Birthright: Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Planet Vallis
Anala quietly knocked on the frame of the doorway she stood in as she watched her mother speak with one of the hand-maidens, assigning her one of the many duties of the Castle.
"Mother?"
Alysson looked up, excusing the young maiden to go ahead with her task. She then motioned for her daughter to come in. In doing so, she quickly went up to her and took her into a tight embrace.
"I missed you," she said. "There are so many things I must tell you."
"Mother," Anala stated as she pulled away from her embrace. "That can wait. For now....."
Anala turned to the door and motioned for Princess Allura to enter the small room. She then met Anala's gaze, nodded then turned to the door. Alysson held her own breath as she watched the young man enter the room. She had to fight herself from running to him, taking him into her arms and asking him for forgiveness for what had been done to him.
"Mom, this is Keith Alexander Hayashi," she introduced.
Alysson took her daughter's hand as they both approached him. All she could do was stare at the young man, seeing the resemblance he had to his father. Though, in his eyes she could see a fire, a fire that she once held in her own eyes when she herself was his age.
"Keith..."
Before she could say anymore, Keith came up to her and took her into his arms, holding her tight. Alysson could not fight back the tears that started to flood her eyes as she breathed in deeply, holding him close to her.
"Forgive me," was all she could find herself to say.
Xue stared in silence as he watched the small group exit from Alysson's study. Hiding in the shadows, he could listen in on what they had to say, unknowing to the small entourage.
"Take this," Alysson had said as she handed a small pouch over to the young man with dark hair. "This should help alleviate any more pain you will experience. In the morning, I will see that a High Priest check in on your status."
"Is it necessary?"
Alysson slowly nodded. "It seems the symptoms aren't as noticeable, for now," she said. "Though it could mean that other, unknown symptoms may occur. Only the High Priests can assess that."
The young man nodded as he turned to the young woman he was with.
"When shall we expect our little show tomorrow?" she asked.
"Kellar, always likes a good competition after lunch," she said. "And he also likes to show off his prize weapons before someone does try to best his weapons."
"So I guess it means a grand tour in the morning?" she asked.
Alysson nodded. "In the mean time, I have set a nice dinner for all of you," she said. "And I hope that your quarters are to your liking."
"More than we expected, Lady Alysson," the young woman said.
Alysson nodded, then turned to the young man. "Please see me this evening," she requested of him. "I have much to share with you."
The young man nodded. "I will."
Xue moved from his position, wondering what was going on between them. Only meeting that morning, it seemed that they somehow knew each other already. Could this young couple be somehow involved in Alysso's affairs?
Alysson let out a sigh as she entered her study, finally finding a time to break away from the long story Kellar was sharing with his guests. She knew every story he told, and each time they were told, something was always added to embellish, and to make it seem a lot longer. She poured herself a small glass of cognac before seating herself in a small chair.
She took a sip from her glass, before pulling out a small locket that she wore around her neck. She slowly opened it, staring at the picture that was held within.
"Ah...my lady, you have much to hide."
The voice startled her, causing her to sit up straight in her chair as she looked around the small room.
Then from one dark corner of the room, the familiar dark figure emerged out of the shadows, slowly approaching her as she stared at him.
"Xue," she said. "How many times have I asked..."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," he said as he came to stand before her. "Kellar gave me full permission to go wherever I please."
"But at least ask before you do," she said as she placed her glass down on a table near the chair. "Now, why are you here this evening?"
"A little puzzle of sorts," he said as he came over to her. "A puzzle that I wish to figure out."
"And what sort of puzzle is that?"
He held out his hand in front of her, slowly turning it over to show her the inside of his palm. Then, a small image formed in his hand, a copy of the picture that laid within the locket she wore.
"Tell me, my lady, who is this young man?" he asked. "And child?"
Her eyes widened as she stared at the image in his hand before it disappeared.
"How..."
"Nothing is hidden from me, my lady," he said.
She turned her head away before taking in a deep breath. "That was a very long time ago," she said. "A part of my life that was suddenly taken away from me."
"You were wed once?" he asked. "And had a child?"
She nodded. "They both died," she said simply.
He slowly nodded. "How odd," he said as he held out his hand again. "I truly love puzzles."
He held out his hand again, this time, the image was on only the picture of the young man in the locket, then slowly, an image replaced it.
"That young man today," he said. "Looks a lot like the man in the picture with you."
"Coincidence," she said.
"Or is he your real son, my lady?"
Her eyes widened, but before she could answer, he slowly stood.
"Do you promise to help free me?" he asked.
"What do you want?"
He then knelt before her again, taking her hands into his own. "I do not wish to harm you, my lady, but I must look in the best interest of Kellar."
"Well, Xue, it seems you have the advantage here."
"If I had wished, I would have told him a long time ago who you really were," he said. "But I have as much interest in your affairs as well."
"Again, you have me at a disadvantage," she said. "What do you want?"
"Whatever happens in the next day, please do not be alarmed by it," he said as he slowly leaned over her. "Whatever happens, do not interfere, and be sure to tell your friends to stay out of it as well."
Alysson's eyes narrowed as she stared up at him. "Interfere?" she asked.
"You will have to trust me, my lady," he said simply. "Or shall I say princess?"
--Mother.---
Alysson breathed in deeply as she quickly turned in her seat toward her door. When she turned back, Xue had disappeared.
"Anala?" she said as she got to her feet.
She quickly went to her study's door and opened it. She smiled seeing that Anala had brought the Voltron Force and Prince Lotor with her.
"Im glad that you all could join me," she said with a forced smile.
"Kellar is busy with some business of his own," Anala said simply as she ushered in their guests. "We have a lot to go over."
"Yes," Alysson said. "Yes we do."
--I have found her.-
Kellar excused the handmaid as Xue appeared before him.
"You can't be serious."
Xue nodded his head. -She is here, alive and well, and has been for a very long time, my master-
"Well, who is she? Where is she?"
--Master, if you will allow me to have my way, Im sure that you will be very amused if I were to reveal her to you tomorrow.-
"Tomorrow?" he asked. "Tomorrow is the demonstration by..."
--Yes, sire,-- he stated, -- but, please allow me this.-
Kellar shook his head. "Whatever makes you happy, Xue," he said. "So, the princess did live through my assassination attempt after all."
--She had help, sire,-- Xue stated. -But we will be able to crush any hope that the citizens have about returning her to power.-
Kellar nodded. "They will learn who has the real power on this planet."
"Do we agree on this?"
Allura looked up to meet the gazes of everyone in the room.
"I don't like it," Lance stated as he got to his feet. "Do you honestly think that this Kellar will fall for it? I mean, hasn't he already heard what kind of battles we've already been through?"
"Kellar has no idea what you all have been through," Anala reassured him.
"It's the only way it will work, Lance," Keith said as he me his friend's gaze. "I know that it will be difficult. But we have to make him believe everything that we do."
"Lance, please believe that I have all your interests at heart," Alysson stated. "If I feel at any time that something is going wrong, I will signal for all of you to stop."
"Where are the mines and the underground storage areas?" Allura asked.
"The mines are below the castle," Alysson stated as she pointed to an area marked green on the map before them. "These are the caverns where the workers stay for the night. They are permitted to come up every 80 tekas to visit family...eat..."
"80 tekas?"
Alysson smiled. "About a day in Earth standards," she said. "This is where the guards bring them up through."
"So this would be the best way to get in?" Pidge asked as he looked over the plans. "What are the shift rotations?"
"Every 10 tekas," Alysson stated. "Roughly 3 hours. There is one guard posted here and another posted here. There is a small narrow passage way that works it way around the gates, here."
Pidge looked over the plans. "It will be a squeeze play," he said. "I can probably make it through, but the hard part is what I will do on the other side."
"I can give you the codes to open the gates," Alysson stated. "But our main goal is get to the storage areas, where we can free the food and water to everyone."
"These caverns are very old," Anala warned. "One wrong move."
"And the whole thing can come crashing down," Allura stated. "We will try our best."
"In the mean time, Lotor," Alysson said as she turned to him as he stood next to the door of her study. "Im sure you can provide some...distraction?"
"Distraction is what I am good at, milady," he said simply.
"Anala, you will have to work with Lotor to keep Kellar busy."
She slowly nodded. "I know a way into his weapons bunker," she said with a smile. "We can devise some great distraction there."
"Then do we have an agreement?" Allura asked.
"It's the best we can go with," Pidge stated.
"Then its settle," Alysson said. "Then I suggest that you all get some rest. It will definitely be a long day ahead."
Everyone agreed as they slowly started to file out of the room. Alysson turned to Anala, and nodded.
"Keith, please stay for a moment."
The room cleared, as everyone turned in for the evening. Not wanting to bother them, Anala stayed near the door as her mother and Keith settled in one corner of the room.
"I don't even know where to start," she said as she seated herself in her chair. "What is one supposed to say?"
Keith could only smile as he sat across from her.
"Its not important to say anything," he said. "What is important is what is now. Not what has happened in the past."
Alysson slowly nodded. "There is something that I must speak to you about," she said after taking a deep breath. "As it does concern you, and how it may affect your life from here on out."
"Besides this Trial I'm going through?"
Alysson nodded. "Besides the Trial," she said. She then leaned back in her chair. "First tell me, what is your life like?"
"What its like?" he asked.
She nodded. "Enlighten me," she said with a smile. "Humor me."
Chapter 11
Planet Vallis
Anala quietly knocked on the frame of the doorway she stood in as she watched her mother speak with one of the hand-maidens, assigning her one of the many duties of the Castle.
"Mother?"
Alysson looked up, excusing the young maiden to go ahead with her task. She then motioned for her daughter to come in. In doing so, she quickly went up to her and took her into a tight embrace.
"I missed you," she said. "There are so many things I must tell you."
"Mother," Anala stated as she pulled away from her embrace. "That can wait. For now....."
Anala turned to the door and motioned for Princess Allura to enter the small room. She then met Anala's gaze, nodded then turned to the door. Alysson held her own breath as she watched the young man enter the room. She had to fight herself from running to him, taking him into her arms and asking him for forgiveness for what had been done to him.
"Mom, this is Keith Alexander Hayashi," she introduced.
Alysson took her daughter's hand as they both approached him. All she could do was stare at the young man, seeing the resemblance he had to his father. Though, in his eyes she could see a fire, a fire that she once held in her own eyes when she herself was his age.
"Keith..."
Before she could say anymore, Keith came up to her and took her into his arms, holding her tight. Alysson could not fight back the tears that started to flood her eyes as she breathed in deeply, holding him close to her.
"Forgive me," was all she could find herself to say.
Xue stared in silence as he watched the small group exit from Alysson's study. Hiding in the shadows, he could listen in on what they had to say, unknowing to the small entourage.
"Take this," Alysson had said as she handed a small pouch over to the young man with dark hair. "This should help alleviate any more pain you will experience. In the morning, I will see that a High Priest check in on your status."
"Is it necessary?"
Alysson slowly nodded. "It seems the symptoms aren't as noticeable, for now," she said. "Though it could mean that other, unknown symptoms may occur. Only the High Priests can assess that."
The young man nodded as he turned to the young woman he was with.
"When shall we expect our little show tomorrow?" she asked.
"Kellar, always likes a good competition after lunch," she said. "And he also likes to show off his prize weapons before someone does try to best his weapons."
"So I guess it means a grand tour in the morning?" she asked.
Alysson nodded. "In the mean time, I have set a nice dinner for all of you," she said. "And I hope that your quarters are to your liking."
"More than we expected, Lady Alysson," the young woman said.
Alysson nodded, then turned to the young man. "Please see me this evening," she requested of him. "I have much to share with you."
The young man nodded. "I will."
Xue moved from his position, wondering what was going on between them. Only meeting that morning, it seemed that they somehow knew each other already. Could this young couple be somehow involved in Alysso's affairs?
Alysson let out a sigh as she entered her study, finally finding a time to break away from the long story Kellar was sharing with his guests. She knew every story he told, and each time they were told, something was always added to embellish, and to make it seem a lot longer. She poured herself a small glass of cognac before seating herself in a small chair.
She took a sip from her glass, before pulling out a small locket that she wore around her neck. She slowly opened it, staring at the picture that was held within.
"Ah...my lady, you have much to hide."
The voice startled her, causing her to sit up straight in her chair as she looked around the small room.
Then from one dark corner of the room, the familiar dark figure emerged out of the shadows, slowly approaching her as she stared at him.
"Xue," she said. "How many times have I asked..."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," he said as he came to stand before her. "Kellar gave me full permission to go wherever I please."
"But at least ask before you do," she said as she placed her glass down on a table near the chair. "Now, why are you here this evening?"
"A little puzzle of sorts," he said as he came over to her. "A puzzle that I wish to figure out."
"And what sort of puzzle is that?"
He held out his hand in front of her, slowly turning it over to show her the inside of his palm. Then, a small image formed in his hand, a copy of the picture that laid within the locket she wore.
"Tell me, my lady, who is this young man?" he asked. "And child?"
Her eyes widened as she stared at the image in his hand before it disappeared.
"How..."
"Nothing is hidden from me, my lady," he said.
She turned her head away before taking in a deep breath. "That was a very long time ago," she said. "A part of my life that was suddenly taken away from me."
"You were wed once?" he asked. "And had a child?"
She nodded. "They both died," she said simply.
He slowly nodded. "How odd," he said as he held out his hand again. "I truly love puzzles."
He held out his hand again, this time, the image was on only the picture of the young man in the locket, then slowly, an image replaced it.
"That young man today," he said. "Looks a lot like the man in the picture with you."
"Coincidence," she said.
"Or is he your real son, my lady?"
Her eyes widened, but before she could answer, he slowly stood.
"Do you promise to help free me?" he asked.
"What do you want?"
He then knelt before her again, taking her hands into his own. "I do not wish to harm you, my lady, but I must look in the best interest of Kellar."
"Well, Xue, it seems you have the advantage here."
"If I had wished, I would have told him a long time ago who you really were," he said. "But I have as much interest in your affairs as well."
"Again, you have me at a disadvantage," she said. "What do you want?"
"Whatever happens in the next day, please do not be alarmed by it," he said as he slowly leaned over her. "Whatever happens, do not interfere, and be sure to tell your friends to stay out of it as well."
Alysson's eyes narrowed as she stared up at him. "Interfere?" she asked.
"You will have to trust me, my lady," he said simply. "Or shall I say princess?"
--Mother.---
Alysson breathed in deeply as she quickly turned in her seat toward her door. When she turned back, Xue had disappeared.
"Anala?" she said as she got to her feet.
She quickly went to her study's door and opened it. She smiled seeing that Anala had brought the Voltron Force and Prince Lotor with her.
"Im glad that you all could join me," she said with a forced smile.
"Kellar is busy with some business of his own," Anala said simply as she ushered in their guests. "We have a lot to go over."
"Yes," Alysson said. "Yes we do."
--I have found her.-
Kellar excused the handmaid as Xue appeared before him.
"You can't be serious."
Xue nodded his head. -She is here, alive and well, and has been for a very long time, my master-
"Well, who is she? Where is she?"
--Master, if you will allow me to have my way, Im sure that you will be very amused if I were to reveal her to you tomorrow.-
"Tomorrow?" he asked. "Tomorrow is the demonstration by..."
--Yes, sire,-- he stated, -- but, please allow me this.-
Kellar shook his head. "Whatever makes you happy, Xue," he said. "So, the princess did live through my assassination attempt after all."
--She had help, sire,-- Xue stated. -But we will be able to crush any hope that the citizens have about returning her to power.-
Kellar nodded. "They will learn who has the real power on this planet."
"Do we agree on this?"
Allura looked up to meet the gazes of everyone in the room.
"I don't like it," Lance stated as he got to his feet. "Do you honestly think that this Kellar will fall for it? I mean, hasn't he already heard what kind of battles we've already been through?"
"Kellar has no idea what you all have been through," Anala reassured him.
"It's the only way it will work, Lance," Keith said as he me his friend's gaze. "I know that it will be difficult. But we have to make him believe everything that we do."
"Lance, please believe that I have all your interests at heart," Alysson stated. "If I feel at any time that something is going wrong, I will signal for all of you to stop."
"Where are the mines and the underground storage areas?" Allura asked.
"The mines are below the castle," Alysson stated as she pointed to an area marked green on the map before them. "These are the caverns where the workers stay for the night. They are permitted to come up every 80 tekas to visit family...eat..."
"80 tekas?"
Alysson smiled. "About a day in Earth standards," she said. "This is where the guards bring them up through."
"So this would be the best way to get in?" Pidge asked as he looked over the plans. "What are the shift rotations?"
"Every 10 tekas," Alysson stated. "Roughly 3 hours. There is one guard posted here and another posted here. There is a small narrow passage way that works it way around the gates, here."
Pidge looked over the plans. "It will be a squeeze play," he said. "I can probably make it through, but the hard part is what I will do on the other side."
"I can give you the codes to open the gates," Alysson stated. "But our main goal is get to the storage areas, where we can free the food and water to everyone."
"These caverns are very old," Anala warned. "One wrong move."
"And the whole thing can come crashing down," Allura stated. "We will try our best."
"In the mean time, Lotor," Alysson said as she turned to him as he stood next to the door of her study. "Im sure you can provide some...distraction?"
"Distraction is what I am good at, milady," he said simply.
"Anala, you will have to work with Lotor to keep Kellar busy."
She slowly nodded. "I know a way into his weapons bunker," she said with a smile. "We can devise some great distraction there."
"Then do we have an agreement?" Allura asked.
"It's the best we can go with," Pidge stated.
"Then its settle," Alysson said. "Then I suggest that you all get some rest. It will definitely be a long day ahead."
Everyone agreed as they slowly started to file out of the room. Alysson turned to Anala, and nodded.
"Keith, please stay for a moment."
The room cleared, as everyone turned in for the evening. Not wanting to bother them, Anala stayed near the door as her mother and Keith settled in one corner of the room.
"I don't even know where to start," she said as she seated herself in her chair. "What is one supposed to say?"
Keith could only smile as he sat across from her.
"Its not important to say anything," he said. "What is important is what is now. Not what has happened in the past."
Alysson slowly nodded. "There is something that I must speak to you about," she said after taking a deep breath. "As it does concern you, and how it may affect your life from here on out."
"Besides this Trial I'm going through?"
Alysson nodded. "Besides the Trial," she said. She then leaned back in her chair. "First tell me, what is your life like?"
"What its like?" he asked.
She nodded. "Enlighten me," she said with a smile. "Humor me."