"We could certainly use more privacy," I mutter after the door closes and Keith laughs aloud. I turn and look at him and see a rare genuine smile and my heart flutters at the sight. Such a rare occurrence.

"What did he mean by make ourselves presentable?" Keith asks.

'I am to wear something befitting a Queen and you my Warrior King.'

'So my dress uniform?'

'No. I know where we need to go, but let me get changed first.' I swallow the nervous knot back down my throat. I hadn't planned on seeing my Father's Voltron uniform ever again. But as he called Keith the Warrior Knight of Voltron, he means for him to wear it. I hope it fits. I head to my dressing room, then I realize I need Sera's help. So I hit the com on the wall and Sera arrives a few minutes later as Keith and I wait in the sitting area.

"Yes, Your Highness? How may I help you?" she asks as she enters the room. Her eyes go to Keith, then back to me.

"Well, Coran wants us to eat something, then I need help dressing a bit more formally as we're meeting with the Garrison and I am representing both Pollux and Arus. I was going to see if you could get something for us to eat, before helping me dress."

"Both of you?"

Keith does his best to hide his smirk, but I know it's on the edge of his lips. I almost lose my composure, but I take a breath and nod. "Yes. Neither of us has eaten since yesterday."

"I'll ask Darren to send a cart up for you. I will work on preparing your attire for when you finish your meal."

"Actually, I have another request."

"As you wish, Your Highness. I am at your command."

"I need you to go to the royal apartments for me to retrieve a couple of things."

"The royal apartments? What is it that you need me to fetch?" Her tone hints at uncertainty and fear. I wonder why?

"There is a uniform that belonged to my father that I am giving Keith to wear to this meeting."

"King Alfor's uniform?" she asks as her eyes go wide and I groan inwardly. Keith laughs in my mind and I want to scream at him it's not funny, which only makes me laugh.

"Did I say something amusing, Highness?" Sera asks in confusion.

"No, Sera. I am laughing because Keith is laughing at my awkwardness."

She blinks, even more confused. "I didn't hear him."

Oh, that's right.

'Might as well tell her. You trust her don't you?'

'Yes.'

'Then get on with it. Swear her to secrecy until Coran makes the official announcement.'

'Right.'

"Your Highness?" she asks hesitantly, taking my silence as a bad sign.

"Sera, what I am about to share with you stays between you, Keith, and myself until Coran says otherwise. I want you to swear this secret remains a secret. Can you promise me that?"

Sera looks at me, and nods. "Aye, your Highness. I swear it on the graves of my family I will keep your secret until you or Coran tell me I can share it," she says as she drops into a deep bow.

"Last night in the tombs, my father appeared with the Ancients."

Sera crosses herself, but says nothing. Her eyes not leaving mine.

"Keith was named my Consort and Warrior Knight of Voltron," I say holding out my right hand to her.

She reaches up with shaking hands and touches the ring on my finger. "Long live Queen Allura and her consort King Keith of Arus. May your reign be long and prosperous," She says as places her forehead onto the floor.

'Well that's unnerving.'

'Get used to it, Keith. We're going to see this a lot.'

"Rise, Sera. Tell no one of this, but fetch the uniform and return here. Perhaps bring towels or something so no one asks questions."

"As you command, My Queen," she replies as she stands. The chime goes off and she opens the door to find the cart of food and Darren waiting behind it.

"Thank you, Darren," Sera says as she takes the cart and brings it inside. Darren looks past her and sees both Keith and I sitting across from one another, as friends simply having a conversation. I catch a hint of disappointment cross his face, and it takes all I have not to laugh. Sera allows the door to close and brings the cart and places it between Keith and I. She then pulls the sides out to make a small table and removes the covers from the trays to show eggs, bacon, toast and fruit to eat, then coffee and juice. "Brunch is served, Your Majesties," she says.

Keith and I both say a silent prayer for the meal and begin to eat.

"I shall return shortly with the requested items," Sera says before turning and heading out the door.

Keith looks at me and laughs.

"I know, I know. Darren looked so disappointed that we were dressed. I suppose their are some fun rumours going about now."

'Indeed. And most likely they were started by Lance.'

I nearly spit out my juice at his comment which makes him laugh more.

'You know I'm right.'

We laugh a few minutes then work on finishing our meal. I'm nearly done with my coffee when the door chimes. Keith stands up and opens the door to find Sera and Coran on the other side. He steps aside and they enter and the door closes after them.

"Sera called me and asked me to come to the royal apartments. She couldn't find the item you requested."

"What do you mean? I thought the uniform was in the royal apartments."

"Oh, it was there, just not where she would have looked," Coran replies as he holds out a bag he had been holding behind his back. He hands it to Keith.

Keith takes it and looks inside and pulls out the uniform, freshly pressed and no hint of having been in storage for more than two decades. The top is black and gold from the neck to the chest aside from the crest of the house of Lions emblazoned on the chest. The rest is white with black and gold trim. The boots are solid black. Keith sets them beside the chair then gets an odd look on his face. "What's this?" he asks as he pulls out a box about the size of his feet. It is a dark wood, with the colours of the five lions engraved along the edges, all the lines meeting at various points of the 5-point star that is behind the star is pure white gold. And the wood heavy, yet like the uniform, not a hint of having been in storage for so long.

"You are not to open that until you have both changed," Coran says just as Keith reaches for the latch.

Keith lets his hand go to his lap beside the box. "Okay. When should we get dressed?"

"Queen Allura should go to the dressing room, so that Sera can assist her. You shall come to the bedroom and I will personally assist you, Your Highness."

Keith looks to me and I nod. He actually looks nervous.

'It's fine. Coran doesn't bite...so far as I know.'

He smirks and I stand and follow Sera to the dressing room where she closes the door. I just barely make out Keith and Coran's voices as the door shuts.

"What did you say to him just then?" Sera asks.

"Huh?"

"In your mind. You obviously said something. I saw his face. Coran told me you're mate-bonded."

"We are." I reply. "This is still new to us. It's all happening so fast."

"You'll do well, you're Highness and I bet he will as well. You know he's loved you for some time, but always saw himself as beneath your station."

"He what?" I ask as I turn round, nearly knocking Sera over.

"Oh- you didn't know. It's been plain to everyone he's loved you for ages. He was willing to fight Prince Lotor to his death to keep you from that fate. Not many would do that. He is also watching out for your welfare. Loaning you his jacket when you go out into the cold without one, making sure you're eating, resting and training to protect yourself. But he never said anything because well, you're…"

I feel my face heat and then force a smile. "Well, it seems the ancients picked up on his feelings as well."

"Indeed, Your Highness."

She zips my dress up in the back and after fixing my hair, and helping me with my boots. A habit I keep as I never know when I have to run from danger or fight. I turn and look to the mirror and gasp at just how much I look like my mother. Sera even pleated my hair as she used to. A touch of gloss to my lips and a hint of color for my eyes and she studies me before nodding in satisfaction. "Let me check if the men are ready for us," she says as she goes to the dressing room door and knocks. A knock is repeated back and she turns to me and curtseys, "Shall we join your husband and Coran, Your Highness?"

I smile and nod. "Lets."

Sera opens the door and I step out to see the bedroom empty, but the door to the sitting area open. I walk across the floor, following Coran, Sera following me. And I stop when I see Keith stand as I step into the room. He looks every bit a king. Coran even found my father's sword. I look him over and I realize he's studying me as much as I am him.

He offers his hand and I take it as we both turn to Coran to find out what is coming next. Coran pulls the box back out of the bag and holds it out to Sera. "Open the box, Sera."

Sera scurries past us and messes with the latch. There's a click and the box opens. She lifts the lid back and inside are two diadems. Both are white gold, cut to the shapes of the five lions forming a circle. Two lions, their elemental symbol completing the circle as they meet at Blcak Lion, Each lion is trimmed in its respective colour, with the crest on the chest of the black lion at the center of the diadem.

"They're gorgeous," I mutter as I look between the two items in the velvet lined box.

"Both are equal in size, signifying reigning as equals," Coran states as if he can read my expression. "As your guardian, it my duty to ask you this: Do you swear on the blood of all those you hold dear both alive and dead that you will work together to protect our world, our way of life and support our allies in times of need?"

"I do," Both Keith and I reply.

"Then it is my honour and privilege to place the diadem of the Court of Lions, the most Ancient house of Arus upon your heads," he replies as he takes one crown and places it atop my head, then the other on Keith's. The crown looks heavy, but doesn't feel it. Unlike the crown of Pollux, it feels natural, as if it should have always been on my head. Keith looks to me and smiles and I give his hand a slight squeeze. 'I suppose there's no going back now.'

'I don't think so.'

"Are you ready to face the council assembled downstairs?" Coran says, a hint of amusement in his tone.

'That doesn't make me the least bit nervous.' Keith comments.

"I shall see you both downstairs. Take the back elevator so no one sees you until I announce you to chamber. Sera will make sure you are undisturbed until you enter the chambers."

Sera nods and Coran takes his leave. The door swishing shut behind him.

"Well, Your Majesties, are you ready?" Sera asks after a few minutes of awkward silence. "Coran should be ready to meet us downstairs any moment."

We both nod and Sera leads not to the normal elevator, but the one we took to the tombs. I scan my eye and the doors open and we three step in. Within moments we have gone down four levels to the council chambers. The doors open and we hear several voices speaking at once flowing down the corridor. Sera rushes ahead, and steps into the chambers and then we see Coran.

He steps to the podium and slams the gavel down. "Ladies and Gentleman, though we meet under somber circumstances, Arus has taken the point on this rescue endeavour. At the helm of leadership will be familiar faces with new titles." He looks to see we are just out of view from the chambers and gives us a nod of encouragement. "Leaders who have faced adversity together often become close and such has happened here on Arus. Blessed by the Ancients themselves, I introduce to you now, Queen Allura and her Warrior Knight of Voltron and King Consort, Keith of Arus, Rulers of the Court of Lions and Arus itself."

Keith and I step out, hand in hand and in a surreal moment, the entire chamber kneels as one.

"Long live the Queen and King of Arus!" the proclamation echoes throughout the chamber as we look to see the shocked faces of our teammates.