Author's Notes

Here is the next chapter for you to hopefully enjoy over this long holiday weekend. Artie is showing his true colors. Some reviewers are softening toward Allura. Others are wondering how Keith will react when she comes to him. I love all the speculation, opinion and emotion.

shoopdan – I hope this brings another squeal from you on this beautiful Sunday. That cracked me up. Team Allura cold b who feels bad now needs to grovel. How will Keith react?

Paulina Ann – You have some really interesting predictions about how story might go. I hope you find the way it goes to be satisfying.

wadewells – I didn't want to keep you guys waiting, so here is a bonus chapter this weekend. Artie vs Keith won't happen quite yet.

Ebon-Drake – Thank you for the compliments. Artie really evolved from my original first draft of the story. It's kind of nice to have an antagonist who is not a Drule! I agree with you. I don't think Allura was a b*. I think she was a confused young woman, torn between what to do about her feelings and what she is expected to do.

RedLion2 – Yep, blackmail. Artie is realizing he doesn't have a prayer against Keith as is, so he is resorting to drastic means.

idstealer000 – No offense taken at all. I think we as writers try to keep Arus somewhat medieval with the standards imposed on its royals. It gives Nanny and Koran control and creates the conflict that prevents or at least makes it difficult for Keith and Allura to be together. It will be addressed later on. Thank you for reviewing and I am glad you are enjoying the story.

Limetwist – Here is the question: Is Keith mad and hurt enough to abandon the woman he loves when she is in peril? Hopefully, you will get some good closure in this next chapter.

Venus Starlights 07 – You can say it, because it's true. Thank you for the positive feedback.

It is Memorial Day Weekend here in the states. I want to dedicate this chapter for all the service men and women and their families who sacrifice for our freedom. I salute our troops!

Rated M for strong language and sexual situations

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters. The story is mine.

Without further ado….

Chapter 12

Knock, knock, knock. Groaning, Keith glanced at the clock. It was almost eleven am. He had slept through breakfast. Covering his head with his pillow, Keith willed whoever was at his door to go the hell away. Everyone knew he wasn't feeling well; couldn't he just nurse his hangover in peace? Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock.The rapping at the door came more frantically. "Fuck," the commander cursed under his breath, ready to pummel whoever was on the other side of the door. This had better be a fucking emergency, he thought. Painfully, he sat up, grabbing his head to steady the dizziness that washed over him. Feeling his stomach do a flip flop, he prayed he could avoid getting sick as he padded to the door.

"Leave me the fuck alone," he snarled as the door slid open. Expecting to see Lance or Hunk, Keith was shocked to see Allura standing there. She looked up at him with those huge blue eyes, tear tracks running down her cheeks. His heart lurched at the sight of her, and then he remembered what happened last night and why he was hung over. "Go away," he growled, turning back into his room. The door slid shut in Allura's face as Keith burrowed back under his covers.

Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock."Keith, please," Allura cried from the other side of the door. "I know you're pissed, but please, I need to talk to you."

"Go away," he yelled again, pain shooting through his skull. "I have nothing more to say to you." He threw a book at the door to further emphasize his point.

There was a full moment of silence, before she started pounding again, more frantically this time. "Keith, please, I need to talk to you. It's Artie; he knows!"

Sitting up slowly, Keith was slowly coming out of his groggy fog. "He knows what?" he growled to the closed door.

"About us!" Allura 's voice called back in a hoarse whisper.

What? His pounding headache forgotten, Keith plodded to the door and keyed it open. "Allura," he rasped. "What does Artie know?"

Allura pushed her way into his room before he could stop her. Looking around the room, she could see it was dark. Keith had the blinds drawn. The unmade bed indicated that he had indeed been in bed. Turning to look at Keith, she could see that he had had a rough night. Her heart sank at the sight of him. His eyes were bloodshot; his hair was in utter disarray. Clad in only a pair of pajama bottoms, he wreaked of sweat and alcohol.

Wrinkling her nose, Allura couldn't help but utter her thoughts aloud. "You look like hell. You smell even worse. What the hell, Keith?"

The commander snorted as he sat back down on the bed. "As if you don't know," he mumbled. Looking at her with suspicion, he asked, "Did you just say that to get me to open the door, or is there really a problem?"

Snapped back to reality, Allura looked at Keith. Sighing loudly, she saw the anger still blazing in his coal black eyes. "Oh no, there's definitely a problem," she admitted. With tears threatening to fall again, Allura sat down next to Keith on his bed. She relayed to him her conversation with Artie. She noticed that as she talked, Keith stiffened, his whole body going rigid. He was taking deep breaths, but not really reacting. When she was done, she simply sat there, waiting for a response.

Keith glared at her with a steely calm. "So Lord Douchebag is threatening to expose us, unless you allow him to court you."

"Yes."

Laughing aloud, Keith stood up abruptly. "So what, Allura. Do it. Court him. Marry him. Then you won't have to make a choice. The choice will be made for you. Duty over love. Isn't that why you were struggling?" His gaze bore into her, pain evident in his eyes. "You love me, but you have a duty to your people. There you go; duty wins. Artie wins your hand; the people win a king. Keith goes back to his unfeeling, robot mode. What does everyone call me, Mr. Protocol?"

Gaping at him, Allura couldn't process what he was saying. He wasn't making any sense. "Keith, you can't mean that? I came to tell you that I choose you. I choose you. Artie is crazy and a sociopath. I can't marry him. I love you; I want to be with you. Please. I need your help. Please, don't turn your back on me now." The princess pleaded with the commander.

He ignored her. "Leave now, Allura. We're done. It's over." He turned away and walked into his bathroom.

Before he closed the door, the princess could see the hurt and regret shining in his eyes. Hearing him turn his shower on, she heard his words as they echoed in her head. It's over. It's over. It's over.She missed her chance. The princess sat there for several minutes, tears once again streaming down her cheeks. Because of her overblown sense of duty, she had given up a life of love and happiness with Keith for a life of misery and pain and who knows what else. Should she just concede defeat and accept the way things had turned out? No, she would not accept that. She had a duty to her people, but she also had a duty to herself.

It's over? Bullshit, she thought. Allura decided that she wouldn't let things end like this. Keith had been willing to fight for her; she was going to fight for him. Setting her jaw, the princess strutted into his bathroom without knocking. Standing naked in the shower, Keith didn't notice her come in. She watched as he washed his hair, the muscles in his back and arms working the lather. Her eyes raked down his form following the suds as they travelled down his muscular back and taut buttocks. Reliving the feel of him inside her, Allura felt a thrill rip through her body. Fueled by love and lust, she charged into the shower with him, fully clothed.

Spinning around, Keith almost fell as Allura threw herself at him. She grabbed him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him to her. "No, Keith. It's not over," she whispered, pushing against him. "You wouldn't let me walk away; I'm not letting you." Without another word, Allura pressed her lips to his.

He resisted at first, but then his lips began to match her movement by movement. His love for her won out over his anger. Pulling her shirt over her head, he devoured her lips and neck. Little by little, Allura's clothing landed on the floor of the bathroom in a soaking heap. The anger, the hangover, and Artie forgotten, the couple reaffirmed their love as their bodies joined as one.

VVVVV VVVVV

Wrapped in a blanket on Keith's bed, Allura looked over at the commander as he searched his closet for something the princess could wear back to her quarters. "How about this?" he asked, holding up an Academy hoodie and a pair of running shorts.

Allura giggled. "That will work." Reaching for the clothing, she stood up, letting the blanket drop from her lithe body. Turning toward the bed, she bent over to get dressed.

Keith's attention was instantly riveted. Walking up to stand behind her, Keith pressed his naked body against hers. "At the rate, we're going, you'll never get out of here," he whispered huskily in her ear as he nuzzled her neck.

"Stop," the princess protested. "I really need to get back to my quarters, unseen if possible. I don't want anyone, especially Artie, seeing me leave your room in your clothes." Allura glanced at the clock. She and Keith had spent the majority of the afternoon together in bed, reaffirming their love for each other. It was nearing four o'clock, and Nanny would be busy with dinner preparations. Most of the other castle staff would have ended their day shifts an hour ago. Only the castle guards would still be on duty. The coast should pretty much be clear.

At the mention of Artie, Keith's eyes blazed. Throwing himself onto his bed, he rolled over to look at Allura. "What are you going to do about Artie?" he asked.

Rolling her eyes, Allura sighed in exasperation as she pulled on the shorts and zipped up the hoodie. "That's why I came to you originally; I was hoping you could help me with that." Cocking her head, she put her hands on her hips.

He reached out a hand to her and pulled her to lie back down next to him. "He's blackmailing you, Allura. That's illegal, according to both Arusian laws and Alliance laws. Do you think the people would approve of what he's doing? I doubt it. Why not throw that fact back in his face?" He searched her face.

"I don't think he'd care," Allura replied. "He wants to get his way, and he doesn't care who he has to take down to do it." Allura looked thoughtful for several minutes. "You know what?" she said. "Screw him. I am not going to give into his demands. Let him expose us. We will face what happens together."

Shaking his head, Keith chuckled wryly. "You could have done that from the beginning," he said. "It would have saved a lot of time and drama. I would have stood by you and faced whatever scrutiny came. It's a little hurtful that it was Artie who made your head realize what your heart already knew."

"I know, Keith, and I am so sorry I put you through that," she apologized earnestly, her sincerity reflected in her eyes and her voice.

Keith frowned. "I don't know if I can really ever forgive you…" His voice trailed off.

Narrowing her eyes, Allura smiled seductively. She pushed Keith onto his back and moved up his body to straddle his hips. Rotating her groin against his, she purred, "What if I promise to spend the rest of my life making it up to you?" Leaning in, she kissed him, the depth of her feelings evident in her kiss.

Shaking his head, Keith smiled as he returned her kiss. "Yeah, but first we need to get rid of Artie," he commented sarcastically.

"Artie who?" Allura responded silkily as she leaned in to consume him all over again.