Good evening. Here's the next chapter. My apologies for being so late…so very late. Please enjoy. Already working on the next one. Thank you for your patience.
Snyperlady: We are getting close! That's all I'll say for now.
Guest: I am desperately trying to finish. I have so much work now a days that it makes it challenging to write and edit every night. Please bare with me. I have two other projects that I want to start and won't until I get this done..
Guest: I am a huge KA fan. I think more than I should be really. So, do expect this couple to stay together. The journey there will be interesting though.
RossoDiSerra: Really? You have to tell me a little more about that because I've never heard of that comic. All similarities are truly unintended.
Quiavance: Thank you for liking the story. I know that too a certain degree I don't write either Keith or Allura in a traditional way. I find her hard to write as the damsel in distress and I do love the strong Allura type. Ever since I read Black Arus, I fell in love with strong Allura. And Keith, he's my quiet hero. Strong, quiet, strategic and stoic. I also have a hard time seeing him displaying his feelings too much. So, it means a lot to me that you like them. Thank you.
LibAkilah: Secret is coming out soon. Thank you so much for reading. I know I haven't updated in a while. I'm hoping it doesn't happen again.
Mertz: Thank you for reading and editing. You're my lifesaver! MUAH!
Aipom4: Soon my dear. Soon! And about Sam…well, let's see what happens to him.
GoPinkLion: Sister definitely needs to find a different man! LOL! Well as to Lotor, I just love him in this fic. I really think the smarter the Lotor the better the fic. Regarding Keith…well….I'll let you simmer that thought. Hope you like this next chapter.
Playlist:
Bernini's Angels-Kerry Muzzey
Nightsky-Tracy Chattaway
Starwaves—M83
Chapter 28
Allura woke up with a start, still in the moment where she fought Prince Rainer after he slammed his vehicle into Sam's car. The feelings of anxiety, fright, and fight still rattled her. Except it wasn't Rainer, she thought slowly remembering the Drules who got out of another car that drove in and parked right next to Rainer's car. She fought and she fought hard. "It looked like Rainer, but it wasn't," she whispered trying to sort the memories in her head. "It wasn't," she repeated. That was the face of the prince, but the eyes, the smile…
"Like a mask," her eyes widened as realization slowly crept in. She looked around the room and knew immediately she was no longer on Arus. "Lotor!"
The room, filled with red and pink roses, frightened her. A table opposite from her bed held a pitcher of water, a crystal glass, and bowl of fresh fruit. The soft sounds of what she thought was a harp filled the room. The bed she lay on was soft and incredibly comfortable. She hated to admit it to herself that it felt great, and hated even more when she rose to figure out what to do next. Beyond frightening, she thought looking around.
As she stood up, Allura noticed the satin white night gown she wore. Someone dressed her.
"Son of a−"
She ran to a full-length mirror close to the bathroom and looked herself over. Yep, the spaghetti strapped nightgown with a v-cut neckline showed almost her entire breast. Her hair, washed and blown, felt silky and smooth between her fingertips. It flowed down to her buttocks. "How did I not feel this?" Allura whispered, as she looked herself over. Whatever he gave me must have completely knocked me out. She looked at the clock on the nightstand, "And for hours," she sighed.
By the chair next to the table with the fruit, she noticed a robe that matched the gown she wore. Almost running, she went to it and put it on. No way she was going to let anyone see her half-naked.
She looked around again, but found nothing to let her know if anyone was watching. "Hello?" Altair called out. No one answered. She didn't think anyone watching her would answer. That meant they thought she was either still asleep or they were sure no one would come for her. At least not yet.
Walking to the table with the fruit, Allura sat down on the chair and poured herself a glass of water. Her mouth felt dry, a side effect from the drugs. Taking the glass, she drank a bit before putting it down. Closing her eyes, she couldn't help calling out, "Keith."
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Keith.
He immediately opened his eyes and heard her as if she was standing right next to him.
Keith was still in the Lion's Lair, resting in one of the three small bedrooms used when any of the members needed sleep after long strategy sessions or between internal assignments. He sat up from the twin size bed, ran his hand through his now loosened hair, and closed his eyes, trying to gage if what he heard was really her or just a dream, a figment of his imagination.
"I feel you," he whispered to himself before another calling. Sighing, he felt overwhelmed with gratefulness as he stood up, knowing exactly what to do next. It wasn't going to be easy, and it wasn't something he wanted to share, but he knew it would be the only way to save Allura.
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"Okay, one more time," Lance ordered Sam as he extended his sword and waited for the general to attack.
"I hardly see a need for this, McClain," Sam calmly told him as they began practicing. Sam was rusty at first, but caught on quickly. Something that surprised Lance, even if he didn't show it.
"Doesn't hurt, General," Lance answered as they continued fencing. "A Drule's weapon of choice is surprisingly not a gun, but a sword. They see this weapon as an honorary way for their opponent to die. You don't want to get caught having them give you a sword and you don't know how to use it."
After Keith's visit, Sam rested for a while at Medtech before Gorma cleared him for duty. He didn't waste time showering and getting dressed at home. Rather, he readied himself at Medtech before reporting to the Lion's Lair. There Keith briefed him on the plan while Lance and the others took turns resting. A long mission was ahead of them and they needed all the rest they could get. Darrell worked non-stop to get Keith's ship ready and Hunk, after a night of patrol duty the evening before, helped Darrell with the upgrades. Lance gathered supplies and weaponry, testing all artillery to make sure everything worked when needed.
It wasn't until about an hour before Lance started working with Sam that he noticed Keith still working with Coran and helping Darrell and Hunk with the upgrades. It didn't take long for him to speak to his commanding officer and tell him to get some rest before leaving. And so, Keith, knowing he was beyond tired, accepted Lance's advice and went to get some rest.
On the other side of the Lair were Hunk and Darrell, along with the Lions, locked in the cylinders. The two finalized the installation of the cloaking device on Keith's ship when Blue Lion began to growl deeply as if calling for something or someone.
"What's going on with Blue?" Hunk asked.
"No, idea," Darrell answered, looking at the lion.
Lance and Sam stopped practicing when they heard the lion's continuous growls. Trying to understand what was going on, Sam asked, "Has it ever done that before?" Lance shook his head without a word.
No sooner had Sam asked the question when everyone watched Keith walk toward the lion.
"Darrell, let Blue out," he ordered.
Immediately, the younger man did as instructed, interested in finding out what was happening. Upon opening the cylinders, Blue walked out and went straight toward Keith, walking around him in a circle before laying in front of him. Slow growls filled the room as Blue stared at Keith. The other lions stood in the cylinders quietly, but their eyes glowed, their stares intently on Blue and their commander.
"What's going on?" Sam whispered to Lance.
"I don't know," he whispered back as he watched Keith and Blue.
"Have you ever seen something like this?"
Lance shook his head, "No. Never."
"Allura," Keith said aloud. The lion growled deeper as Keith came closer to him. "Show me."
Blue came closer to Keith, putting his snout closer to the captain. Growling at even lower pitches, his eyes lit up brighter. The captain raised his hand toward Blue's snout. As soon as he touched it, he closed his eyes and felt a wave of images go through his mind.
He watched through Allura's eyes as a car slammed into hers. Then, her fight with Prince Reiner…the prince overpowering her and taking her. Drules! He said to himself as he watched the images unfold. They took her to their ship….
Blue then showed him how they drugged her…placed her in a room…Reiner kissed her, But, it isn't Reiner…he said to himself as he continued to watch. Attendants bathed her, dressed her…She's asleep all through it. She awakens, looks at herself, the room around her, sits down…calls his name….
"Keith!"
Just as the images slammed in his mind, they left and Keith found himself in the Lion's Lair, breathing heavily as Lance, Sam and the rest of those present looked back at him. Blue turned and headed back to her resting place as the rest of the lions, along with her shut down.
Looking at his team, Keith took a breath, swallowed and said, "I know how to find her."
Lance looked at the lions and then back at his commanding officer, "What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything," he shook his head, "She showed me."
"Showed you?" Lance raised his brow.
"Can I explain later?" Keith responded. "I'm not sure what Lotor's planning next, but we need to get to Allura soon."
Nodding in understanding, but letting Keith know with his gaze that the conversation was not over, Lance replied, "Alright. Let's start preparing."
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A knock on the door had Allura jump out of the chair she sat on. Closing the gown as much as she could, she readied herself, knowing who was about to walk in. Then, from the overhead in the room, she heard his voice, "Allura, can I come in?"
Defiantly, she answered, "I don't know, can you?"
She heard the slight laugh before asking again, "May, I come in?"
Sighing heavily, Altair took a deep breath and prepared herself for her unwanted visitor, "Damned if I care."
Soon the doors opened and Lotor walked in. When he looked at her, he smiled triumphantly. It was as if he had won the ultimate prize. Allura was not too fond of the look and made sure he knew, "It's good that you have your face back again. Wouldn't want you to trick me once again. What was it? Another of Haggar's concoctions?"
He shrugged, "She's very talented. I'm sorry I had to go through such measures to get you here, but I was afraid that if I asked the right way, you'd turn me down."
Allura didn't want to continue with the games, "Why did you bring me here?"
Lotor walked up to her, expecting the woman to take a step back. When she didn't, the action surprised him. Smiling a little at her lack of intimidation, he gently took her hands within his, "You captured my heart from the moment I first saw you. Allura, I brought you here because I want you to be my queen. I want you to take part in the new world I'm creating."
She looked at him in shock for a moment before laughter enveloped her. Lotor turned serious for a moment before he felt her squeeze one hand gently while letting go of the other. Tapping his cheek gently a couple of times before letting go of him completely, she said, "You have some very creative fantasies, Kid. Rule number one of any war between worlds is that you never fall in love with your enemy. And, certainly never kidnap them to propose to them! Bad idea. You may want to go back to your combat books and reread those chapters."
Her sudden behavior surprised him. And, instead of growing angry, he began laughing himself, "You are not afraid of me, are you?"
"No," she lied, offering a grand smile. "I respect your efforts, but you are barking up the wrong tree."
"Barking up the wrong tree?" he asked curiously, "Not sure I understand that."
"Talk it over with McClain," she offered. "Now, I'm not marrying you and staying here is not an option. How about you bring me some more…practical clothing and a transport to get me back home?"
Walking toward her, Lotor took Allura's hand and kissed it gently before abruptly pulling her in and wrapping his arms around her waist. Pulling her further in, he kissed her. Allura tried to push him away and found that Lotor was much stronger than she remembered. Knowing it was a lost battle, she allowed him the kiss, but as he looked into her angry ice blue eyes, he knew that she would not reciprocate the actions.
Once he finally let go, Lotor whispered, "How about I have my servants bring you more appropriate attire for tonight's dinner date. There's no need for a transport, your legs can get you to the dining room."
With that, he let go of her and walked out of the room. Once the doors closed, Allura heard him from the overhead, "I look forward to our dinner, Allura."
Once she knew he was gone, Allura sat down on the bed, and whispered, "Keith, you better be coming soon."
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In the vastness of black space, flying a few hundred miles behind the lions, Keith and Sam quietly looked ahead as they headed to Korrinth.
Staring at Keith for a moment, Sam asked, "Are you trying to…link?"
Confused, the commander turned to Gellar, "Link? What are you talking about?"
"You know...," he replied unsure of what words to say, "What you did back there, in the Lair with Blue Lion."
Sam could not tell what Keith was thinking of him as the younger looking man stared at him. It still amazed him how Keith had not aged in the last twenty years whereas he looked so different from his younger days. But, the dark eyes, Keith's dark eyes told another story. They told him the amount of knowledge those twenty years brought to the mission and to the overall survival of the galaxy.
"No," he answered, looking ahead.
"But you know she's well," continued Gellar, pressing for more answers.
"No, I don't know that either," Keith honestly answered. "I don't sense any pain or anything that would indicate that she's in any danger. But, she could also be controlling her emotions."
"Why?"
"So, she doesn't throw me off," he answered in a flat tone. "She knows I'm coming, and knows she can't influence my emotions. It could cost us the mission."
"Have you always been able to communicate with each other like that?" Sam asked seriously, "I mean, have you always been able to feel…I don't know, each other's pain."
"Why these questions, General?" Keith asked.
"I'm just curious−"
"Are you curious to know if Allura and I have had any communication in all these years?" he asked directly without turning to face him. "Why is that important? And shouldn't you know the answer to that?"
Raising his voice, Sam's features turned defensive at the question imposed on him the by the commander, "Are you implying that my relationship with Allura is−"
"I'm not implying anything, General," Keith answered as cool and collected as Sam usually saw him react in volatile situations, "All I am saying is that you should know the answer to that question." He turned to the general and asked, "Shouldn't you?"
Without answering, Sam looked ahead, "How long till we get there?"
"About two hours," Keith replied, "Shouldn't be too long." Turning to him once again, he said, "Don't worry, General. You will get her back. There's no doubt in my mind."
No doubts, Gellar thoughts ran in his mind as he too turned and looked ahead. He has no doubts. The general wasn't sure if he could say the same thing.
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"Lieutenant McClain," he heard his name called from the base, "You have an incoming call from Romelle D'Orr."
"Put her through," he ordered. Within moments, he saw Romelle's face on his small vidscreen from the cockpit of his lion. "Hey there, beautiful." He noticed her worried features and the look of anxiety on her face and smiled sympathetically, "Elle, it's going to be okay. We'll be in and out in no time."
"Don't patronize me, Lance," she shook her head in frustration. "Do you even know if she's well?"
Feeling uneasy about sharing what he saw, Lance answered with a bit of cautiousness in his tone, "Keith…he says she's alive."
Furrowing her brows, Romelle asked, "How does he know that?"
Sighed, Lance shook his head, "He…he connected to her. Through the lions."
Her eyes widened, "He can do that?"
"I'm not sure what else he can do, Romelle. It's like he has these powers and I cannot understand why the lions have given him, out of all of us, these abilities. He never had them before, none of us have. Why him, why now?"
She paused for a moment before answering him with some caution in her tone, "Perhaps the lions see something in him that you all do not."
Lance looked at her for a moment, a note of question in his own tone as he answered her, "You wanted to tell me something before I left yesterday."
She looked down.
"Elle, what is it?"
Looking back up, Romelle breathed out before replying, "It's true, we do need to talk, but now is not the time. You need to get Allura back. After that, I promise you that we will talk."
Lance nodded. He suddenly felt nervous, anxious. At that moment, he knew that whatever Romelle hid from him would affect him in more ways than he realized.
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"I'm afraid of him," Hunk confessed.
From the cockpits of both Green and Yellow lions, Darrell and Hunk discussed their own thoughts as to what they witnessed in the lair.
"What?" Darrell suddenly laughed. "What are you saying?"
"When have you seen the lions react like that?" Hunk questioned. "When have you seen anyone one of us do the things he does?"
The younger man shrugged, "Can't say that I have."
"So, what does Keith possess? Or maybe he's possessed…Damn, I don't know what the hell I'm saying," Hunk sighed in frustration. "All I know is that the lions gave him powers that are beyond anything we've ever seen or experienced. What are we missing? What don't we know?"
"What are you talking about?" Darrell snorted in frustration.
"All these years, Darrell," the yellow lion pilot continued, "All these years, we've only known one truth about the lions and we thought that's all we needed know or that's all there was to know. Somehow, Keith unlocked hidden secrets and he uses them well. Why? Haven't you asked yourself why?"
"Listen Hunk," Darrell interjected, "I think you are over analyzing this entire thing. I think the lions needed him and they've given him abilities to help win the war."
"A man who killed one of our own?"
"The lions have their reasons and we must respect them," he answered. "I don't question the lions. If they think Keith is the person they need to get the job done, then we follow their decisions. I'm sure once this is over, they will strip him of the gifts. There's nothing to be afraid of. Keith is a tool to them, a method to get things done. That's it."
"You actually believe that crap you just told me?" Hunk rolled his eyes as he shook his head.
"What else would I believe?"
"He's powerful, Darrell," Hunk sighed. "I think he's hiding more than what he's shown us and the worst part is that he so calm and collected about it. Makes me think."
"Makes you think, what?" Darrell asked curiously.
"That the lions know more about Keith than we do," he responded. "And that maybe they are hiding things from us."
"You're delusional."
"I'm afraid of him," Hunk repeated. "If the lions are with him, think of the power that man possesses. A man like Keith, Darrell. Wouldn't you be afraid?"
The last sentence hit a nerve on the younger pilot. A man like Keith. Powers bestowed to a man like him was dangerous. And, for a moment, Darrell wondered if he should be afraid of Lotor or his own commander and chief.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
A soft melody, the likes of what she had never heard before, filled her ears as the guards escorted her into the dining room.
An hour or so after the prince left her quarters; two attendants brought a rack full of dresses for her to choose from. Allura did not care to choose a dress. However, risking that the attendants would choose the skimpiest dress was not something she was willing to leave to chance. Instead, she looked for the most conservative dress she could find. In her search, she found an off the shoulder asymmetrical pink gown with a hem that was higher on the front than on the back. Round crystals decorated the gown. It was simple, but it covered her chest and a portion of her legs. In all, it was the more conservative of all the options. The dress almost made her gag. She was also able to find a dark grey jumpsuit with a turtleneck. She took that one out immediately and had the attendants find a pair of boots to go along with it. It wasn't her standard flight uniform, but it would have to do. She planned to wear that the first chance she got.
As she walked down the hallway, she tried to figure out what instrument played. Violins, maybe cellos? She couldn't tell. The strings sounded harmonious, sultry, yet, Allura couldn't pinpoint the origins of the music she heard.
When she made it to the dining room, she could smell the feast the prince laid out for her. A table full of just about every delicacy welcomed her. Two Drule servers, one on each side of the rectangular table stood tall. Normally, the seating positions would be on the two ends of the tables. However, she noticed that one chair was at the head of the table, while the other had a place to its left. This dinner was meant to be more intimate than Altair thought. Not good. She thought to herself, but she couldn't let him know. God, the food looks good. She also thought. The woman composed herself. Hungry but proud, Allura stood defiantly as she saw the Prince of Korrinth walk toward her.
"Welcome, Lieutenant. Please, have a seat. I'm sure you're famished," Lotor began as he gestured her to the seat on the left. The guards, who escorted her, bowed and left the room.
Altair said nothing. She walked past him and took her seat at the head of the table without waiting for him to pull out the chair for her. He smiled, turned and walked to the seat next to her, ignoring that this was not the place meant for a king. The waiters' eyes widened, but they didn't as much spark a gasp of surprise. Silence played a large part in the life Korrinth, especially where the prince was concerned.
"I hope you like the feast I laid out for you. I'm not sure what you like, so I had the chef prepare various options." The prince conversed as he poured wine into two glass goblets.
"I think you went a bit overboard," Altair replied as she began serving herself, not bothering to wait for the service staff to serve her. One of the servers quickly offered help. Her cold eyes told him, step back. He looked at the prince. Lotor nodded and the guard took his place where he was. "As I was saying, a bit too much, don't you think?" She finished serving herself.
He studied her, captivated by her lack of intimidation for him. "It is customary to offer the very best to our guests," Lotor answered her as he signaled his help to serve him.
"Is it also customary to have your guests wear ridiculous get ups like these?" Allura inquired as she looked down at the ball like gown he had made her wear to dinner.
"You don't like it?"
"I hate pink. Wore the damn color most of my youth. Can't stand to look at it now."
"Perhaps another color…blue?"
"Even worse. Wore a lot of that in my time as well." Altair rolled her eyes, remembering the days when she swapped clothes with her cousin.
He laughed. "You speak as if this was a long way back."
"It was," she answered as she began cutting into the portion of meat she served herself. "You forget. I could be your mother," she smiled sarcastically.
Lotor studied her some more and shook his head wondrously, "You are a very interesting woman, Allura Altair."
"And you made a mistake by taking me, Prince Lotor," she continued eating slowly, unfazed by his compliment.
"And why is that?"
She continued chewing her food slowly, swallowed, and then drank some wine. Once done, she looked at him, a sudden mocking glare in those huge blue eyes of hers, "Because you are seriously underestimating us."
"Really?" his eyes narrowed with curiosity wondering what she'd say next. He smiled a little, anxiously waiting for her reply.
"You're father and brother did," she answered in serene manner.
Allura noticed that his captivating smile faded and darkened at the mere mention of his dead relatives. She smiled a little this time. "Are you not going to join in this fine banquet that you've prepared for me?"
He ignored her, "I think you are underestimating me, Allura."
"Really?
Lotor nodded, "You think I'm this young man with this consuming need for vengeance for my family. You seem to have missed one important thing."
"What's that?"
"My priority. My real purpose."
Continuing to drink her wine, Allura asked, "And what would that be?"
"My place in this universe. My place among kings."
Silent, she waited a minute to respond. Altair knew a thing or two about not looking too desperate to gain answers from a reluctant source. She nursed her plate before asking, "And what does that mean?"
"Nothing. Just that I'm going to make a mark for myself," he picked up his utensils and continued eating his meal.
"You believe we shouldn't pay for the death of your family?"
Shaking his head as he began eating, Lotor answered her, "No. Not all of you." He stopped and looked at her. His eyes widened with hate, "Only one."
At this, Allura stiffened inwardly a little, but didn't respond.
"My vengeance on him has already begun," he smiled as he ate.
"So, how do you plan on taking your place in this world?" Allura changed the subject quickly. She would naturally need to find another time when she could keep her emotions in check. "Aren't you afraid we might stop you?"
"Hmmm," he swallowed what was in his mouth. "I'm sure you'll try. But, you will not succeed. As far as knowing my plan, you're just going to have to wait just like everyone else, Princess."
"And here I thought I was special."
He smiled, "You are. Very much, Allura. More than you could ever imagine."
At that moment, Altair didn't like the way he looked at her. It felt so primitive, so crude. His eyes devoured her entirely and she knew he wanted to explore much more than her mind.
"I'm too old for you, kid," she looked at him with a cold fire stare.
"Age is a matter of perception, my dear," Lotor answered. "And like I told you before, you are a very interesting woman, Allura Altair. I can't wait to see how much of me it will take to break you." He looked down at his plate and continued eating, "Quite a fascinating feast, isn't it?"
"Quite fascinating indeed," she answered as a tribulation of thoughts entered her mind.
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Darrell checked his schematics and maneuvered the 3D images of the black and blue lions as they came closer to Korrinth.
"How's it going, Shorty?" Lance asked with a grin laced with mockery.
Darrell had to laugh, "I haven't heard that name since I was fourteen."
Hunk laughed, "Who knew that growth spurt of yours would come so late. Never thought you'd be that tall."
"To tell you the truth, me either," Darrell smiled. "But, guess I was blessed."
"You'll always be Shorty to me, kid," Lance replied, reading over the information on his control panel. "Now, tell me, are the holograms ready?"
"Ready as they will ever be," Darrell replied, his tone shifting to serious. "It will look somewhat questionable that Black and Blue will stay behind the rest of us. But it's the only way to prevent the Drule fighters from attacking them. Honestly, I'm not sure how much time we will have before they realize we are two lions short."
"All we need is for Keith and Gellar to make it in to Korrinth," Lance responded. "I'm sure they'll have company themselves once they get in there."
"Lance," Hunk suddenly asked, "What happens if they don't get out?"
Without hesitation, he answered, "Then we go in. We don't leave Allura behind." He didn't want to mention Gellar because he'd have to mention Keith and he didn't want to mention Keith. Yet, somewhere deep inside his soul, even if he didn't want to admit it, Lance knew that leaving Keith behind was not an option either.
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After dinner, the prince had the court musicians enter the room to play music. Allura was not only surprised, but she in awe at how Lotor conducted himself in such an aristocratic manner. He had been taught to live the lifestyle of two decades past and truly believed in very old-fashioned methods. Maybe it wasn't that she was surprised about Lotor. Truth be told, many other worlds still upheld the old aristocratic lifestyle. Allura guessed that what really surprised her was how Arus surpassed that way of living, how it matured, and how it accepted the modern lifestyle of living. Maybe she was surprised that she was thinking such a thing at that moment. In front of a mad man. A man that wanted to kill the only man she ever loved.
"Enjoying the music?" he asked as he finished drinking his after dinner drink.
She hadn't touched hers and shrugged, "It's very nice."
Lotor looked at her curiously, "You don't seem interested, Allura."
"I'm not very interested in classical music from over sixty centuries," she shrugged, "Don't get me wrong, Debussy has beautiful music, it's just not of interest to me at the moment."
"You recognized, Debussy." He looked impressed by her knowledge and ignoring the rest of her meaning.
"Debussy's Claire de Lune. I lived for a time on Earth," she replied. "Learned their customs, beliefs…culture. I know Debussy."
"Ahh," he nodded. "I seem to recall the reasons you lived on Earth for a time. Must have been quite an ordeal."
Allura wasn't going to fall into the trap, so she changed the subject, "Can your subjects play a livelier tune?"
Lotor turned and looked at the musicians, "The lady requests something livelier."
The lead musician bowed and then began playing a livelier tune.
"Andre Rieu," Lotor smiled. "How about a dance? Come Allura," he said, standing up and offering his hand.
Reluctantly, she stood and allowed him to take her to an area of the room that had space for dancing.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Once the celebration ended, Lotor asked Allura to change into an after dinner wear, as it was custom in Drule tradition. Controlling herself from rolling her eyes, Allura gave the prince an exaggerated curtsy before being escorted back to her room to change. As she walked back, she realized that it was a blessing. If she was escaping Lotor's claws tonight, she wouldn't be able to do it with her current getup. She'd need something she could run with.
Once inside, Allura walked around her quarters desperately trying to think, but unable to as thoughts of escape entered her mind. She knew escape would be out of the question at this point. She'd have to wait for Keith to come and rescue her. She laughed a bit sarcastically. It still amazed her she could feel so sure about something like that, someone like him. She had no reservations, no doubts, no negative thoughts; Altair knew that Keith was on a transport to Korrinth or already close to the premises. She felt it.
Walking around the room, she had to admit it was the most lavish prison she had ever been confined to. Every comfort imaginable was bestowed upon her. From the large canopy bed with silk sheets, to the large walk in closet. The attendants made sure to put all the dresses neatly in the closet. A thought entertained Altair as she looked around her room. Lotor did nothing but treat her with the utmost respect. God knew she had tried everything she could to piss him off and so far Altair failed to do so.
She walked to the closet and began carefully looking at the attire she had been provided. Most were dresses for just about every occasion. Ball gowns, meeting gowns, attire for visiting dignitaries and citizens, in every color and style. "Clothes fit for a queen," she whispered to herself as she continued looking. Finally, she realized what Lotor's purpose would be, to make her a queen, his queen. He was more serious than she thought. That thought repulsed her. Now, more than ever, she wanted out of her beautiful confinements.
Becoming a trophy wife for some psychotic dreamer of the past was not comforting. Quickly, Altair began looking for the jumpsuit she found earlier. The suit that could help, instead of hinder her escape.
At the end of the closet, she found a dark blue flight suit. Had she missed it before or was it brought after? Strange, she thought, but then realized that he would not deny her from flying her own lion, once he took possession of it. His way of offering her everything she wanted under his rule. "You have all this perfectly planned kid, don't you?" She shook her head and quickly changed, opting for the flight suit instead.
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Just as she zipped up her suit, Allura heard a knock on the door.
"Come in."
The prince walked in at first smiling, but then the smile faltered when he saw her.
Allura noticed it and said, "I'm not used to wearing dresses all the time, so I'm forgoing the Barbie doll getups for tonight. Besides, you forget I'm military, Lotor. I'm not the princess you imagine me to be."
"On the contrary, my dear," he shrugged as he walked in, "you seem to imagine you are military, when your true self is in fact royal. By the way, dress or no dress, you still look unbelievably beautiful."
Lotor looked at her; his eyes betraying the lust he thus far hid from her. Allura knew he wanted her. It amazed her that he hadn't tried to push himself on her so far. He tried seducing her; exposing her to riches, power, and a world where royalty seemed to have it all. Lotor was in many ways his father and brother, but in others, he was completely different. She was glad he wasn't anything like his family in this aspect.
"Is it time for cocktails?" Allura asked, diverting the subject.
"I'd like to show you something first."
"And what would that be?"
"Something that will surely interest you," he extended his hand to her, gesturing Allura to take it. "I want to show you what I will use to destroy your world and the Garrison." He smiled, "I'm sure you are anxious to see, aren't you, Allura?"
That, she did want to know.
"You changed you mind?"
"Let's just say, I want to make sure you understand that I haven't underestimated any of you. They will all die by my hand. With the exception of you, of course. Now, care to join me?"
Reluctantly, she took his hand and he led her out of the room.
