"Keith…" I say as he stands before me. "I thought you were Coran. Is he with you?" I ask looking past him and seeing no one else, just darkness.

"Do you have any idea how long you've been down here?" he asks.

I blink, thrown off by the question. "A couple of hours, I'd wager. Though I don't know why that concerns you. I'm likely safer here than anywhere else."

"You missed breakfast. I went to your quarters and it was obvious that you'd not been there. I went and found Coran and he had not seen you, nor had anyone else."

"I missed breakfast?" Has it really been that long?! "But that still doesn't explain what you're doing here."

"I've known where the entrance was for years. I came there to wait for you, knowing it was the only way in or out."

"But how did you enter the tomb?" I ask in frustration.

"Your father told me to enter. I put my face to the scanner and the door opened. I then followed your voice until I found you."

"My...father let you in?"

He shrugs. "I've never tried to enter before. Maybe because I'm the commander of Voltron I was permitted in?"

"You've not tried before?"

"No. But I was worried about you. So I was debating whether I could find a way in. That's when your father appeared."

"I see." I swallow nervously and shiver as fatigue and hunger hit me. Keith is giving me that worried look. He is assessing my mental and physical capacity. It both endears and infuriates me. I rise from my knees and nearly fall when he's there to keep me upright. His arm around my waist and my arm around his shoulder. "I suppose it has been a while," I admit as I struggle to remain standing.

"You can't do this to yourself, Princess. You've got to be mindful of your well-being. We need you healthy and clear-headed."

"I'm sorry," I mumble as tears threaten to spill. I keep my face turned so I can't see his eyes.

"Let's get you to your quarters and I'll have someone from the kitchen bring you some food, alright?"

I nod. "Thank you." I turn and grab the stub of the candle, sputtering now. "If I've been gone so long, why has it not gone out?"

"I think time flows differently here," he replies. Something about his tone intrigues me. "For you it was a couple hours. It was more like thirteen for the rest of us."

"Any further news?" I ask as we walk in darkness.

"Rumours mostly. Some say they saw Romelle. Some say they saw Sven. Others say they are together and that Sven followed protocol and took her someplace to safety. But nothing confirmed."

We reach the entrance and the door opens, Coran waiting on the other side. His look of relief and confusion almost makes me laugh, but I manage to fight the urge to do so.

"Princess! Are you all right?" Coran says as we reach him.

"Yes. I lost track of time. I'm sorry."

He looks between us and nods. "Take her to her room. I'll call ahead and have someone heat your robe. Then I'll go and get you some food and bring it up."

"Thank you, Coran."

He looks to Keith, whose arm is still around my waist, "Stay with her. We should brief her on the entire situation."

"I will, Coran. We'll see you soon," Keith replies as we arrive at the elevator and step in. We go up together, Coran waiting until Keith and I are off before taking it to the kitchen level.

Keith walks with me to my door and I am greeted by Sera, my maid.

"Oh, your Highness! We were so worried!" she says as she pulls Keith's jacket from my shoulders and wraps me in the freshly heated robe. I practically fall to the floor from the warmth. I suppose Keith notices as he quickly guides me to a nearby chair in the sitting area and I collapse into it.

Keith takes a chair across from me as Sera removes my shoes and socks and puts warmed slippers on my feet and covers me with a blanket. I can tell he's doing his best to not watch me and is trying not to smile, but I'm actually goad he's here. It's keeping her from fussing as much as she usually would. The door chimes and Coran enters with a cart. Three meals, not just one. So they haven't eaten either. I resist the urge to rub my temples and put a grateful smile on my face. "Thank you," I say as Coran hands me a bowl of soup. I watch the steam coming from the bowl, my hands are glad for the warmth. I take a sip and realize it's a vegetable soup, with some sort of pasta. I start to take another sip when Sera brings me a spoon. I feel my face heat at my lack of manners and see both Keith and Coran struggle not to laugh. We eat in companionable silence for a time.

As I finish my bowl, I set it in my lap and look between the two men sitting before me. "So what is the situation? How bad is it?" I ask, despite the knot of dread in my stomach. The look between each other and back to me. Neither one eager to reply.

Keith finally takes a breath and begins, "It is worse than we thought. As I was telling you on our way out of the tombs, We've had no confirmation of Sven or Romelle. Possible sightings of both, both together and separately. One of the men from the ship told us they were headed south to the palace there. That they were working on some sort of diplomatic mission to keep the peace. There's been no word that they ever arrived, as they were attacked and communications lost."

I ponder his words. He chose them carefully. He's had time to make sure to not give me too much hope my cousin is alive, but has not evidently discounted the fact that she could be. Especially if Sven is with her. "So it appears the attack is done?"

Keith nods.

"And Pidge is working on trying to track where and how the fleet got past all sensors," Coran adds.

"Are there more survivors? I assume this is how you have possible intel on Romelle and Sven."

"Hunk and Lance did a quick flyby. They brought a few more here, but the entire planet is in bad shape. Especially the capital of Heracles."

"Then we need to get some volunteers together. Put a sign-up on the nets and see if we can spare 150 people to do a landing party. We need to look for survivors and bury and or burn the dead before sickness breaks out."

"Any survivors are well below ground, Princess. They learned from us," Coran says. "Sven had mentioned a year or so ago that he and Romelle were working on setting up a safe haven. Perhaps it is why they cannot be found."

"Still, Coran, we need to send help. Soldiers, medics, people who can help take care of both the living and dead. We need food and water. And we need them to be ready to go in two days time."

"Yes, Your Highness. We shall establish the list and spread the word to see if we can go in one day rather than two. We've had people asking already," Coran replies as he pulls out his tablet from a bag on the bottom of the cart.

Keith stands up and looks from me to Coran and back, "I am going to call the Garrison. I want to see if there's a fleet nearby that could serve as some protection for Pollux and possibly help with aid."

I nod. "Good thinking."

Keith gives a dip of his chin and leaves the room, the door opening and he steps out just as Sera returns to take the cart, the door closing after her. Coran removes his bag and places it beside his chair as the door opens and closes after her departure and he turns his focus to me.

"Tell me, Your Majesty, how did Keith enter the crypt?"

"He said that my father told him to enter."

"Why would your father permit a Terran to enter the royal crypt?"

"He is an Arus citizen now. I granted all of the force the right to naturalized citizenship."

"True, but he is not of noble blood."

"I suppose my father permitted him in because he was concerned for my welfare."

"Nothing more?"

I blink. Confused by his question. "What do you mean?" I feel my heart racing beneath my chest at the look he is giving me now.

"I think you just answered my question, Allura. He cares for you and you him."

"He is simpl-"

The door chimes and Lance walks in. "Sorry to interrupt, but I think you both should come to the control room. Pidge found something."