn't there?" Keith prodded.
"Um, would you mind if I talk to the Princess for this next part?"
Was Lance's face turning red? Keith's eyes narrowed a bit. "She can hear you, just go ahead and tell us!"
"It's easier to tell her if I can see her," The Red Lion pilot responded, giving silent thanks that his buttocks were thousands of miles away from his commander's foot.
There was some muttered conversation, and without warning, Keith disappeared, and Allura came into view on his screen. Lance noticed at once that she was wearing his Garrison T-shirt. A slightly goofy smile lit his face.
"Hello Lance! What did you have to tell me?" The Princess asked, bringing his mind back to the subject at hand.
"Well, this next part is a bit sketchy, so I hope you can see the humor in it, because it involves one of your possessions." He replied, looking directly into her eyes. Even on a lower resolution view screen, they were a vivid, sparkling blue.
"A possession of mine?" Allura repeated.
"Your nightgown, to be precise," Lance told her, in a matter-of-fact tone.
She blinked, and then he saw comprehension dawn in her eyes before Keith's face filled the viewer. The thick brows of his leader were lowered over an ominous looking stare.
"And what were you doing with Allura's nightgown?"
"Hunk had it, not me." Lance informed him, returning the stare. He tried not to laugh at Keith's expression instantly changed to one of befuddlement.
"Hunk? Why the heck-"
A pair of feminine arms appeared, Keith was visibly shoved aside and Allura was back in the picture. There appeared to be a faint reddish tint over her cheekbones.
"I'll explain it to him later, Lance, keep going!"
Lance related the story he had practiced, taking care not to spoil the beautiful surprise that Hunk had created for their Princess. This particular version made Pidge seem slightly oversexed, but too bad; the Green Lion Pilot wasn't here, and anyway, he knew Allura understood Pidge's romantic fantasies were harmless and mostly innocent.
When he finished his explanation, Allura smiled warmly at him. "You were right to tell me about it! I won't say any more until I have done more research, but I'm sure that what happened to you is good, and connected to my quest, " she wrinkled her nose, "although I don't understand why an old nightgown would be that interesting to you guys!"
Lance opened his mouth...and promptly closed it again. Tempting as it was, he had to let the killer opening line pass if his plan for getting Keith with Allura was going to work.
"I don't know. Too much free time I guess," he said, giving her a big smile and a shrug.
"You got that right!" Keith was back, his displeasure all too evident. "How are the reports for the Garrison coming along?"
"They're all done, and so is the maintenance timetable for the lions. I also contacted Pollux and Mora regarding the joint maneuvers," Lance said, ticking things off on his fingers, "I started the inventory for the Alliance supply depot, sent our uniforms to be cleaned, and the new helmets arrived yesterday by Space Express. And I think that about covers it," he finished smugly.
"Ah. All right, then," his Captain said, after a moment of palpable surprise. "Thank you, Lieutenant, you did a great job."
"Thanks, and you're welcome." Lance responded, his expression bland, "so what's the scoop there, how has Althene been treating you? From what Varten said, I take it the Princess has learned some valuable stuff about her folks!"
"She has, and it's been a good time, we'll tell you all about it when we get back."
"You have a time estimate on when that will be?" The Red Lion pilot asked, adding casually, "I'm only asking 'cause I know Nanny is going to want to know if you'll be here for the evening meal!"
Keith nodded. "We should be there, just have a couple of things to wrap up with the Governor and then we'll be taking off," he hesitated,"if anything would happen to change that time, I'll be sure to let you know!"
"A real good idea, if you don't want a certain someone freaking out about rudeness and cold food," Lance said wryly, then added with uncommon seriousness, "Keith, look, if you're going to be taking up camping and civilian style hiking in the wild as a hobby, it might be a good idea for you to bring along a long range communicator next time. Though I'm pretty sure whatever the three of us saw was good...or at least not a threat to any of us, if it had been otherwise, it would be good to be able to warn you directly!"
Keith felt his face getting warm. "A good point, duly noted!"
"All right, you two have a safe flight home- oh, and one more thing-"
"Yeah?"
"Tell Princess that my Garrison T-shirt has never looked better! Red Lion out!"
As Lance quickly broke the link, Keith gritted his teeth and made a mental note to see that his second in command would pull extra early morning surveillance duty for the next month.
"He was pretty good about the whole thing, really," Allura said, with a giggle that annoyed her companion even more. "Minimal snark, not even a word about us being unchaperoned!"
"He's biding his time, I guarantee that something is cooking in that fiendish brain!" Keith told her with a grim smile. "And now I have to ask- what's the story with Hunk and your nightgown?"
Allura appeared unruffled, but her heightened color said otherwise. "It's nothing bad; I ripped the hem yesterday morning when I was on my way to the shower room, Hunk happened to be walking by and offered to fix it for me!"
Keith recalled the white cloth that had been clutched in the huge hands of his friend, and Hunk's abrupt departure when he had inquired about it. This was followed by the memory of Allura not wearing anything beneath her robe. His irritation grew, even as his body stirred. "You're saying that Hunk knows how to sew?"
"Yes! Isn't it wonderful? You did know his family owned a tailor's shop, right?"
Keith's expression said he hadn't.
"Well, Hunk said he learned to sew so he could help out his parents, since they had such a large family to care for- he liked it and he was good at it!" She regarded him with mild reproach. "Please don't give him a bad time about the sewing, and he wasn't out of line, he was trying to help me!"
Keith shook his head. "That's fine- and actually, you'd be surprised, there are a lot of soldiers who have learned to sew really well in the course of duty!"
Allura smiled. "So why do you seem so...annoyed?"
"Not annoyed, exactly. It's just... with us, it's all about work or the superficial stuff and I'm thinking that you learned more about his private life in one conversation than he's told us in the time we've been here!" He eyed her, his expression unreadable, "he really likes you a lot if he trusts you with the personal stuff!"
"His trust is a precious thing," Allura stated quietly, "I'd also like it if I knew more about your life before you came here, Keith!"
"And I'll be happy to share that information...but right now, we should talk to the Carlacs," he said, sidestepping the request. "You heard Lance- they'll be expecting us back at the Castle for supper!"
"Yes, I did hear that," Allura replied, with a hint of imperiousness, "and that you'll call if we're going to be late!"
"And here's Varten," Keith pointed out, with excess warmth that spoke of relief.
The Governor of Althene stood in the doorway, looking apologetic for having interrupted the conversation of his guests. But just like Sarita had been, it was clear he was eager to hear of their quest as he stepped forward to greet his Princess and the young man she favored above all others.
To be Continued!