The knot in Allura's stomach tightened as she silently willed Keith to move. When he didn't she charged his attacker, catching the monster off-guard and sending him flying into the wall. Quickly she raced back to Keith's side and removed his chestplate, placing her hands on his wound to prevent him from losing more blood.
"Please, Keith, don't leave me like this," she begged tearfully as her fingers were dyed red. "I can't do this without you. Not this time."
Despite her pleas the bleeding refused to stop. In a panic she tried to recall all of the quintessence training she'd learned as an Altean child. It had never been used in an emergency, but she was determined to try anything that could save his life.
Closing her eyes she concentrated on his injury. Slowly she began to imagine her life force moving from her body through her arms. Quintessence pooled at her wrists before flowing out from her and into the pierced flesh of Keith's chest.
Several seconds passed before she felt what must have been a faint heartbeat. A small whimper from Keith's lips made her own heart beat faster. With any luck she'd managed to save him from death; sadly, she never had a chance to confirm.
From the corner of her eye she spotted it. The lighted blade of the other reality's Lotor swung down towards them. Without pause Allura's reached up to catch the prince's arm, preventing the blow from landing on the injured paladin.
Just as her hand made contact, a growl echoed from the darkened hallway. Glowing blue eyes and sharp white fangs emerged from the shadows, causing Allura to flinch as she anticipated being torn to pieces by the wild creature. Instead of running, her body froze as she braced for the attack. After all, the other option would leave Keith exposed to Lotor's sword.
A mere moment passed before she realized that the landscape had changed. Now she found herself poised inside a cockpit that resembled that of the blue lion, but with more of a nostalgic feeling. The wild animal had disappeared, but Lotor had not. A look of realization crossed his face and he began to press buttons on the dashboard as if he'd done so before. Allura leapt up to stop him from taking off, but a swift blow to the head made her vision go dark.
"Watch this, mom!"
Allura looked up from her book to see Alfor waving enthusiastically to get her attention. Once she waved back he turned and ran towards the water of the moat surrounding the castle. He leapt into the air, tucking his knees to his chest as he executed a perfect cannonball. The impact sent a splash high into the air before raining back down on his little sister who was standing nearby.
Fala squealed in delight as she was drenched from the onslaught, giggling as heavy droplets pelted her tiny outstretched hands. As the isolated storm gave way to a light mist she edged carefully toward the shoreline, looking to the center of the rippling wake for her older brother to reappear. When he didn't show himself she looked back to her mother for confirmation that he hadn't disappeared forever.
But Allura couldn't oblige. He'd been under longer than seemed normal and it worried her. Not even a tell-tale bubble emerged to give away his location. Allura dropped her book and kicked off her sandals as she ran towards the water, her heart racing faster than her legs could carry her. Just as she was about to dive into the moat she heard Fala's happy cheer.
"Again! Again!"
The sound stopped Allura in her tracks. Looking up she saw Alfor's head bobbing above the water on the far shore. Laughing, he waved to them as he taunted "Looking for me?"
Fear turned to relief; relief turned to anger. He'd done it on purpose, that little rat! Allura was ready to give him a piece of her mind when she noticed the Blue Lion's eyes shining in the murky depths. Her mind went back to the early days, when she and the paladins spent warm afternoons playing in the sun. Then she remembered the moment she'd pulled the same prank on the boys, only to be embarrassed by losing her top.
The memory made her chuckle, easing the tension in her chest. "Were you gone?" she answered, trying to not crack a smile. Her response was met with a pout from her eldest child. Any other day she would have made him suffer for his prank, but once again her attention was drawn back to the blue lion which, despite what she thought she saw, was still on it's pedestal.
Maybe it was just a trick of the light she thought, shaking her head as if doing so might correct her vision. Still, she instructed her children to make their way back to the castle just in case. As Alfor swam in her direction a cold wind blew past, chilling her to the bone.
At least that's what she thought, but young Fala seemed undisturbed by the breeze, still laughing at her brother's antics. He'd stopped mid-way back and was treading water. Allura called out to him to hurry, but he didn't respond at first, instead peering down intently into the crystal blue waters. And when he did answer it was simply two words.
"Oh no."
He didn't even shout it. Or couldn't, rather, but Allura saw his lips move as his face turned ashen. Before she could even ask what was wrong she saw the gaping jaw of her ship emerge around him, swallowing the boy whole as it rose into the air. Water sloshed from its maw, Alfor's small leg dangling awkwardly before slipping inside. In a flash the hijacked lion disappeared over the trees and out of sight.
Allura swept Fala into her arms as she bolted for the castle. She hadn't thought to take a communicator- a mistake she vowed never to make again- which meant it would be that much longer before the other lions could pursue the errant ship. By the time she reached the bridge to the entrance Keith and the others were rushing to meet her. Coran had alerted them to the blue lion taking off on its own, but was unaware of the precious cargo it now held.
Struggling to catch her breath, Allura heaved a broken sentence between gulps of air. "It…..…..took…..." she started, pausing as she reached for Keith's outstretched hand. "It has Alfor."
Instantly the mood changed. Concern turned to action as she and the others retreated to the control room. Allura kissed Fala on the forehead before handing her off to Nanny. Despite her exhaustion she managed to catch up with the team before they could disperse to the remaining lions.
Pidge, Hunk, and Lance each leapt into the lifts without a word. The silence fell heavy on her; the team always had a rallying cry of friendly banter whenever facing the Drule empire. Pidge being the shortest. Hunk being the slowest. Lance being, well, Lance. Instead their quiet focus unnerved her.
Keith, however, was in his element. She'd always admired his quiet strength in the worst of situations. He'd protected her from Lotor many times, even at the risk of his own life. After the Drule prince died she let herself believe that Keith would never have to risk himself again. But stories of constant wars on Earth left her with a nervousness that the next evil villain was lying in wait for them to put their guard down.
That they had done. Even training sessions had given way to family-friendly excursions and entertaining visiting dignitaries. Since the incident with the alternate reality Voltron team, however, she'd noticed a tense air that permeated the castle like the heavy dampness of a warm summer night. Nobody talked about what happened around her, as if they were protecting her from her own nightmare.
Once Keith made his final checks he disappeared into his own transport, turning to give the Princess one last glance before leaving her sight.
"Princess, you and Nanny should go wait in the dining hall. Fala could use the distraction," Coran offered in his usual fatherly tone. "I'll let you know what's going on."
For a moment Allura considered this, until she realized that the governess had already taken the girls hand and was headed into the corridor. Fala seemed completely unfazed by the afternoons happenings, chatting excitedly as she related the scene she'd just witnessed. In her untainted view, the blue lion simply engaged her brother in a game of tag.
Only a few steps behind the two, Allura paused to glance to her right once she reached the doorway. It was the opposite direction from the dining area, the elevator to the hangar where her transport vehicle waited. Back to her left was one half of her life, safe and happy. The other half, however, was in danger. She could feel it.
Before she could talk herself out of it her feet changed direction, carrying her swiftly to her personal carrier. As soon as the engines began to hum she hit the throttle, barely clearing the hangar door she couldn't wait to open fully. The vehicle was nowhere near as capable as her lion, but she counted on it just the same. It couldn't get her over the fauna, hovering just feet off the terrain, so she would have to keep an eye out for telltale signs of freshly fallen trees. It was obvious that whomever was piloting the lion didn't know the controls, which meant they were probably staying on the ground.
"Castle of Lions to Princess Allura, please respond."
They'd already caught on to her. She knew that a worried Coran would try to bring her back. Quickly she flicked the switch to cut off all communications, which would include Voltron. Now she really was on her own, having only her intuition to guide her. Inhaling sharply, she set her shoulders as her hands guided her craft past the castle moat in the direction the blue lion originally flew.
For some time it was relatively easy to track, a trail of freshly splintered trees lying haphazardly across the forest floor. She thanked the stars that this was an area uninhabited by any Arusians, hoping that the summer heat had kept potential hikers indoors. As her craft zipped nimbly around the occasional unfelled tree she attempted to sense the blue lion.
It had worked once or twice before; she had connected mentally to her ship while she was piloting it during some of the more difficult battles. However, since the war ended she had struggled to regain that level of communication. It frustrated her greatly, knowing that her father's spirit had faded to the point she could no longer sense it.
That wasn't going to keep her from trying anyway. Once her craft reached the plains she realized it was her best bet. She simply couldn't get high enough to see over the colorful rock outcroppings that popped up on the horizon. And now there was no path of destruction to guide her to the hijacked ship. Nor was there any sign of the other four lions.
The thought occurred so suddenly Allura nearly did a full turn back in the direction she'd come, thinking perhaps she'd missed the lion doubling back. Her intuition, on the other hand, kept her steady on the initial course. A strange tingling sensation was growing stronger with every mile, a buzzing that started at the top of her head and vibrated throughout her body. Her arms acted independently it seemed, steering her in the direction of a massive canyon.
On approach she realized her senses had been right. Backed into the rocky crevice was a hobbled blue lion, its passengers having been ejected. The yellow and green lions stood peering down from the edge of the cliff, while red hovered menacingly overhead. Directly in front, in its typical threatening stance, was the black lion. The dust was still settling around the paws as Commander Kogane jumped from the hatch at the top of its head. He landed firmly in front of Lotor, who stood holding a squirming Alfor in the crook of one arm and an unconscious female in the other.
The silver hair. The bronze skin. The strange markings under her eyes. The uniform she was wearing. There was no mistaking it: she was the Allura they had gone to save several days before.
Not wanting to take the attention from the proceedings, the Princess parked behind a large boulder and hurried by foot the last hundred yards while keeping her body close to the wall of the large crevice. Calculating the distance between Keith and Lotor she realized her husband was at a disadvantage. Staying in the shadows, she moved stealthily to circle around behind Lotor to catch him from behind. Despite her attempts to stay under cover she stepped on a loose rock, causing her to lose her balance and fall hard on the unforgiving ground. Any attempt to muffle the scream failed horribly, the eyes of the two men darting to her instantly.
It turned out to be just what was needed, however. The young princess, who apparently had been faking her injury, suddenly jerked around violently. Her sudden movement caused Lotor to lose his grip on the prince, who took the opportunity to run into his mother's arms as she wrapped him up in a frantic embrace. Despite the chaos, all she could take in at this moment was the smell of the lake on his damp hair.
Keith, however, did not take the boy's escape as being the end of the encounter. True to form, he quickly drew his firearm and got off two shots. One seemed to land on Lotor's left shoulder, eliciting a snarl that would not look out of place on a wild animal. The other missed by a margin and came frighteningly close to the other Allura, causing Keith to cease firing for fear of hitting her by mistake.
Lotor used the moment to rush back into the blue lion's mouth, dragging the alternate Allura along with him. Keith radioed the team to follow them closely but not engage. He then made his way over to his family, checking them both over carefully for any serious injuries. Satisfied, he scooped his son up and carried him to the black lion. Allura followed as close as she could, her hands never releasing Alfor's for a single second.
Location updates from the other team members provided the only sound in the flight cabin. The queen cradled her son's shivering form, cursing her inability to protect him from harm. She'd thought that peace would be all her children would know now that the Drule Empire had fallen. It was a naive dream on her part.
The last transmission was from Hunk, who alerted the captain that the blue lion had touched down on the castle's drawbridge. The other pilots then landed as closely as possible, exiting their craft in order to surround the hijacked ship. Pidge, being the nimblest of the group, quickly scrambled up the machine's armor to open the top hatch. Strangely, the moment he landed on the lion's head he froze a moment before calling down to the others.
"It's empty!" he exclaimed, scratching his head in confusion. "They must have ejected when they were flying through the forest. How did we miss that?"
Lance seemed equally perplexed. "We had eyes on them the entire time. Are you sure they aren't inside?"
Pidge dropped to his knees and ducked his head in the opening, raising it back up a moment later while shaking it dejectedly.
Keith and Allura were making their way to the others when they heard the exchange. Keith quickly handed Alfor to the security team, instructing them to take him to the medical ward. Torn between her duties as Queen and her duty as a mother, Allura paused briefly to consider whom she should follow.
A strong hand reached around her shoulder, pulling her into her husband's chest. "Stay with Alfor. Lotor has no way to defeat the four of us in our lions."
Allura exhaled her relief, taking a brief moment to wrap her arms around Keith's waist to pull herself a bit closer. She cursed the fact that his suit prevented her from hearing his heartbeat. It was the one thing that soothed her on sleepless nights, and now she needed that reassurance that all would be well.
"If you need me, I'll come running."
Keith's response to her offer was a simple kiss to the crown of her head before stepping away to join the team. Allura watched with concern as the four lions disappeared over the horizon. The conversation between the others did not fade, however, and it was apparent that Keith had left the coms open on purpose to allow her to keep track of their progress.
In the infirmary Alfor was sound asleep after being checked for any broken bones. While she sat at his bedside the queen listened intently as the team made sweeps over the dense forest, using their equipment to search for tell-tale heat signatures. Every moment that ticked by concerned her even more. Lotor was familiar enough with her planet that he could have hidden himself away anywhere. If they didn't find him soon, her citizens could be in danger should they stumble across his location.
Part of her felt guilty for not helping them in the search, but every time Alfor cried or flinched as he dreamt she knew she'd made the right decision. She pulled the damp towel from his forehead and walked into the bathroom to run it under cool water. As she reached to turn off the tap she heard a loud crash just outside in the hallway, followed by shouting and gunfire.
Quickly she moved to stand between Alfor and the entrance, fearing whatever was going on outside would likely make its way to them. Less than a minute later her hunch was confirmed. However, as the doors slid open she was confronted not with an enemy, but with a friend.
Friend was a bit of a loose term, however. Not even truly an acquaintance at this point. But the face was familiar and most welcome, seeing as it was so similar to the one she'd fallen in love with so many years ago.
"You must be the other Keith," she asserted, extending her still shaking hand in greeting. "I'm Allura, Queen of Arus."
The intruder cocked his head slightly, seemingly a bit confused. She understood. The other Allura looked different enough that they wouldn't even pass for sisters despite having the same heart.
Behind the visitor was something that looked like a large dog. Its ebony fur was highlighted with a blue glow that made it appear more mechanical than organic. Despite the creature's size she was not afraid of it. She bent forward slightly to extend her hand forward, hoping the animal would approach.
Cautiously it did so, sniffing around her before nuzzling the palm of her hand. "His name is Kosmo," offered the young man as he patted his companion on the head. "He's a space wolf. He brought me here to find someone."
"He's beautiful," Allura responded, nodding towards the space wolf before she patted its head approvingly. "And my crew is out looking for your friend right now. She's being held by Lotor, but they'll find her for certain."
Her words seemed to calm this Keith from the alternate dimension, his shoulders dropping a bit from the release of tension. "He must have confused you with her since he brought me to the castle," he offered somewhat apologetically.
Although his assertion seemed to make sense, she felt a cold chill run down her spine as she looked back over her shoulder at her now awake son. He was sitting up in his bed, his wide eyes fixated on the strange creature in his room. Cautiously his hand extended toward the large pup, fingers splayed as if doing so would magically draw the pup to him.
"Can I pet him?" the boy asked the stranger calmly. It seemed he too recognized the similarities between the man and his own father.
In response the visitor nudged his companion forward, the wolf happily accepting soft scratches behind his ears. "Sorry about the guards," Keith mentioned casually as he nodded towards the doorway. "They're just unconscious, they'll be fine in a little while."
Allura leaned forward slightly to peer into the corridor. Sure enough her security team was splayed across the floor, but no blood was visible. A muffled groan told her they'd likely be awake sooner rather than later.
Realizing she and the two visitors were currently the only protection for her young son, she decided they should move to a more secure location in the castle. "We should take this to the control room and tell Coran and the others what's going on."
At this point the castle was on high alert; not wanting to draw unnecessary attention, Allura decided to use a long-forgotten secret passage that led directly to their destination. As they made their way through the musty corridor she radioed the team and updated them on the situation. Keith was unusually quiet, which concerned her even more. When he did finally speak, his simple question stopped her heart.
"Did you send anyone out to retrieve the transport? You left it in the canyon, right?" he asked. His words were slow and deliberate, as if wishing to delay her answer.
"No," she answered without hesitation. "I mean yes, I left it there. Where is it now?"
"It's back at the castle."
He's here.
For the second time that day Allura's world stopped spinning. The four ran the rest of the way, young Alfor riding on Kosmo's back to speed up the trip. When they reached the hidden entrance to the command center they paused to listen for the common sound of boots scurrying from station to station while orders were being barked out. It was eerily quiet, however, and the only sound was the frantic chatter from her mice friends who had emerged through a small opening in the wall.
They played out the scene on the other side of the door, portraying soldiers being shot while Nanny tried to take Fala and run away. A gun to Coran's head was the only thing that stopped her, despite his insistence that she leave him to his fate. Now Lotor was holding them all hostage, the threat of his sword preventing escape.
Allura tried to make a quick calculation. If the team was headed back to the castle it would still take a few minutes for them to arrive. She also knew that- should she try to free the others- her daughter would almost certainly be the one in the most danger.
"Tell him you surrender." The other Keith barely looked at her as he spoke, his eyes drawn to the door as if he could see through it.
The calm coolness of the suggestion surprised her. Her Keith was always collected and somewhat aloof, but in this moment he'd certainly try hatching a plan. Before she could argue, though, the man and his wolf disappeared, taking her son with them.
Calm yourself. Don't panic.
The thought was easier said than done. In her mind this could not end in any way that didn't involve someone getting hurt. Still, hiding in the dark while her baby girl was possibly being tortured didn't sit well with her. Taking a deep breath she attempted to allay her thoughts. In a moment of sheer will-power she slammed her palm on the biometric keypad, weakness defeated by the warrior heart of a mother.
Slowly the door slid open, hampered by years of disuse. Before her the scene that unfolded was exactly as the mice described it. Bodies littered the floor. Blood that pooled beneath the victims bore a stark contrast to the bright steel flooring, painting a picture of cruelty and barbarism.
The young man closest to her had recently been given a promotion. Just last week he was safely tucked away in a tiny security station away from the castle. Now his wife would have to raise their children alone.
Just past him was the woman who had trained Allura in self-defense. They spent many afternoons chatting about places they'd wanted to visit. She'd only managed to make it to one of them during her last vacation and had been making plans for another trip next year.
Finally the Queen's eyes raised just far enough to meet those of her sworn enemy. His stare had always been cold, soulless, and unsettling. But now it oozed pure hatred as he sat in Coran's chair, Fala perched precariously on his knee. The innocence of the young girl seemed to cause her to lack the necessary fear for her own well-being.
"I see you decided to join us."
"What do you want, Lotor? Haven't you lost enough already?"
She didn't need to ask the question. She already knew the answer. But she needed to say it out loud, to put as much venom in her bite as she could muster. If she was going to die at his hands she wanted to remind him of every single time they'd defeated him.
And of every time she'd rejected him.
"First I want Voltron, of course..."
"Then let my daughter go," Allura demanded, cutting him off.
"And you, as well," he continued, leaning forward as a menacing leer spread across his face. "I'll go from having no beautiful princess at my side to having one on each," he chuckled.
"Like hell you will."
The voice came from inside the room but was spoken by no one present. The same flash of light she'd seen earlier materialized once again, this time taking her precious daughter with it. Lotor jumped from his seat, lunging in Allura's direction while drawing his sword from its sheath. The exposed blade swung wildly as he attempted to land a blow. Allura flinched, her eyes shut tight as she waited for the sharp edges to pierce her flesh.
Instead she heard a loud clanging noise. When she opened her eyes she saw the other Keith locked in a tight stance with Lotor, their swords crossed near the hilt. Although the Drule towered over the smaller man, Keith seemed to muster enough power to push him back.
Allura stepped away, nearly losing her footing as she slipped on the wet floor. As she fell backwards her hand landed on Kosmo's fur, and in the blink of an eye she found herself in her son's bedroom. A quick glance around the room revealed a terrified Alfor and Fala huddled together in a corner. Allura sunk to the floor, tears welling in her eyes as she crawled towards them.
Their tearful reunion was brief. Soon she heard the sound of the lions returning and radioed to the team their location, as well as Lotor's. It felt like an eternity before the team raced in to check on her and the two children. Keith's face was paler than usual, his eyes wide with panic.
"Did he hurt you or the kids?" Keith asked as he plucked his terrified children from the floor.
Allura shook her head that they were all unharmed. "No, but he was going to."
Keith's jaw set, his countenance falling dark. His commands barely registered above a whisper as he gently placed Alfor and Fala on the bed. "Nobody enters this room. Nobody leaves. If anything happens to my family you'll never fly Voltron again."
Stoic nods answered him. Once satisfied the others understood their orders to protect the ones dearest to him, the Captain raced from the room, an angry aura left in his wake as he disappeared down the corridor. Although she felt certain the other Keith could handle Lotor on his own, she understood her husband's desire to finish this once and for all.
Moments after Keith left, Allura felt a sharp pain bolt through her head. A brief vision flashed through her mind: more blood, more bodies. Her beloved run through by a sword, the color drained from his skin.
Kneeling down before the space wolf, she cradled his face as she begged for help. "Please, take me back to him," she implored, tears blurring her vision.
She didn't need to see well to know the magical creature understood her request. Once back in the control room she spotted the alternate reality Keith untying his Allura's bonds, helping her to her feet and pulling her to the safest part of the room. Meanwhile her husband charged at Lotor, who in turn pointed the tip of his sword at Keith as he took a defensive stance. Allura realized that Keith didn't notice the large pool of blood that had gathered in a low spot on the floor. The second his foot landed in the puddle he began to slide forward; his arms flailed wildly, his torso now unprotected. The sword flew from his hand before it landed on the floor near Allura's feet.
Kosmo must have noticed as well. Before Allura could even react, he'd zapped himself across the room, removing Keith from any immediate danger before returning with him to her side. Now the tables had turned. Lotor found himself outnumbered. As was typical when cornered, he looked for the nearest exit and rushed to escape his certain defeat.
There was a time, long ago, when Allura would have let him live to see another day. Before she had children. Before she had made friends within the castle. Before she'd seen just how irredeemable this villain actually was.
The Queen of Arus took two steps forward, bending at the waist to retrieve the errant sword. Once again she placed her hand on Kosmo's head while envisioning Keith's sword cutting Lotor in half. In the time it took her to exhale she was whisked to the doorway, blocking the Drule Prince's path to freedom.
Without taking a moment's pause Allura clasped the hilt tightly with both hands, thrusting it forward until she could feel the brief resistance of skin and muscle against the blade. Using her entire body she leaned into the grip until she felt the flesh give way. Immediately her weight shifted forward as the steel glided through Lotor's abdomen. When his body jerked the sword shifted, allowing warm liquid to seep from the wound and down her arms.
"Allura, no!"
I'm so sorry.
She wasn't even sure who called to her, so she wasn't sure to whom she was even apologizing. Not that she was really even sorry. Not to Lotor, for certain. And not to the others, who had also suffered tremendously at his hands.
As she looked up she saw Lotor's eyes were now full of fear. She couldn't bear to look down. The horror of that moment would be locked in her memory forever. The path of the blade reverberated viscerally through her, as if she'd suffered the same fate.
Soon the room began to spin. "Keith," she called faintly as her legs began to fold beneath her.
"I've got you, love," whispered in her ear. If it weren't for the warm breath on her skin and the strong arms gently guiding her to the ground she'd have thought she was hallucinating.
The others had rushed over, lowering a dying Lotor to the ground just an arm's length away. Despite her anger Allura began to regret her decision. This was not something she wanted her children to know she had done. Her job was to protect them, yes, but to also be warm and nurturing. Could she still be that after having killed someone?
"Don't worry, I can save him."
The younger woman, the one who looks so different but wears the same heart, seemed to understand the situation. Allura watched in amazement as the princess placed her hands on the jagged scar that still oozed Drule blood, a blue glow emanating from her entire being. After several tense moments Lotor gasped deeply, his back arching sharply as his chest drew oxygen once again. Guards swarmed around him, binding his arms and legs to prevent any further chance of escape.
Content that he was going to be okay, the silver-haired princess moved to Allura's side as she held her hand tightly. "Some things in life we are never meant to do. You and I? We give life. Now rest, we'll take it from here."
"Thank you," Allura responded, her heart finally returning to a rhythm closer to normal. "I know you have to leave now, but it would mean a lot to us if you'd both return in the future."
The travellers looked to one another, then to the strange creature that seemed to hold all of the secrets of moving between universes. Allura understood that she may have asked the impossible, but hoped her desire to see them again would not go unmet. They seemed so unsure of how to interact with one another, reminding Allura of how she and the Commander had once been back in the early days.
She watched as the princess inspected a tear in the younger man's armor, likely from Lotor's laser blade. Chances were she'd healed him just as well, her feelings for him apparent despite her hesitation. And the way his eyes held her with concern and warmth reminded her of how much she loved her husband's protective nature. She almost missed being in danger regularly, because every time she was it seemed to draw him that much closer.
The thought had barely crossed her mind when she felt a tender kiss on her temple. "It's going to be okay. Everyone is going to be okay." Allura shifted slightly to face her lover who was now cradling her on his lap. "They'll be fine as well, thanks to you," he added, his words punctuated by a lingering kiss on the lips. And- just like the old days- Allura forgot everything and everyone in that moment.
But when they finally broke the kiss she realized they were being watched. Their interdimensional doppelgangers were staring at them, mouths agape, cheeks flushed red. Once they seemingly realized their faux pas they awkwardly turned their attentions back to the other, hands busy dusting clothes and smoothing stray hairs. Allura giggled at their behavior, knowing full well that's how she'd once appeared to others when she finally recognized her feelings for the captain of the Voltron force.
Sadly there was no time to address the elephant in the room. After one last goodbye, the Keith from the other reality lowered himself to kneel, allowing the other Allura to perch on his back as she seemed drained from the struggles of the day. Kosmo took the chain from Lotor's shackles in his mouth, yanking at them until Lotor clambered to stand. As soon as Keith placed a hand on the wolf's back the four disappeared into the ether, leaving no visible trace of their presence.
The Queen and King of Arus then swiftly made their way back to Alfor's room, holding hands more tightly than they'd ever done before. The events of the day played over and over in her head, a constant recap of the scenes that had seared themselves into her mind. Remembering something, she swung around to face her husband who seemed a bit taken aback by her sudden change of pace.
"How did they get into the transport? We saw them board the blue lion," she pondered aloud, knowing that her husband likely had the same questions as she did.
Keith chuckled, slinging his arms around her shoulders as he brought her to his chest. "They probably snuck out the service hatch. Pidge says Lotor likely turned on the autopilot and set it to return to the castle to distract us."
Allura huffed at the idea. "So he could have escaped with the blue lion, but he got greedy and decided he wanted five lions and two princesses instead."
Keith's voice dropped an octave as he growled at the assertion. "He WHAT?"
She forgot Keith was not privy to that conversation, but she didn't mind giving him more reason to hold her extra tight as she fell asleep that night.