Here is the next chapter. Please continue to review. I love the reactions and feedback.

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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 13

Sipping her champagne, Allura let her azure eyes roam over the group that surrounded her. Smiling to herself fondly, she relished in the love and support of her friends and family. Having made the rounds to their guests, she and her fiancée had settled with their group of friends about a half an hour before. The group joked and laughed, feeling slightly buzzed from a bit of overindulgence in champagne. Allura giggled as the joking turned to her fiancé as the hapless victim.

"So Allura," Lance snorted as he tried to talk through his laughter. "Did I ever tell you about how miserable Keith was when it looked like you were going to choose Artie? I found our fearless commander almost crying in his office."

A menacing look crossed Keith's face as he glared at his second. "I was not crying," he snarled as he took another big gulp of champagne. "I just couldn't deny my feelings any more and I didn't know what to do about it."

Lance continued to guffaw as he told his story. "The best, Princess," he continued, "was when he admitted to me he kissed you." Noticing the princess flush, Lance turned his ribbing to her. Waggling his eyebrows at her, he snorted. "It must have been some kiss because here we are." He smiled in satisfaction as the beautiful Arusian monarch blushed prettily.

Stepping into save his fiancée from further embarrassment, Keith wrapped his arms around the princess's waist. He whispered into her hair, "That sure was some kiss!" Feeling her heat against him, he felt his body react. Shifting uncomfortably, he willed his body to calm down and turned back to his friend. To Lance and the rest of the group, he neither acknowledged nor denied Lance's comment. He simply said aloud, "It all worked out the way it was supposed to."

Sensing Keith wanted an end to the joking, Sven stepped in and raised his glass. "I think this calls for a toast." Raising his glass, he waited until Romelle, Hunk, Pidge and their dates secured champagne flutes. "To Keith and Allura! Congratulations on your engagement! May you live happily, laugh often, and love forever."

"Here, here!" the group chorused as they sipped their drinks.

But Lance was not that easily swayed; he wasn't done. Raising his glass again, he quipped loudly, "And here is to Artie! Without that douchebag, none of this would have happened!"

The group erupted into a fit of laughter as they toasted and drank to the disgraced lord. The princess turned in Keith's arms to face him, a radiant smile on her lovely face. As she turned around, her eyes widened in horror as she realized Lord Bruceroy Leonardis and his date stood just behind the commander. The smart-alek comment she was about to make died on the tip of her tongue as she took in the grimace on the lord's face. Allura could tell that Lord Bruceroy had heard the last toast and was not at all amused by the group's reaction.

Sobering quickly, Allura untangled herself from Keith's arms. Guiding Keith around so he faced Bruceroy, she gripped her fiancé's bicep more tightly. From the surprised look on Keith's face, the princess could tell that the commander had not expected to come face to face with the lord of the Southern province either. Planting a a smile on her face, she moved forward to greet the person who so vehemently opposed their engagement. "Lord Bruceroy," she started tentatively. "Thank you for coming…"

Without hesitation, the lord interrupted her. "I am not here to offer my congratulations," he replied angrily. "I am here to acknowledge that you have appeared to have won. You get to marry your commoner pilot." Shooting a look at Keith, he grunted in disgust as fury colored the commander's face.

Before the Voltron Force leader could interject, Bruceroy hurried on. "You have managed to break a thousand years of tradition." Pausing, he showed for the first time how the exile of his nephew had truly affected him. "You managed to get the douchebag exiled and out of your way." Looking between Keith and Allura, he narrowed his eyes as he spotted the brooch sitting proudly on the princess's dress. "Just because you wear the Lion of Altea does not mean you have all of Arus's approval. Many will still oppose you, and your way will not be an easy one." Bowing slightly, he let his eyes bore into his monarch's sapphire gaze, his look hateful and menacing. "I hope you two get what you truly deserve." Without another word, the lord walked away, his date tottering behind in her high heels, glancing around embarrassed at the scene the lord had just made.

The group stood slack jawed at the display they had just witnessed. Snapping his eyes between Keith and Allura, Lance noticed the fury on Keith's face and the mortified expression etched on Allura's. He decided that he needed to be the one to break the tension. "Well," he said. "That was …interesting." Raising his glass again, he toasted more quietly. "Here is to douchebag's uncle, super douchebag!"

Breaking out of their shocked reverie, the group snickered quietly. Seeing that the commander and the princess needed a moment, the friends began to talk amongst themselves, turning away from Keith and Allura.

Keith held Allura as she trembled from her embarrassment and fury. With the smile gone from her face, her blue eyes followed Bruceroy as he stomped away. Just as Keith was about to summon the guards to escort the lord away, Bruceroy exited the ballroom without a backwards glance. It seemed he came to the party just to say his piece.

Glancing down at the top of the princess's blond head, Keith asked gently, "Are you alright?"

Frowning slightly, the princess straightened her shoulders. "Yes," she replied. "I am fine. I think I just need to get some air."

Nodding in agreement, the commander searched her breathtaking face. "Do you want me to come with you?"

Shaking her head, she refused his offer. "I am just going to run to the bathroom."

"How about if Romelle goes with you?" he suggested.

Shaking her head more emphatically, Allura refused again. "Really, Keith, I am fine. I just need a few minutes. Stay here. I'll be right back." Brushing a quick kiss onto his lips, she tried to communicate her strength and resolve through her touch.

Accepting her need for time, Keith finally relented. "Ok," he conceded. "But hurry. If you're not back in five minutes, I'm sending Romelle to come find you."

Offering a small smile, Allura saluted her fiancée. "Aye, Commander," she quipped as she turned on her heel and walked away.

Rolling his eyes, Keith suppressed a smile. He watched her head toward the ladies' room located on the east side of the ballroom. Seeing her enter, he turned just in time to see Koran and Crystali headed his way. His face fell as he took in the concerned expressions on both of their faces. Oh no, he thought.

VVVVVVVVVVVVV

Across the room, James and Natasha watched as the princess left her fiancé and headed toward the restroom. Knowing this was their one and only chance, James nodded at his wife and patted her on the back.

Straightening her posture, Natasha gripped the computer chip between white knuckles. Reassuring herself that this was the only chance to save her daughter, the Arusian lady headed to intercept the princess.