Keith had headed up to his room to change out of his wedding clothes. Red following in suit. Lance had headed off to his hovel to clear his head.
Lance had yet to change out of his wedding clothes and instead sat on the window sill. Blue paced back and forth in the street beneath the hovel. Pidge, Green, and Yellow sat on the sidelines and watched. They had changed out of their dresses and into their regular comfortable clothes.
"Blue?" Keith asked as he approached the group. He wore a dark brown cloak overtop of his clothes. Red padded up beside him before shifting to her human form, dressed in her regular clothes."Where's Lance?" Keith asked as he pulled off his hood. The group pointed up to Lance's hovel.
"How long has he been up there?" Keith asked with a frown.
"He's been up there since he found out his father's alive," Blue explained with a sigh. Keith looked up and handed his cloak to Red.
Lance pulled the dagger out of the sheath, his father's dagger. He sighed and then closed the dagger back up and sighed.
"Lance?" Keith called out as he entered the hovel. Lance sat up and watched as Keith came into view. The prince was wearing a pair of black pants, brown sandals, a dark purple blouse with gold lining and elbow length sleeves, a grey belt, gold cuffs on his wrists, and a black vest. "Are you alright?" Keith asked as he picked up the scepter off the ground. "What's wrong?" Keith asked as he sat next to Lance and placed a hand on his knee.
"I always wanted to know about my father. But just now, I'm not so sure," Lance confessed as he stood up. Keith watched with a frown as he walked a few feet away. "What kind of man leaves his son? Did he even care?" Lance asked before sighing and slumping his shoulders. "Maybe I don't wanna know him."
"Yes you do," Keith stated as he stood up and placed a gentle hand on Lance's shoulder.
"How can you be so sure?" Lance said as he lowered his head down. Keith placed his hand under Lance's chin and lifted his head up, their eyes meeting.
"Because I already know him," Keith said with a smile. Lance turned to the prince with a confused look on his face. "Because I know you."
"You showed me the world
When I was all locked up inside"
At this point, the group had joined them inside the hovel. Pidge shifted into her carpet form and flew up beside the couple.
"You reached out your hand
And took me on a magic carpet ride"
Keith sat on Pidge and pulled Lance down beside him. Pidge slowly flew out of the hovel and into the air. Blue pouncing on as well, in her lion's form, at the last second.
"One look at your smile
And I could see the light"
Blue nuzzled at Lance's sides, which brought a smile to his face. Lance then shooed Blue away, his smile fading.
"Shining everywhere
People like you don't come out of thin air"
Keith held the scepter in front of Lance as Pidge lowered them to the ground. Lance sighed and shook his head.
"Oh, Keith"
Lance stood up and climbed off of Pidge, Keith following in suit, Pidge changing back to her human form.
"You don't understand
There is so much that you don't see"
Lance leaned against a pole and a memory flashed through his head. He was younger and walking through the empty streets of Altea.
"Just think, if you can
What growing up had to be like for me"
Lance remembered seeing other children his age. Running past him and back to their father's open arms. Smiles on their faces.
"Your father's a man
Who taught you who you are
Mine was never there"
Lance remembered doors being shut on him when all he wanted a family. Or even just a warm place to stay for the night.
"So how can you say I don't come out of thin air?"
Pidge had ended up bringing them to the palace balcony outside of Keith's bedroom.
"There's so much I want to know"
Keith walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You've got the chance to learn"
Lance knew what he was referencing to. But that would mean he would have to leave for some time.
"If it means I'd have to go"
Keith smiled and led him back into his bedroom.
"I'll be right here when you return"
Lance turned to Keith with a smile.
"Our wedding can wait"
Keith said as he leaned up against Lance.
"I love you" Lance said with a smile as he hugged his fiance.
"I think it's worth this small delay"
Blue padded up to Lance with the scepter in her mouth. The others watching with a smile as Lance knelt down and took the scepter from her.
"Maybe you're right"
Keith smiled as Blue ran up to the group and shifted to her human form, high fiving with Green and Yellow. Shiro, Black, and Allura ended up joining the group and smiled seeing and hearing the couple sing.
"And won't it be great
To have your father see our wedding day?"
Keith led Lance back to the balcony, their arms linked. The scepter being held in Lance's free hand that wasn't holding Keith's.
"I've waited so long"
Lance had been waiting and hoping for this day. When he found out his father wasn't dead, but alive.
"It isn't too late"
Keith sang as they paused at the railing.
"To learn the truth"
Lance finished with a smile.
"And now at last, we can finally say"
The group smiled hearing the couple's voice blend perfectly together.
"Your father is really there"
Keith sang as he brushed the loose bangs out of Lance's eyes with a smile.
"There's so much that we might share"
Lance thought of all the things he could share with his father. He had so much to tell him.
"And you'll finally learn
You don't come out of thin air"
The scepter started to glow and raise itself out of the couple's hands and into the air. Alfor's figure projecting itself.
"Have you chosen your question?" Alfor asked the pair. Lance nodded.
"I have," Lance answered as the group stepped up behind them.
"Then ask," Alfor replied with a smile.
"Where is my father?" Lance asked. Alfor turned to the desert past the kingdom walls.
"Follow the trail of the Forty Thieves. Your father is trapped within their world," Alfor replied turning back to the group.
"The Forty Thieves? Is he hurt? How long has he been their prisoner?" Keith placed a hand on Lance's shoulder as Lance frantically asked several questions.
"I am sorry. I can only answer one question," Alfor replied with a sad smiled and faded back into the scepter. The scepter then floated back to the balcony and into Lance's hands.
"It's up to me," Lance said in a determined voice, staring towards the desert.
"Take as long as you need," Keith said with a smile. He would wait for Lance to return, as long as Lance needed.
"I'll be back in time for our wedding, I promise," Lance said as him and Keith hugged.
Lance had gotten changed in a pair of knee-length black pants, brown boots, a grey shirt with long sleeves, and a dark blue vest, a dark grey cape, and a dark grey hat to hide his hair.
Blue, Pidge, and Sendak joined him. Green and Yellow stayed behind to help out at the palace as much as they could.
The group set out, as the sun started to go down and night began to set it. Pidge flew through the desert, following the trail of hooves in the sand..
"I should have stayed with the Genie," Sendak said as they continued to fly. "Manual labor beats danger any day."
Pidge dove down a cliff's edge, beneath them, was the beach. Pidge then lowered them down and Lance scanned the beach sand.
"Good, the trail's still fresh," Lance said as he examined the prints. Hearing hooves ahead, Lance looked up and a smile grew on his face as he saw a few thieves on their horses. "There," Lance told Pidge, who flew after them slowly.
"Definitely should have stayed with the Genie," Sendak moaned as Pidge sped up as they turned the corner. "Ah!" only, they hadn't expected the thieves to be standing right at the corner. Of course, their backs were to the group on the carpet, but they did almost run into them.
The group of thieves were all on horses. Standing in front of the ocean, as if waiting for something to happen.
"Shh," Lance told the group as Pidge backed up behind the corner and hid them behind there. "Well they have nowhere to go, we have them trapped," Lance said with a smile as he turned to the group. Pidge popped out of her carpet form and rolled her eyes.
"We?" Pidge asked, already not liking where this was going.
"They are Forty Thieves," Sendak said as he waved his wings around. "We are you, a shifter rug, a shifter lion cub, and me," Sendak froze for a moment as he replayed what he said in his head. "Wait, don't count me."
"They're just standing there," Lance said with confusion as he peeked around the corner. The other three peeking over as well.
The leader stepped forwards on his horse, Lance watched as he held a hand out to the sea.
"Open sesame!" he spoke loudly, his voice echoing. From where a giant rock was poking out of the sea, turquoise foam started to form in the water. The foam then turned red and started to extend forwards, further into the water.
Lance and the group stepped out from behind the corner and almost ended up falling over as the ground began to shake. Lance caught his balance and watched as the sea was split in half, creating a pathway for the thieves to ride on. The thieves then followed their leader across and towards the opening on the other side.
"Let's move!" Lance called out as the bridge began to start to slowly close. Pidge changed back into her carpet form and the other climbed on top. Pidge then started flying at full speed towards the opening. "Hang on!" Lance called out as the sea began to close itself back up. Before the opening could close, the group barely managed to make it in.
Pidge came to an abrupt stop and Lance and Blue ended up rolling off and landing against a rock. Pidge winced as they landed and changed out of her carpet form.
"You guys alright?" Pidge asked in a low toned voice. Lance groaned and sat up, sending a thumbs up towards Pidge. Lance stood up and looked up, his eyes widened at what he saw. The thieves lair was golden and mist floated throughout the cave. The lair reminded Lance of an ancient forgotten city.
Pidge tapped Lance's shoulder, but Lance was starstruck on the lair.
"Uh Lance," Pidge said trying to get his attention.
"I know Pidge, it's incredible," Lance said with a smile. Pidge sighed and rolled her eyes. She then grabbed Lance by the back of his cape and turned him around. His smile faded when he saw Sendak's tail had gotten stuck in the entrance of the cave.
"How bad is it?" Sendak asked, his wings covering his eyes. Blue studied the bird for a moment before wrapping her tail around Sendak's middle and pulling the bird free herself. "Could have been any rougher? "Sendak asked with a glare. Blue growled softly but walked up to Lance's side instead. Lance sighed and shook his head.
"Come on," Lance said as he began to move forward, deeper into the lair of the thieves.
As they walked deeper into the lair, Lance glanced up and came face to face with a golden minotaur head mounted to the wall. Blue and Sendak ending up crashing into each other when Lance stopped. The pair ended up rolling down a fallen pillar and crashing into the shallow creek below.
"Ya wanna not hold up traffic?" Sendak asked with a glare as he wrung out his tail feathers. "I want to get in, get out, and go home," Blue huffed and rolled her eyes. She then proceeded to walk out of the river and back up to Lance and Pidge. "Actually, I wouldn't mind skipping right to the go home," Sendak said as he flew up and landed on Pidge's shoulder.
The group continued on, walking until they reached a cliff's edge. Upon hearing talking, Lance shushed the group and they crept up to the edge. Below them, was the thieves. They were all huddled around a wooden table.
"We could have had all the loot from the wedding. But we followed the king's plan. This is what we have to show for our trouble in Altea," Zarkon spoke angrily towards the thieves. Zarkon lifted a fist and slammed it down on the table angrily, the table breaking. "NOTHING!"
"This oughta be good!" one thief spoke to another. The two sharing a smile.
"Zarkon is truly ticked!" another spoke as the others nodded in response. They could all sense the anger rolling off Zarkon.
"Your time draws to a close Blaytz," Zarkon spoke as he stepped over the broken table and walked towards the cloaked man, the man then pulled down his hood to reveal the man Alfor had shown Lance. His father.
"Blaytz? My father." Lance said as he put the puzzle pieces together. He silently jumped down the edge and hid behind a pillar, the group up top watching worriedly.
"If you're talking about spilling my blood, well, I just don't see that happening," Blaytz said with a smirk as he folded his arms. Knowing this angered Zarkon, Blaytz continued to smirk.
"Then let me open your eyes!" Zarkon said as he lifted the hand that had the golden claws as if to slice the man down. Blaytz went to dodge but soon found he didn't need to when Zarkon was tackled to the ground suddenly.
Atop Zarkon there was a boy, a boy that looked like Blaytz. Blaytz watched as Lance pinned Zarkon down, keeping an eye on the hand with the claws.
"Run, I've got him!" Lance called out to Blaytz who looked at the boy like he was crazy. "I'm Lance, you're my father!" Lance called out.
The room went silent. Blaytz's eyes widened and he let out a quiet gasp.
Zarkon growled and bucked up, Lance being knocked off and tossed aside. The dagger falling out as a result. Zarkon then turned on Lance, pinning the smaller boy down. Blaytz picked up the blade and studied it.
"I don't know about father boy, but I'll send you to meet your other ancestors," Zarkon said as he raised his hand with the claws, intending to slice. Lance's eyes widened and he struggled to get out of Zarkon's hold. Blue jumped down and rushed to help, but was held back by Pidge.
Before Zarkon could slice Lance, Blaytz grabbed his wrist and held it.
"Let him go. The boy... is my son," Blaytz said as he caught gazes with Lance. Lance giving a relieved smile. Blatz pulled Zarkon off and the man walked away, muttering to himself. "I gave this dagger to my wife years ago," Blaytz said as he held the dagger up for the thieves to see. "I told her to give it to our newborn son Lance."
"It's true?" a thief called from the crowd.
"Ohh, the boy is the son of the King of Thieves," another called out as Lance's hat had fallen off during the battle between him and Zarkon. The others saw the resemblance between the two as they stood side by side.
"You are the King of Thieves?" Lance asked with wide eyes as he finally stood up and faced his father.
"Like it or not boy, we're blood," Blaytz said as he tossed the dagger back to Lance who barely caught it. "Look at you. I'd thought I'd never see you again. Has it been so long?" Blaytz asked with a sad smile on his face.
"Blood or mud, the boy is an intruder," Zarkon said as he stepped between the pair and shoved Lance aside. "And we have rules about intruders," Zarkon said as he held the claws up towards Lance.
Blue yowled as the thieves grabbed her by the tail, dragging Pidge and Sendak towards the group. Blue shifted out of her lion form and glared at the thief who jumped at the sudden change.
"Sa'luk is right."
"He knows our secrets!"
"I hate intruders"
"Wait, wait, me too!"
Lance glanced around as he heard the thieves agree with Zarkon.
"He has found our secret lair. He has seen too much," Zarkon called out to the thieves, giving Blaytz a knowing smile. "He must die. They must all die!"
"Die? He's your son!" Blue called out in disbelief. Pidge and Sendak nodding in agreement.
"I'm his friend!" Sendak called out. Pidge and Blue turned to Sendak and gave him a dirty look. "Cast a vote for mercy here!" Zarkon turned back to Blaytz.
"Yes, Blaytz, mercy would be so like you. Soft and weak." Blaytz gave Zarkon a dirty look before glancing around at the thieves. They were all waiting for his word to strike. Blaytz then looked to Lance who gave him a look of desperation.
"Kill him," Blaytz said as the thieves cried out in glee. Lance's eyes widened and glanced around nervously as the thieves slowly started to close in. Zarkon smiled and grabbed Lance by the front of his cloak. Blue and Pidge fighting to free themselves.
"This will be fun," Zarkon said as he raised his clawed hand in the air with a smile on his face. Lance clenched his eyes shut and waited for the strike.
"Or the boy could, yes the boy could…." Blaytz said as he placed a hand on his chin in a thinking position. The group stopping and watching him. "...No," Blaytz said with a shake of his head.
"What, what? The boy could what?" a thief asked in curiosity.
"Nothing, probably a bad idea," Blaytz said with a shake of his head, trying to hide the smile on his face.
"Let's hear it," the triplets called out with curious smiles on their faces.
"Well, it seems to me that... oh never mind."
"What?" Zarkon asked in anger, now standing behind Blaytz. The thieves waiting for his answer.
"The boy could face 'the challenge'," Blaytz said with an unreadable look on his face.
"Ah...That's right, 'the challenge'," the thieves holding Pidge, Blue, and Sendak said as they released them. The group rushing to Lance's side. Lance glanced around the chorus of thieves agreed.
"That's that, my son shall face 'the challenge'," Blaytz said as he placed a hand on Lance's shoulder.
"And I shall be the one to test him, "Zarkon said as he reached over Blaytz's shoulder, claws pointing to Lance. Blaytz holding him back with an arm and a glare.
"A test, huh? Ah, that's not so bad. Maybe it will be multiple choice?" Sendak said as he landed on Lance's shoulder. Pidge rolled her eyes.
"I highly doubt that much Sendak, they are the Forty Thieves remember?" Sendak sighed and nodded.
"One can dream can't they?"