This is the continuation of that paper from my comp I class. I have been busy at school, so sorry for the long wait. I couldn't believe all of the emails I have gotten off of this story line! I have extended the original paper by adding in more dialog and rewording in places, so it should be better that the last one.

DISCLAMER:

WEP owns Voltron, but the kids are mine.

November 23rd – Cause and Effect Paper

Where the Pieces May Fall

Allura had stood up to Nanny in a bid for her freedom, in her own way trying to become her own person. Yet Allura did not realize the chain of events she had started in motion with a single word. Stumbling through action and reaction, she and Nanny both had to deal with the fact that Allura was no longer a child; only they were seeing this from two very different sides. The war for Allura's freedom would change the face of history and the royal family of planet Arus. By Allura learning to stand on her own, the team showing how far they were willing to go for their Princess, and Nanny learning that she was indeed wrong.

For three members of the Voltron Force, the beautiful Arusian morning was a surreal experience compared to the twin storms they had survived the night before. Allura had stood up to Nanny, which threw Nanny into a fit of rage. In answer to Allura's defiance, Nanny had the team reassigned to Earth – effective immediately.

"Man, we can't even tell the Princess goodbye. Or how much she meant to all of us." Pidge complained.

Lance hated this. Just when it was obvious that his commander and the Princess were going to get together, they were all forced out of their home and away from their Princess. "We know Pidge. But hey, we will find a way to get back, or at least contact her. We've been through worse, and have come out on top in the past."

Hunk was silent. The planet Arus was the one place in the universe he and the other all called their home. Like their commander, the big guy had no family left and no place to call home. He was lucky enough to go to the Alliance Academy through his natural football ability and an athletic scholarship. Now they were all losing their home, and he was losing a part of the group he considered his family.

As they loaded their thing onto the transport ship for the Arus spaceport, Pidge, Lance, and Hunk all received a shocking surprise. Allura's own baggage was already in the hatch with Keith's! She had decided to go with the team to Earth. The three pilots quickly took their places around Keith and Allura, each nodding their head in acceptance of her choice and smiling happily that they didn't lose the remarkable young woman they all loved and respected.

Frightened of the uncertain future that lay before both her and the team, who had become her family, Allura rested her head on Keith's shoulder. All were silent as they watched the planet and their old lives slip away on the way to the planet's spaceport. Wondering what the future held in store for the Voltron Force.

Inside, Allura was certain that what she had done was right. However, she hated that the men who only wanted to see her happy and free were being punished for helping and standing behind her. After fifteen minutes of silence, Allura couldn't take the silence anymore. "I'm sorry about the recall to Earth everyone. Nanny is doing this because I refused to give up my key to Blue Lion and go back to being that perfect Princess I hated being before I met all of you. And I wouldn't blame any of you for being angry with me. I know that this will dishonor all of you."

Lance was the first to speak up at that. "Princess, you haven't done anything wrong. This is Nanny trying to bend you to her rules, and none of us blame you because you are not to be blamed. But, you really did take your sweet time standing up to Nanny and showing her the strong and independent woman we always fight with."

That got Allura to laugh for the first time that morning, in that moment she went from a frightened and unsure proper Princess to the beautiful young woman they all loved. Keith smiled at her before adding his own two cents in. "We are all proud of you, Allura. Nanny has gone too far, and has to be reminded that you are the ruler of Arus … not her. Even if she has control of your future for the meantime."

"Yeah. After all, we aren't going to be banished forever. We just have to keep ourselves busy until we can come back home." Pidge added in.

"First I say we put in for some R&R. We haven't had any time off in six months." Hunk pointed out.

Keith chuckled at that. Hunk was right, and the Captain wasn't about to argue otherwise. "And we can show Allura around Earth a bit. Agreed, time off first it is."

In the Castle, Nanny was in a fit as the soldiers reported that Allura was nowhere in the castle. The Princess had been restricted to her rooms until the team had left for Earth. But, now no one knew where the girl was. Then she found the note from the Princess on the bed, a note that angered the old governess even further.

Nanny,

You said that if I did not conform to your idea of a proper Princess that you would have the entire team recalled to Earth. In this threat, you should have been more careful with your words.

I am a legal member of the Voltron Force and am therefore going to along with the others.

I hope that one day you will understand and accept my decisions. I cannot continue being a child forever.

Farewell,

Allura

Nanny ordered all available security squads to intercept the Voltron Force at the spaceport. Princess Allura was to return to the Castle of Lions – willing or not. Any means deemed necessary were allowed.

"Allura will learn to be a proper Princess again." Nanny huffed under her breath.

Pidge had reported that a total of six security squads were searching for the Princess. The team had been able to remain hidden from the squads for nearly a half-hour, but there was only three minutes before their flight to Earth was to take off. They all were waiting for Keith to give the signal to move … yet the Captain remained like a statue.

He looked over to the woman they had gone so far for; Keith knew he and the guys were more than willing to continue the rest of the way, putting everything on the line for her. Yet, this was a decision that she would have to live with for the rest of her life, so it was a decision she alone had to make.

It only took a moment for Allura to realize that Keith wanted to be sure of her position. It made the frightened Princess smile, as she slid her arm in his and vowed that she was going to keep this family together – no matter the cost. That was all Keith had to know; the team was slipped on board by a supportive guard and on their way to Earth without being seen.

Nanny had the guard who had aided in Allura's escape arrested and thrown into the castle brig. She blamed the team for changing Allura, with their ideas of teaching her to fight and allowing her to pilot the Blue Lion. Nanny wanted the four men to pay for taking her little girl away, for stealing the proper Princess she had brought up. An idea bloomed in her mind; they kidnapped Princess Allura! She could get Allura back and keep them far away from her!

Since they had no trouble on the flight to Earth, the team relaxed and began to plan the rest of their lives. If they only knew what was awaiting them at the Earth spaceport. Soon after they docked, the team found themselves ambushed and arrested for kidnapping the Princess Allura. They were shoved into separate vehicles and flown to the Galaxy Garrison Headquarters.

All during the flight to the Garrison and through another two hours in a sterile examining room, Allura was being 'encouraged' to tell the interviewers the 'truth'. They tried every possible tactic to force her into accusing the team of kidnapping and manhandling her. She was even subjected to an 'exam', yet Allura knew that the 'doctors' were collecting non-existent evidence to use against the team the next day at their court marshaling.

"Please Princess Allura, We all know how you idolize those men for what they did for you planet, your people … but that doesn't give them the right to claim you as payment for it." One smiled sympathetically.

Allura's eyes flashed with hate. How dare any of them harm her friends' names like this? "The members of the Voltron Force are all honorable men. They have never asked that I be payment for their defending my world or my people. If you ever suggest such again, I will have a long talk with General Graham about your position here! Now let me see the team at once!"

"Not right now. I'm almost done here. Princess I see what they have done to you. You are very lucky that they didn't give you serious damage, and I can reinstate your hymen. Please just tell us what happened that caused this, and I'll go get the team myself." The examining doctor offered.

Allura saw through the trick easily, and wasn't about to fall for it. No matter how badly she wanted to see the others, she would never help hurt them. "There is nothing wrong with my private area 'doctor' and my hymen is not missing because I have not been used in that way. Now I wish to see the team immediately."

"Did it hurt when they forced you to pleasure them?" A nurse asked tentatively.

Allura was on the verge of tearing these people apart. "The men of the Voltron Force have never forced me to pleasure them, nor have they ever hurt me! They have fought to keep me safe, and to protect my virtue from those who would do what all of you are accusing them of doing! Now take me to see the Voltron Force!"

The questions ended then, but the exam continued a little while. Allura continued to ask to see the team, a request that was blatantly ignored. When she refused to aid the prosecutors in their case against the Voltron Force, they left Allura in the exam room alone for two hours. All of them were sure that she would eventually do anything for companionship, eventually giving into their terms to see the men.

She tried to remain strong for the team, but it was only an outward show. Inside, Allura was longing for Keith's protective arms around her and the team surrounding them, as it had been during the trip. As the realization of returning to Arus and facing a loveless marriage to whomever Nanny deemed fit for her dawned on Allura, she broke down in tears.

Yes she was eighteen, and legally old enough to rule her home world had she been born a male – however she was female. This meant as to her future she was under Nanny's rule until Allura wed or turned twenty-one. Koran could only aid Allura, and determine the Princess' fitness to rule. The only good coming to her when her advisor granted Allura that independence of full control of her life early. Now she only had to make Nanny see that she was no longer under that old law, not an easy task to say the least.

And then Allura felt the guilt of the team's position on her shoulders – hard. Again, they were being unjustly punished for her longing for freedom. Only this time, she highly doubted that Koran was going to walk through the door with Keith at his side and a way out of all of this. How could she save her family?

On Arus, Nanny was smiling and busily preparing for the next Prince's reception. Allura would be home in less than two days, and the Voltron force would never see the light of day again. Nanny thought of how she had taught them all just who was Allura's guardian. Yet, there were some doubts in her heart. She had lied, and now they would be put in prison. Nevertheless she shook it off, reminding herself that they had gotten just what the five of them all deserved.

Allura was taken to a guestroom and locked in for the night – on the basis that the doctors feared for her safety if the team escaped their nearby cells. So the others were near. Yes, Keith described the place once when he and Allura had talked about his days at the Academy. Allura could picture the path her love had described to her so long before.

Then the nurse told her that the judge had ordered her testimony to be taped; this way she could go home sooner and did not have to face her abductors again. Allura just shook her head at that. She was too tired to argue again.

It was when she over heard the nurse talking with a doctor about how the team had brainwashed her very well that Allura broke. She couldn't take this anymore.

Nanny had gone too far this time. This lie would make it nearly impossible for the team to make it out of that hearing without prison time. Allura was determined to remain and stand by the team in that courtroom, as they had stood beside her. Yet, she was still hungering to see them before then.

Allura was angry that her request to see the team had not been answered in any form; in her mind it was time for her to take matters into her own hands. She easily broke out of her room and stole across the grounds towards the stockade. Since there were only three guards on duty, Allura had no problems in getting past them.

Finding the team's cells was more of a challenge; they were in the heart of the stockade. Allura looked into one of the cells and saw Keith sleeping on a cot; his face showed his frustration even in his sleep. Just seeing his face made her eased her aching heart, but it also made her hunger to hold him more.

She broke into Keith's cell, tripping the silent alarm, which alerted Space Marshal Graham to the activities in the stockade. He decided that he should intercede. The girl had to be the one breaking in, and she had to be thinking that she was helping her friends. Graham couldn't see these young men ever dishonoring the Arusian Princess. But, that was what the doctors said had to have happened. He was surprised that she was able to walk as terribly as she was ripped up in her vagina.

A tired Allura relocked the cell door and rested against Keith's sleeping body; easily waking the light sleeping Captain. Keith was too happy to see his Princess to be curious as to how she had gotten into his cell. Neither said a word as she snuggled in his arms on that uncomfortable cot. It was just the two of them in a quiet room resting peacefully.

They rested in each other's arms until Marshal Graham crushed their peace with reality. Graham had assumed that Allura was trying to free the team. But, when he saw the truth for himself, he listened to Allura's side of the story. He believed her every word and vowed to help them all he could, as well as determined that there were going to be several openings for military personal in the Garrison hospital the next day.

An hour later the team went into hiding, staying in a safe house in Florida until Marshal Graham could straighten things out. It was only a two-bedroom trailer, but they were all grateful that they were there and together. The weather was humid and the insects were horrid, but the team took it as an unexpected vacation that Hunk had decided they needed when they were leaving Arus.

Allura and the boys were exhausted when they finally made it to the trailer park in Southwest Florida town of Punta Gorda. It was sunrise, but they slept in until dinner. Lance, Hunk, and Pidge took one bedroom that had bunk beds and a single bed. Keith and Allura shared the larger bedroom. It had two beds in it, but more often than not Keith woke slightly to her snuggling in with him.

They went to beach often, shopped at the mall, went sight seeing, roller skating, and other things vacationers would do. Allura smiled and laughed as they moved about without troubles. Despite their famous statis, the group found that they weren't hassled very often. Twice they visited several schools, but thankfully none of the media got wind of it.

Nanny screamed at the communication from Earth. Graham was not Allura's guardian, and no right to hide her away in Alliance 'protective custody'. Nanny did not know what to do. The next Prince to court Allura would be arriving in less than a month. It was time this spoiled little Princess learned what real pressure was, to learn what it is like to live with one's mistakes.

In an hour, Nanny had a one hundred thousand dollar reward for the safe return of Allura to Arus. With every bounty hunter in the galaxy hunting for her, Allura would be home in no time. Or at least, that was what Nanny thought at first.

For two weeks the team was happy and no one knew who they were, so hiding was not a problem. It was as if they weren't the team that the universe celebrated. It was strange, but none of them complained about it.

They were getting ready for a trip to the beach when Keith came in from the post office. The worried expression on his face stopped everyone in their tracks. Something was very wrong.

Allura burst into tears as he explained the details of his last communication with the Marshal. Nanny was having Allura hunted down like a common criminal for the sake of control. The Alliance safe houses would be the first places bounty hunters would look, so Keith secretly found a cabin they would stay in until the end of the conflict.

The group packed and rushed away in less than an hour. Luckily an Alliance crew came in and erased all traces of the team having ever been there and then left. Three hours later four bounty hunters arrived to sweep over the town.

The next evening the group pulled into their new town. Fairmont, West Virginia was a small town of around one thousand. An easy place to hide in if that is what you must do. Their cabin had more room than the trailer in Florida, and everyone had their own bedroom.

There was a beautiful waterfall flowing down the side of the mountain in the back yard, and there was little humidity in the air. It reminded the group of the home they lost, so the homesickness was slightly subdued thankfully. However, Allura still felt isolated and vulnerable that first night. She went to Keith's room, for comfort at first but ended up weeping the second she closed the door behind her.

Even with Keith's arms wrapped around her, Allura felt frightened and unsure of herself. For an hour she cried in his arms, wishing she had never stood up to Nanny in the first place. Slowly, Allura sat up and started to go to the com unit in the corner; she was convinced that if she gave in to Nanny's demands the team would stop being punished.

"If I call now, maybe I can talk Nanny into leaving you and the others alone. It is only to get control over me that she is doing all of this. All of this is my fault."

Keith jumped off the bed, grabbed Allura by the arms, and sat her back on the bed. He made her face the reality that the team had made their own choices just as she had. "I won't let you give in because of our decisions, Allura. Tell me the truth, what is it that you want for Allura? Not what Nanny wants, not what I want, and not what the team wants for you. What do you want?"

"I want to stay with my family, Keith. I want to stay with you, because I am in love with you." Allura rested her head on Keith's shoulder and broke down into tears.

She calmed down as Keith wrapped his arms around her. "I love you too, Ally. I fell for you the moment I first saw you on the top of those stairs that first day, and I will never stop. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. No matter what happens, I won't leave your side until you tell me to go."

"Then I never will, Keith. You are my only love. Can I stay with you tonight?"

Keith nodded and covered them both with his blankets after settling with her in his arms on the bed. For Allura, it felt good to finally admit to Keith what she had buried inside her for so long. For Keith, it felt incredible. He was whole for the first time in his life. With this woman in his arms, Keith slowly felt his heart heal as they both drifted of to best sleep of their lives. They slept in each other's arms the rest of the night.

The next day, Allura woke up alone. The clock showed that it was ten-fifteen. Keith had let her sleep because they had stayed up so late the night before. Allura smiled when she saw the outfit she had been talking about wearing laying out on the nearby chair.

Once she got dressed, she headed down stairs. The boys were playing a video game. "Good morning everyone."

"Hey, glad to see ya smiling Princess!" Pidge chirped as he glimpsed over then went back to the game, twisting his body with the controller in his hand.

Hunk too was focused on the game before him. "Good morning, Princess."

Lance shook his head at the pair. "Morning. Keith asked us to let you know he wanted to talk to you once you got up. Last time I saw him he was in the kitchen."

"Thanks Lance." Allura chuckled as she slipped passed them and went through to the kitchen. "Good morning Keith."

Keith was reading the paper, but he looked up at her and smiled as she came into the room. His chocolate brown eyes glittered as he held Allura close and kissed her. "Good morning and happy birthday, Allura."

In all of the rush and torments they had suffered, Allura had forgotten her birthday until that moment. "I can't believe I forgot my own birthday."

He had her sit on his stool as he pulled something out of his pocket. A small blue box, Allura knew that it had to be jewelry. She was expecting earrings or a ring with her birthstone in it. After all they had only just then admitted their feelings for one another.

Keith dropped to one knee as she opened the box, revealing a diamond engagement ring. He didn't have to say the words; Allura fell into his arms and accepted on the spot. She gave him a kiss deeper than any she had ever imagined giving him. The cheering and catcalls coming from the three friends standing in the doorway broke their kiss into laughter as they were congratulated for finally taking the plunge. They were married two days later, with Koran giving away the bride and his blessing.

By the fifth month of Allura's absence, Nanny was in a fit. She had retracted the reward for Allura's return, hoping that she would at least call and tell her that she was all right. She knew that Koran had helped Allura marry one of the team; Nanny just didn't know whom. She knew that they would slip up eventually, all Nanny could do was wait until it happened. Nanny didn't care who was right or wrong any more – she just wanted Allura home.

On Earth, Allura had begun working with the preschool groups at a local daycare center. Deciding that she would need the practice at caring for young children. The doctor had informed her and Keith that they were expecting their first set of twins the following year.

That November brought changes to the small family and the conflict itself. Nanny was worried for Allura and had no new information on what was happening with her. Koran contacted Allura's aunt, Queen Orla. He told her where the team was, about Allura's marriage to Keith, and that Allura was expecting in early January.

Before long, there were gifts for the entire team coming from Arus, because of the old Arusian custom that the whole house would receive gifts – not just the expecting parents. However, as the holidays neared, Allura had to quit working at the daycare center and was restricted to complete bed rest – she had nearly went into premature labor. The team decided that they would end the conflict with Nanny, for the sake of Allura and the babies; however, they were going to do it their own way.

As the family began planning for the holidays, Orla flew in from Arus to help with the parties and to take care of her niece. As Keith had asked, she had made sure that Nanny found out about the trip through her sources. Nanny took the bait and followed Orla to the cabin.

Nanny stood outside, watching a very pregnant Allura direct everyone in the bustle of the decorating. She was a woman, not the sweet little girl who needed her anymore. Nanny started to leave when the front door opened and Keith walked out onto the porch – blocking her only way of escape, just as he had planned on.

"Come on out Nanny, I know that you are there. We set you up to find us on our terms." Keith said with an air of determination that Nanny had always been secretly impressed by. Allura chose her husband wisely – not a Prince, but a Captain who would make a fine King for planet Arus.

Facing the truth, that her Princess no longer needed her, Nanny knew what she had to do. She had to leave the castle and let Allura live her own life. "I relent. I will be moved from the castle by the time that you and the team return, your majesty."

Nanny slowly walked away, after bowing to the man who was her King. Keith stopped her without a touch. "Nanny, you brought up Allura to be the strong willed woman I married. Now, we are having our own kids. I doubt that we could raise them to be as strong as Allura and me without you and Koran helping us. You were there for Alfor and his Queen … will you be there for me and my Queen?"

Keith extended his hand for the first time since they stood at odds almost a year before. He feared that Nanny would still be hardheaded when it came to the twins and his wife, but he also knew that he would remind her that he would not back down nor would his wife. Now it all rested in the governess' hands.

Nanny broke down into tears as she hugged Keith. The long, cold war was at last finished. She went into the cabin with the King of Arus and began bossing the boys just as she had always done, to everyone's amazement … especially Allura's.

Yet when Nanny went over to Allura, she hugged the young expecting mother close and whispered. "I am so proud of you my Queen."

December 28th, Prince Bryan Matthew and Princess Megan Nicole were born – on planet Arus, to its King and Queen.

Well, how was that for an ending. I know you were all hoping Ally would be telling Nanny off, but I thought that Keith had to take up his Kingly duties.