Authors' Notes

Welcome to the month of love hearts! And though we did promise to upload on Valentine's Day, we decided to split a long chapter in half and give the first installment on the first day of February.

We dedicate this chapter to all Voltron #KeithAndAllura fans from nothern hemisphere who have lots of snow. It's high summer here in the southern hemisphere, and today's forecast in Melbourne would be 41 Celcius / 105 F . Hope this (luscious / teasing) chapter warm you all up and melt your snow (giggles)

Thank you Kristina Marie and buffycorvin for following our story;

AA - MamamBirdCat - Well done for noticing our little teaser! (giggles) I could hear Black Lion approving purr.

JustLucky05 - Thank you so much for liking previous chapter. Apologies if we're taking these recent (and upcoming) chapters slowly. We are treating this fanfiction with special care. We don't want to miss anything, especially we're just before episode "Deceive and Conquer"

Limetwist - Happy Birthday! We Aussies love VOLTRON FORCE so much, Australia even made a DVD Box Set! We hope by the time we finish Fearless universe we have completed covering all 26 episodes of VF.

buffycorvin - Thank you for leaving a review and adding us to your favourites (waves hi from summer oz)

WarzonePrez - Well done for noticing our little hidden teaser. Sentient Black Lion is pleased. If you would watch VF closely (Hungry for Voltron?) Allura called to Blue. Well, Voltron is her planet's sovereign treasure so, there you go (grin)

sunshineleo - No matter what version, whether classic 80s or VF , we love our #KeithAndAllura and glad you're enjoying our KA version who decided to grow up with us (VF KA is soo hot *purr*) lol

KathDMD - Hi DrK! We promise we will write a scene where KA brush their teeth and we will dedicate that scene to you! KA so getting sweeter and sweeter in each chapter! (giggles)

And with the standard disclaimer clause we don't own Voltron or Voltron (we get confused now if it's WEP or Classic Dreamworks Animation or both)...

Herewith is warm and fuzzy, sugary sweet...

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

vvvvvvvvvvvvvv

vvvvvvvvv

vvvvv

vvv

v

Chapter Thirteen

Her empath bond trembled with anticipation. She felt the moment Keith had located her. She knew.

Allura smiled to herself. From the moment she'd awakened this morning, her mind swirling with memories of a bizarre dream that had felt all too real, Allura knew he'd found her.

Lion spirits.

Allura let out a heavy sigh, thoughtfully chewing on honey marmalade and toast.

Lion spirits rarely showed up in dreams. During her conversation with them, she had felt another presence, yet she had not seen anyone else. Without a doubt, Keith was having the same dream too, watching her, sending her his thoughts of reassurance.

Soon, everything will be okay.

Very soon now, she thought. Finishing her breakfast, she picked up a picnic basket from the kitchen counter and headed out the front door toward the beach, where stood a white cabana sheltering a table and two lounge chairs. Its gauzy fabric roof fluttered in the gentle sea breeze.

Lady Jiaan's ever-efficient service staff had arrived this morning to set it up. They'd also cleaned up the detritus on the beach from last night's storm, then departed with a smile for their soon-to-be-Queen.

Allura gazed out at the blue horizon, grateful to the governor for everything she had done. She smiled to herself. Keith is going to love it here.

And sure enough, it wasn't long before Allura heard the distinctive whine of Black Lion's retro thrusters. From the cloudless blue sky, the majestic robot lion slowly descended onto the island, landing in the allocated space beside the villa.

vvvvVvvvvVvvvv

Keith stretched as he got out of the pilot's seat, then quickly took the elevator tube down into Black Lion's maw. The elevator door hissed open to reveal mounds of soil all over the inside of Black's mouth.

"What is all this?" Keith furrowed his brows in bemusement.

Black Lion simply purred a low metallic rumble, beckoning him to look amongst the piles of dirt.

Keith rolled his eyes and carefully sifted through the loose soil, chuckling in amazement at what he found. Stepping out of Black's maw, Keith gave his lion a thankful pat on the chin, then marched towards the cabana where his fiancée patiently waited for him, concealing his hand behind his back.

He fixed his eyes on his betrothed. Her golden hair and the floral sarong around her waist waved in the breeze and his gaze turned dark and intense when he saw that she was wearing her favourite blue-striped two-piece swimsuit.

vvvvVvvvvVvvvv

Allura watched Keith approaching. There was an unmistakable pull in her empath bond with him. Though his face remained expressionless, there was a distinct determination in his gait. His heavy uniform boots left deep prints in the sand beneath him.

She ran to meet him, throwing her arms around him and squeezing tightly, the same way she'd welcomed him back to Arus when he'd retrieved Black Lion.

"Keith," she whispered.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, Keith breathed a big sigh of relief. Holding her again after all the worry he'd gone through; feeling her soft body in his arms gave him much-needed comfort as he lost himself in her embrace.

"Allura…"

"Please, Keith…" Allura interrupted softly as she laid a gentle finger on his lips, "I don't want to argue anymore."

"I'm not here to argue," Keith said, taking a step back and smiling. "These are for you."

Allura gasped in delight at the newly-blossomed Arusian lilies Keith held out to her.

"Oh, Keith!" she exclaimed in amazement. Allura knew these rare flowers only grew on remote mountaintops. She buried her nose in the fragrant blossoms. "This is so very thoughtful of you." She threw her arms around him again, savouring his warmth.

"You'll have to thank Black for these," Keith chuckled as he held her tight.

"Keith…" Allura whispered, "I'm so sorry." She buried her face in his shoulder.

"You know I'm not going anywhere." Keith ran his hand down her straight golden hair.

"Yes, I know." Allura admitted. Their argument was a circular one and this time she opted to choose her battles. Her commander and fiancé was not her enemy, and there was a bigger universe beyond their personal lives. She realised all she needed was a shift in her perspective, a new paradigm.

The fates did ask for patience, and the visions did say all would happen in due time.

For now, they were together and that was all that mattered. Allura felt a rising flush in her cheeks as she remembered they had the entire island all to themselves.

"Hungry?" She smiled at him before slipping her hand in the crook of his elbow and leading him to the cabana.

"Yeah, I am kind of hungry…" Keith said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand.

"Sit," Allura motioned toward the lounge chair. She placed the flowers on the small table next to the picnic basket. Keith watched her open the basket and pull out two bacon-and-rye sandwiches, a thermal jug, and a coffee cup.

He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and smiled at the sight of his princess preparing breakfast for him. It was a simple gesture, but a rare one for someone who lived in a castle. Here, away from it all, they were just a normal couple, doing normal couple things.

Allura handed Keith a sandwich and poured him a cup of coffee before quietly sitting on the other lounge chair. Her eyes lingered on Keith's face and she sensed his uneasy relief as they sat in companionate silence.

All her anger and weariness had dissipated last night after venting her frustrations at the lion spirits. Keith was here with her now. What more could she ask? Was it selfish of her to put her personal needs before those of her people and her planet? Why did she still feel a heavy pang in her heart?

Breathe …Allura…breathe…

She closed her eyes and leaned back in the lounge chair. Feeling the warm humid wind on her bare skin, Allura listened to the soothing sound of waves lapping on the shore and mindfully took in the calming sensations.

Finishing his sandwich, Keith reached for his coffee. His turquoise blue eyes never left Allura.

Was she still angry? Did they need to discuss what had happened? How would they proceed from here? Keith was not exactly sure. For now, he was just happy he had found her. He drank deeply from the cup and let the soothing warmth fill him.

"Thank you for breakfast," he said softly.

Allura came out of her reverie and smiled at him. "How did you like the coffee? Jiaan's staff did their research and left us a Japanese Hario pour-over kit."

She sat up to face Keith. "Jiaan thinks of everything, doesn't she? This…" her hand made a sweeping gesture, "…is the region's gift to us - to both of us." She smiled, her eyes indulgently assessing his.

"I see." Keith smiled as he poured another cup and mindfully enjoyed his second caffeine hit of the day. "I know that look," he laughed quietly as he placed his empty cup on the table.

"What look?" she asked innocently.

"The one that says I'm overdressed," he chuckled.

Allura's smile widened.

With her ethereal green eyes dancing, she stood and slowly unknotted her sarong. "I suppose I should tell you that we're the only ones on this island," she said enticingly.

Keith leaned back and wordlessly looked her up and down, admiring her toned figure as she smiled mischievously at the approving expression on his face.

"Well, if you're just going to sit there, I'm going for a dip. You are welcome to join me," she said mock-haughtily, turning toward the ocean and tossing her sarong over his head.

"I thought we're supposed to wait an hour after eating," he chuckled from underneath the floral garment.

"It's just a dip, silly. There won't be any exertion… unless you want there to be," she teased.

"I have no swim gear, Allura."

"You don't need any."

With a loud dramatic sigh, he shook his head and slowly pulled the sarong off only to be hit in the face by more blue fabric. He flinched reflexively, looking down to see a discarded blue bikini.

His heart lurched as he looked back up and beheld Allura jogging naked into the surf, her creamy flesh aglow in the mid-morning sunlight.

For a moment he sat speechless, then a laugh escaped his throat at the audacity of his princess. "You're crazy!"

"Are you coming in or what?" came her mirthful reply.

Quick as a flash he shed his flight suit and set off across the white sand toward her. Yep, there's definitely something about these islands.

(To be continued)