Chapter Four
As Keith recovered from his wounds, more was revealed about Sean's teammates. Sylvan was revealed to be Sven's brother, who had been missing since an attack on earth. Kip had also come from Pidge's home planet, so they talked constantly of what things had been like. Dev, the even-tempered dog man, hit it off right away with Corran and Nanny. Even Aiden had found a niche among the circle of friends. Yet Sean himself still remained a mystery. He never removed his mask and took his meals in his room. Then, one night, when Allurra couldn't sleep, she wandered down to the library to see if she could find anyone to talk to. She was shocked when she heard someone playing the piano that stood on one side of the library! Taking care to remain silent, Allurra sneaked a peek into the room and saw that a figure in white sat before the instrument, graceful hands playing a soft, sad melody. She could see that the man was pale skinned and had hair that reflected the moonlight. His eyes were closed in concentration, proving that he was playing something from memory. Fine eyebrows marked the places above his eyes and long, elfin ears poked out from the sides of his head. Something about that profile was familiar, but Allurra could not place it. As she watched, the man started to put the protective covering back over the keys, but then glanced her way. She gasped when she saw his eyes; they were human, but they were an eerie shade of golden yellow. He in turn gasped and dropped the key cover onto the fingers of his left hand.
"P-princess!" Sean, the man at the piano, gasped, struggling to put his mask back up to cover his face. Allurra was as surprised as he was; now she knew what his face reminded her of.
"You're a Drulian, aren't you?" Allurra asked. Sean looked away from her, shame written on his face, as he let his mask fall away.
"Not just a Drulian, I'm afraid." Sean replied, sadly.
"What do you mean?" Allurra asked, a little afraid.
"I'm his brother." Sean replied, as he sat back down, putting his face in his hands, unaware that his left hand was bleeding.
"Your hand……." Allurra murmured.
"What about it?" Sean asked, confused by the sudden change of subject.
"It's bleeding." Allurra said, as she closed the distance between them and looked at the wounded hand.
"Are you sure you should show pity for a monster, Princess?" Sean asked, with a somewhat bitter smile.
"You're not a monster. You proved that the first day you came here. It may be true that you are related to Lotor, but that doesn't make you a monster. My belief is that everyone should be given a chance to prove himself. Besides, Father would have warned me if you were someone that was out to hurt me." Allurra said, as she wrapped her handkerchief firmly around the wounded hand.
"Your father? But I remember Corran saying something to the effect that your father had passed away some time ago." Sean said, confused. Allurra gave him a sad smile.
"His spirit still guards this castle. In fact, there is a way to meet him. Come this way." Allurra said, as she took Sean by his uninjured hand and started leading him to where the castle met the foundation to an older structure.
"So this castle is positioned above the old catacombs, eh?" Sean asked.
"Yes. This castle was still being built when my father was alive." Allurra replied, as she led him to the doorway of a tomb. Sean watched as Allurra made the sign of the cross and the door opened.
"Unusual way to open a door." Sean remarked, not unkindly. Allurra smiled, then looked up at the stone pedestal where her father's coffin lay.
"King Alfor……………." Sean murmured, as the realization came to him and he remembered what his family had done to Allurra's.
"Ah, so you have brought a visitor, Allurra?" a gentle male voice asked, as the ghostly owner appeared over the coffin.
"Yes. This is Sean, he's the leader of the Voltron Wolf Force. He saved Keith's life recently." Allurra said, quietly.
"Let me see you, son." Alfor said, gently. Sean did as he was told with tears in his eyes. Allurra noticed this and put a hand on his arm to comfort him.
"Why do you shed tears?" Alfor asked.
"Forgive me, Alfor-sama, it's just that I remember hearing that it was my biological father that took you from the ones who needed you. I am sorry." Sean said, as he wiped the tears from his eyes, but couldn't keep others from flowing down his pale blue face.
"Do not shed tears for me, young man. I am at peace. Allurra has people that will protect her from harm; you are one of them. So do not mourn and do not be ashamed; you are a defender of good, not a part of the evil your father brings about. Remember this, Sean." Alfor said, before fading out of existence again.
"Sean?" Allurra asked, when she saw the look on Sean's face.
"He's right. I shouldn't be ashamed of myself; I have devoted myself to fighting the evil Lotor sets loose on this planet. Tomorrow, I will let your friends see my face, and I hope they will understand." Sean said, as he faced the Princess.
"I hope they understand, too." Allurra said, knowing that things could get very dangerous for him the next day.
The next morning, there was a line for the bathroom. Sylvan grumbled under his breath as he waited for his turn to the shower.
"Ne, Lance! You've been in there for over an hour! Your face can't get any uglier! Get out of there and let somebody else have a chance!" Sylvan finally shouted, getting an indignant shout from inside. He heard some snickers behind him and the grumbling of Nanny as she pushed past them on her way to the kitchen.
"Yeah! You're worse than a woman wasting your time in there!" Kip said, yelping when he got beamed in the head with one of Allurra's shoes.
"Serves you right, Kippy." Aiden sneered, getting a dirty look from the wolf boy in response. Before an argument could break out between Kip and Aiden, Sven gave them a look that cowed both of them.
"And the Silent One wins again." Dev said, with a chuckle. Pidge, Keith, and Hunk sighed and shook their heads.
"It seems that Sven is the only one who can do that with just one look. If this had been any other time, he would have made a good tyrant." Sylvan said, succeeding in getting clobbered by Sven.
"Sylvan…………." Sean muttered, from the back of the line. When they had finally all gotten their showers, and were at breakfast, Sean took a seat apart from the others. From what Allurra could tell, he looked nervous, yet resolute.
"So, is the Mysterious One going to eat with us today?" Pidge asked, impetuously.
"Yes. I figure it is high time I learned what your table manners are like." Sean quipped, getting laughter from his comrades.
"Hunk flings food when he eats." Sven muttered, getting a dirty look from Hunk for his troubles.
"Is that so? Then I guess my decision to eat over here was a good one." Sean said, jokingly.
"Jaa, that it was." Sylvan said, reverting partially to his home tongue.
"Minna, Sean has something he wants to reveal to you, but you must promise not to hurt him when he uncovers his face. Do you promise?" Allurra asked.
"We wouldn't dream of hurting him, Princess. But, what does he have to hide?" Lance asked, speaking up for the first time.
"A rather painful secret." Sean replied, as he stood up and faced the group. Keith and the rest watched tensely, knowing that this would be the first time some of them ever saw Sean's face, even though they had known him for a little while now. Slowly, Sean reached up and grasped the fabric of his mask, hesitating as second thoughts came into his mind. Allurra sensed his uneasiness and gave him a look of encouragement. Sean took a deep breath and nodded, pulling away the layers of cloth and letting them fall to the ground. Ten minutes later, he stood before them, unmasked. Among his own team, there were uneasy glances to the Voltron Lion Force. Keith and his team stared in shock at Sean's face.
"Lotor……………….." Lance murmured, his hand reaching for his laser pistol, instinctively. Hunk, Pidge, Sven and Keith must have come to the same conclusion, since they were also reaching for their weapons.
"Wait! Don't hurt him! You promised you wouldn't!" Allurra shouted, dashing over to the pale Sean and shielding him with her body. Keith and the others froze in mid-motion, not knowing what to do.
"Get out of the way, Princess. He's more than likely Lotor playing on your sympathy for good favor." Keith growled, as he pointed his pistol at Sean.
"He's not! I swear it! I wouldn't be defending him if he were! Father even affirmed this!" Allurra shouted. Behind her, Sean stood where he was, his mind clouded by fear and self-loathing. His ears lowered in response to his thoughts and feelings, giving him the look of a beaten dog.
"Keith, do you distrust me now? Minna? Does your hatred for all that Lotor stands for obliterate the fact that we have fought side by side until now? I am still the Sean you know, only without something over the face. I also hate what Lotor and Zarkon have done, but there is nothing I can do except fight as a Wolf Pilot. I kept my face hidden because I was ashamed of it and could not bring myself to show it to you in the beginning." Sean murmured, his calm, golden human eyes showing regret and so much pain. It was Pidge who first holstered his gun and took a good hard look at Sean.
"The Princess is right; this isn't Lotor at all." Pidge said, adjusting his glasses as he said that.
"He sure looks like him! What makes you so sure?" Lance asked, skeptically.
"Look at his eyes. While Lotor's are catlike, Sean's are more human. His skin is a paler shade of blue, as well." Pidge commented.
"That's only because I am scared as hell right now." Sean said, shakily.
"I've never really noticed Lotor's eyes, but Sean's ears are longer and more………..um………..elfin?" Hunk added, as he also holstered his weapon.
"You're right. I'm sorry Sean. It's just that we had no idea that this would be your terrible secret." Keith said, as he and Lance holstered their weapons.
"It's all right, I understand. I knew that you would react like that, but it still scared me." Sean said, honestly, as he regained his composure.
"That's probably the only time I have ever heard the Commander admit that he was afraid." Aiden said, from his seat at the table.
"Aiden, put yourself in my boots for a moment……..don't you think you'd be a little afraid as well, if you were faced with five angry men with guns?" Sean asked, with a little sarcasm in his voice. Aiden took one look at the five Lion Pilots and shuddered.
"Point taken." Aiden said, that comment getting a shaky laugh from all of them. When breakfast was out of the way, the ten Pilots went their separate ways. Sean headed for the stable, where his favorite horse waited for him. He was surprised when Sven joined him.
"Is there a reason why you are following me?" Sean asked, as he led a white stallion out of his stall. Sven didn't say anything, but saddled his steed and followed Sean out into the sunshine.
"Hmm,…………….seems as though we're going to get some rain later." Sean said, as he mounted.
"Oh? How can you tell?" Sven asked.
"Got a tingling sensation at the tip of my right ear. Means there's plenty of moisture in the air. I think its best just to run these two lightly today, so they won't be overly tired when we get back." Sean said, pausing when Romelle went past him and over to Sven. Sean could feel her uncertain gaze on his back, and sighed. He wished he could have looked more human.
"Don't worry, Lady Romelle, I will not hurt you." Sean said, gently. He heard a slight gasp from the woman, yet he was surprised when she walked over and took a good look at his face.
"You know, you've got gentle eyes. There's no way Lotor could fake a look like that. Okay, I trust you. Shall we ride?" Romelle asked, looking over at Sven when she said that. Sven smiled slightly and nodded. Within moments, they had set off at a good, steady pace. Quickly, Romelle opened up to Sean, and, much to Sean's amazement, so did Sven!
"So, what's it like in Scandinavia, Sven?" Sean asked, as they trotted along.
"Cold. Well, most of the time, anyway." Sven replied, breathless in the humidity.
"So heat doesn't agree with you, does it?" Sean asked. Sven didn't answer, but Romelle spoke for him.
"He seems to have a harder time breathing in hotter temperatures." Romelle said, getting an irritated look from Sven.
"Is that so? Have you been to see a doctor about that, Sven?" Sean asked.
"Don't need to." Sven replied, obviously relieved when they stopped to rest beneath some shade trees.
"Why?" Sean asked.
"If they found something wrong, then I'd be off the team." Sven said, as he leaned back on the trunk of one tree and closed his eyes, trying to catch his breath.
"May I have a listen to your lungs then?" Sean asked. Sven seemed surprised, but nodded and allowed the pale Drulian to put a sensitive ear to his chest.
"Hmm…………your lungs do seem to have a strange sound to them……..but your heart is also beating a little bit faster than it ought. Did you have any kinds of severe injuries in the past couple of years?" Sean asked. He saw Sven shudder and nod.
"Then maybe this will do you some good. Mind you, I am not a professional healer, but I can alleviate this problem and the toll it is taking on your body. Hold still." Sean said, as he put his hands before Sven's chest and concentrated. For a few moments, nothing happened, then Sven felt something. It was almost as though someone had loosened a vice from around his chest. His breathing was becoming easier! After a few moments, Sean broke the contact and sat back, looking completely and utterly exhausted.
"What did you do?" Sven asked, astonished by what had just happened.
"My mother was a healer from another planet. She was human, but she had powers that weren't at all human. She could use her own life energy to heal. She passed down that ability to us before we were born. But, Lotor's abilities are yet unrealized, since he focuses his energies on evil. Since I have chosen to fight for good, I am able to use my powers, yet I am untrained in a great many ways. I was only able to heal you because your condition was fairly simple to pinpoint." Sean said, tiredly.
"I owe you a great debt. Thank you." Sven said, gratefully.
"Think nothing of it. You are, after all, my best friend's brother." Sean replied, as he, Sven, and Romelle remounted and started the ride back to the castle. As they rode, dark clouds gathered in the horizon, almost hinting at the dark days ahead.