From the bushes outside of the cottage, Lotor and Varkon stared up at the cottage. Lotor was dressed in a pair of black pants, a white blouse, a dark magenta coat with silver detail on the edge of the sleeves, and brown boots with silver detail.

"Heh! Oh boy! Keith's gonna get the surprise of her life, huh Lotor?" Varkon asked with a smile on his face.

"Yep. This is his lucky day!" Lotor replied letting go of a branch which hit Varkon in the mouth. Lotor turned around and walked back to where tables had been set up, a wedding cake set on one of them. The townspeople crowded around the tables.

"I'd like to thank you all for coming to my wedding. But first, I better go in there and... propose to the lucky guy!" Lotor said with a smile and a finger pointed towards the cottage. The townspeople erupted into laughter. Nyma, Shay, and Florona huddled together, tears in their eyes.

"Now, you Varkon. When Keith and I come out that door-"

"Oh I know, I know! I strike up the band," Varkon exclaimed as he turned to the band. Lotor sighed and slapped the man upside his head as the band started to play "Here Comes The Bride".

"Not yet!"

"Sorry!" Varkon replied, rubbing his head where Lotor had slapped him.

Keith sat in a chair, his legs over the arm of the chair. In his hands, was his book. He was interrupted when a knock on the door echoed throughout the cottage. Keith set his book on the table, open to the page he was reading, and headed to the front door.

Using the viewing device Coran had made, Keith saw it was Lotor at the door. Keith groaned and rolled his eyes. With a sigh, Keith opened the door and Lotor walked in.

"Lotor, what a pleasant...surprise," Keith said backing up as Lotor continued his way inside, closing the door behind him.

"Isn't it though? I'm just full of surprises," Lotor said with a smile. "You know, Keith, there's not anyone in town who wouldn't love to be in your shoes," Lotor continued to walk towards Keith until the two reached the table where Keith's book sat. "This is the day your dreams come true."

"What do you know about my dreams, Lotor?" Keith asked with a roll of his eyes.

"Plenty. Here, picture this," Lotor said as he sat down in the chair Keith had occupied earlier and placed his muddy boots on the open book on the table. "A rustic hunting lodge, my latest kill roasting on the fire, and my little husband massaging my feet, while the little ones play with the dogs," Keith cringed at the thought of someone actually doing that for Lotor. "We'll have six or seven."

"Dogs?" Keith asked as Lotor stood up and lifted his feet from the table. Keith wiped off the mud as best he could before he placed a marker in the book and closed it.

"No Keith, strapping boys, like me!" Lotor said with a smile.

"Imagine that," Keith replied as he walked over to the bookshelf and placed the book in an empty slot.

"And do you know who that husband will be?" Lotor asked as he walked up to beside Keith.

"Let me think," Keith said with a roll of his eyes. The first names that popped into his head were Nyma, Shay, and Florona.

"You, Keith," Lotor said, Keith's eyes widened and he stepped away from Lotor. Using the rocking chair as a small shield between him and Lotor, Keith stared back at Lotor.

"Lotor, I'm speechless. I really don't know what to say," Keith backed up until his back hit the front door.

"Say you'll marry me," Lotor said placing his hands on either side of Keith.

"I'm very sorry, Lotor," Keith started to say as Lotor started to lean in to kiss him. Keith's hand blindly found the doorknob and twisted it, the door opening. "I just don't deserve you," Keith said as Lotor fell through the doorway and into a shallow mud pond.

The band started to play and Keith shut the door behind him. Varkon turned from where he was directing the band and saw Lotor's legs sticking out of the mud pond. He quickly silenced the band and turned to Lotor as the man was pulling himself out of the pond.

"So, how'd it go?" Varkon asked with a small smile. Lotor growled and stood up, grabbing the man by the front of his jacket and lifting him slightly off the ground.

"I'll have Keith for my husband, make no mistake about that!" Lotor snapped as he dropped Varkon into the mud pond and walked out.

"Touchy," Varkon mumbled under his breath and stepped out of the pond.

"Is he gone?" Keith asked, the chickens on the stone ledge turned to him and seemed to nod. Keith stepped out of the house and grabbed the wooden pail on the ledge. "Can you imagine, he asked me to marry him," Keith said with a roll of his eyes as he headed to the pens.

"Me, the husband of that boorish, brainless…" Keith trailed off as he opened the door to the pens.

"Mister LoCascio(1)

Can't you just see it"

Keith placed the wooden pail down and grabbed a cloth, flinging it around as if he was cleaning. The animals watching in amusement.

"Mister LoCascio

His little spouse"

Keith growled and tossed the cloth away, kicking the barrel the pails were one. The animals jumped back as the pails crashed to the ground.

"No sir, not me

I guarantee it

I want so much more than this altean life"

Keith exited the pens, closing the door behind him, and running from the cottage to the field that sat behind the cottage. Below was a deep valley with a shining ravine running through it.

"I want adventure in the great wide somewhere

I want it more than I can tell"

Keith slowly lowered to the ground and lay with the white dandelions. The flowers bending with the soft breeze that blew by.

"And for once it might be grand

To have someone understand"

Keith plucked one of the dandelions and gently played with the seed head, before letting the wind carry the seeds away to grow somewhere else.

"I want so much more than they've got planned"

The sound of hooves made Keith glance up, just as Red was running into the field. Keith stood up and Red ran up to him.

"Red! What are you doing here?" Keith asked in confusion as he calmed Red down. The horse was visibly shaken. "Where's Uncle Coran? Where is he, Red? What happened?" Red just stared at Keith, unable to say anything because she was a horse. "We have to find him, you have to take me to him!" Keith exclaimed as he untied Red from the trailer and ran inside to grab his dark red cloak.

Red brought Keith down the road where she had last seen Coran. The road led down to the large castle gate. Keith looked up with wide eyes at the huge castle before him.

"What is this place?" Keith whispered to himself. Something seemed to have scared Red because the next thing Keith knew she was backing up from the gate. "Red, please, steady," Keith said as he climbed off and gently ran his fingers through her white hair.

Red snorted and her eyes fixed on something on the ground. Keith turned and his eyes widened seeing his uncle's' hat on the ground. He opened the gate and bent down to grab the hat. "Uncle Coran," Keith glanced up and led Red through the gate. He tied her to a pole outside and headed up to the main door.

Inside the castle, Kolivan and Lance were standing on a table. Though, Kolivan was scolding Lance at the moment.

"Couldn't keep quiet, could we. Just had to invite him to stay, didn't we? Serve him tea, sit in the master's chair, pet the pooch," Lance winced at each of his mistakes, he knew Kolivan was right.

"I was trying to be hospitable," Lance protested with a sigh.

The door creaked open as Keith walked in, the air inside the castle was chilly so he pulled his hood up and closed the door behind him.

"Hello? Is anyone here? Hello?" Keith called up as he continued to walk in, eventually reaching a grand staircase. However, no one answered. "Uncle Coran?" Keith called up as he started to climb the stairs. "Uncle Coran are you here?"

"Hunk!" Matt called as him and Pidge approached the teapot. Hunk turned from where he was just climbed out of the tub and had dried off.

"What is it Matt?" Hunk asked in confusion.

"There's a boy in the castle!" Matt exclaimed. Hunk sighed and shook his head.

"Matt aren't you a little old for making up stories?" Hunk asked with a soft glare. "Remember what happened last time?"

"No, I saw him!" Matt protested as Pidge hopped into the tub.

"Matt just get in the tub," Pidge snapped with a roll of her eyes. Matt sighed but hopped into the hot tub with his sister to be cleaned.

"A boy!" Romelle exclaimed as she approached the trio. Romelle was a feather duster with a light brown handle and blonde feathers. "I saw a boy in the castle!" she exclaimed with a smile on her face.

"See, I told ya!" Matt exclaimed, which made Pidge and Hunk sigh and roll their eyes.

"Irresponsible, devil-may-care, waxy eared, slack-jawed-" as Kolivan was listing off names to call Lance, the candlestick was rolling his eyes and mocking the clock.

"Uncle Coran?" Keith's voice called out. Lance and Kolivan stopped and turned to see Keith walk past the doorway.

"Did you see that?" Lance asked as he turned to Kolivan before he jumped off the table and popped his head around the corner, Kolivan following behind him. "It's a boy!" Lance exclaimed as Keith continue to walk down the hallway.

"I know it's a boy Lance," Kolivan said with a roll of his eyes. "I do know what a boy looks like."

"Don't you see? He's the one. The one we have been waiting for. He has come to break the spell!" Lance exclaimed as he stepped out of the room and into the hallway.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute!" Kolivan exclaimed as Lance started to chase after Keith. Kolivan sighed before following after the candlestick.

"Uncle?" Keith called out as he glanced around the castle. Lance and Kolivan following slowly behind him.

"This way," Kolivan whispered as he opened a door and Lance followed him inside. Keith turned at the sound of a squeaky door opening and saw a door behind him open.

"Uncle?" Keith asked as he headed towards the door. Kolivan hid behind the door and Lance had run up the stairs. "Hello? Is someone here?" Keith asked as he saw the faint glow of a candle. "Wait! I'm looking for my uncle!" Keith called out as he started to walk up the stairs.

"Oh, Lance what you started this time?" Kolivan asked as he watched Keith disappear up the stairs.

"That's funny, I'm sure there was someone," Keith said as he reached the top of the stairs. "Is there anyone here?" Keith asked, his voice echoing through the top chamber. Keith, however, was unaware that Lance was behind him on a ledge watching.

"Keith?" a familiar voice called out from one of the cell doors that occupied the chamber.

"Uncle Coran!" Keith exclaimed as he rushed up to the cell door and knelt down grabbing a torch in his hand.

"How did you find me?" Coran asked as he stuck a hand through the bars and grabbed onto Keith's free hand.

"Oh, your hands are like ice," Keith said as Coran started coughing. "We have to get you out of there," Keith said as he started looking for a way to unlock the door.

"Keith, I want you to leave this place," Coran said as he squeezed Keith's hand.

"Who's done this to you?" Keith asked, his eyes searching for answers from his uncle.

"No time to explain. You must go...now!" Coran exclaimed as he glanced around.

"I won't leave you!" Keith said as he shook his head.

"What are you doing here?" an angry voice called out as something grabbed Keith's shoulder and turned him away from the cell. The torch was tossed out of his hand and the flame went out as it landed in a puddle of water.

"Run, Keith!" Coran exclaimed from his cell.

"Who's there? Who are you?" Keith asked as he glanced around, trying to see through the darkness of the chamber.

"The master of this castle," the voice explained as it moved within the darkness. Keith's eyes barely making out a very tall figure.

"I've come for my uncle. Please let him out! Can't you see he's sick?" Keith asked as he gestured to his uncle who had once again started coughing.

"Then he shouldn't have trespassed here," the voice yelled out with anger.

"But he could die. Please, I'll do anything!" Keith begged as he held onto his uncle's cold hand.

"There's nothing you can do. He's my prisoner," the voice said as he started to walk away.

"There must be some way I can…" Keith froze as a thought came into his mind. "...wait!" Keith exclaimed making the figure freeze in his steps. "Take me, instead!" Keith said which made the figure scoff.

"You!" the figure growled with a laugh. "You would take his place?" the figure asked in surprise, he hadn't expected Keith to trade himself for his uncle.

"Keith, no! You don't know what you're doing!" Coran exclaimed, but his protests fell onto deaf ears.

"If I did, would you let him go?" Keith asked as he stared at the figure before him, still not able to see him properly.

"Yes, but you must promise to stay here forever," the figure said as he agreed to Keith's terms.

"Come into the light," Keith said as he had enough of talking to the shadows. If he was to stay here, he would need to know who he would be staying with.

The figure sighed but did as Keith asked. Slowly he started to step into the light. Feet first, and then his upper body and head followed. Keith's eyes widened as he saw the beast before him. Never before had he seen something or someone that had struck so much fear in him.

"No, Keith. I won't let you do this!" Coran exclaimed as he held onto Keith's arm. Keith pulled out of his uncle's hold and walked up to the beast who studied him with curiosity.

"You have my word," Keith said with tears in his eyes.

"Done!" the beast answered and walked up to the cell. He unlocked the door as Keith fell to the ground on his knees. Coran ran up and wrapped his nephew into his arms.

"No, Keith. Listen to me," Coran said as Keith looked up at his uncle. "I promised your parents I would protect you," the beast walked up and grabbed the back of Coran's cloak. "I won't-" before he could finish, the beast started to drag the man out of the chamber.

"Wait!" Keith said softly as his uncle was dragged out.

"Keith!" Coran called out.

"Wait!" Keith exclaimed as his uncle was dragged out of view.

"No, please spare my nephew!" Coran begged as the beast dragged him outside the castle and towards where a carriage with legs was waiting.

"He's no longer your concern," the beast said as he opened the carriage and tossed Coran in. "Take him to the village," the beast said as he turned and walked back into the castle.

The carriage stood up on its legs and started to walk towards the direction of the village.

Keith watched from the tower as his uncle was carried away to the village. His sighed and leaned against the wall, watching as his uncle was carried away.

The beast(2) walked up the stairs but was stopped by Lance.

"Master?" Lance asked softly.

"What!" the beast growled and glared at the candlestick.

"Since the boy is going to be with us for quite some time, I was thinking that you might want to offer him a more comfortable room," the beast growled and Lance's flames flickered before the beast walked up the remaining steps. "Then again, maybe not."

Keith turned from where he was and glared up at the beast. Tears in his eyes and falling down his pale cheeks.

"You didn't even let me say goodbye," Keith said with a shaky voice. "I'll never see him again and he's my only family left." At this point, the beast started to feel bad for the crying teen who had slipped onto the ground. "I didn't get to say good-bye."

"I'll show you to your room," the beast said as he started to head out of the cell. Keith glanced up in surprise.

"My room?" he asked softly. "But I thought-"

"You wanna, you wanna stay in the tower?" the beast asked angrily as he gestured to the cell.

"No," Keith said as he shook his head softly and wiped his cheeks.

"Then follow me."

Keith stood up and followed the beast out of the tower and through the halls. The beast turned around and saw a single tear fall out of Keith's left eyes. Lance sighed and turned to his master.

"Say something to him," Lance whispered softly.

"Hmm?" the beast turned to Lance who motioned for him to say something. "Oh," he turned back to Keith who had continued to follow the beast as instructed. "I...um...hope you like it here," he said before turning back to Lance who motioned for him to keep going.

"What's your name?" Keith asked softly. The beast's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected Keith to ask such a question.

"Takashi Shirogane," the beast answered. "But most call me Shiro," Keith nodded softly and bent his head back down. "The castle is your home now, so you can go anywhere you wish, except the West Wing."

"What's in the West Wing?" Keith asked before Shiro turned and snapped at him, causing him to jump back a little bit.

"It's forbidden!" Keith nodded and Shiro continued to walk, Keith following behind.

Shiro opened a door and held it open for Keith to walk in. The room was dark, as it was night, so Keith couldn't really see much. All he could see was the bed before him.

"Now, if there's anything you need, my servants will attend to you," Shiro said softly as to not scare the teen, any more than he already had.

"Dinner-invite her to dinner," Lance whispered into his ear.

"You...will join me for dinner," Shiro said with an angry tone. Keith froze where he was at the angry tone. "That's not a request!"

The door slammed behind Keith who jumped in surprise. At the sound of the door locking, Keith felt his world close in. Keith took a shaky breath and collapsed beside the bed. Tears forming in his eyes once more.

Authors Note:

(1) Anyone notice that the name I used for the Bell(Reprise), is Lotor's voice actors last name?

(2) I know I kept repeating "the beast" or "the figure" but I wanted Shiro to introduce his own name to Keith, instead of just switching it to Shiro without any explanation.