MY PRECIOUS IS FIXED! Finally, I have my computer back! So, I am able to continue with the story! Hope you enjoy!

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

The rain was relentless, had been for hours now and it wasn't showing any signs of letting up anytime soon. Keith stood in the mouth of the small cave that they had found, peering out into the driving rain. He still had the cowl of his cloak up over his head as he watched the rain fall.

"It's not going to let up anytime soon, is it?" she asked softly from behind him.

Keith turned and looked over his shoulder at Duvessa and shook his head. "Doesn't look like it."

Duvessa sighed softly. "We can't stay here much longer. Those Drules have to still be out looking for us," she murmured. She leaned against the wall and started to pull on her shoes. "We need to go."

He looked at her feet as she carefully slid back into her shoes. "You can't keep walking in those through this mud. You'll break your ankle or something."

"Well, I don't have a choice, do I? Those damn Drules didn't give me a chance to get back into a pair of shoes I could actually run in," she growled. "I'm not walking barefoot in the mud and rain. My feet would be frozen in no time and there is no way you can carry me to the next village. You'd drop from exhaustion before we got there. I'm perfectly capable of walking, so walk I must."

He grimaced and looked back out into the rain. He knew that now would be the best time to travel. No one would find them in this downpour. No one would expect them to even try. He nodded and looked back at her as she carefully folded and stuffed the emergency blanket back into the pack she carried. "All right. Let's go."

She reached up and pulled the cowl of her cape up over her head and nodded. "Lead on."

Keith held out his hand out to her. "We need to stick together," he murmured.

Duvessa looked up at him, then slid her hand into his before they stepped out into the storm together.


It was nearly dark, the rain was still coming down just as hard as it had been all day. Keith knew they couldn't keep going like this.

"We have to be close," Duvessa whispered, her eyes straining to see anything in front of them.

Keith carefully checked his Voltcom and nodded. "Another mile or so," he answered. "But, I thought we'd be able to see it by now."

"You actually expect to see something in this murk?" she asked. "We won't see that village until we're practically on top of it."

Keith frowned, knowing she was right. He felt her shiver and he pulled her closer, sliding her arm through his. They walked in silence for a few minutes then something metallic touch his arm. He looked down to see her crown around her arm, touching his. He looked at her. "What…"

"We don't need to be recognized if any Drules are in the village," she whispered, carefully sliding the crown under the edge of her cloak.

He adjusted his arm, allowing her to move the crown a little easier and further up her arm. "All right. If we move a bit faster, we should get there before it's completely dark," he stated and they picked up their pace.

Duvessa easily matched his pace, trying not to stumble over fallen branches and rocks. She could feel her crown vibrating where it touched her skin near his arm. She didn't know what that meant, but she didn't say anything, just kept her pace with him.

Finally, after another hour, a faint glow appeared before them.

Keith felt her shiver beside him and he looked towards her. "We're almost there, Duvessa." He felt her nod and shiver as they made their way down the main street. He smiled. "Good, they have an inn. We'll get inside, warm up, and have a place to stay."

She sighed. "Sounds like heaven," she whispered.

Keith chuckled and pulled open the door to the inn, letting her inside first.

Duvessa stepped inside and pulled her hood off as Keith entered behind her, pulling the door shut behind him. Her eyes swept over the room, not seeing any threats. She turned and smiled at Keith as he pulled his hood off.

He smiled back, then put his arm around her and they walked to the innkeeper's desk.

"Good evening," the keeper stated. "Are you needing a room for the night?"

"Please," Duvessa answered with a nod.

"You are in luck. We have one left," the keeper stated and pushed the check in book towards them before turning to grab the key. "Some weather tonight, hmm?"

"Yes, very intense weather," Keith agreed, signing the register.

Duvessa watched him, arching a brow at the names he wrote down. She pulled some money from her pocket and laid it on the book as the innkeeper turned back with the key.

"Oh, you're very generous," the innkeeper stated with a smile, handing Keith the key. "I'll send up some dinner for the both of you in a few minutes. Breakfast will be at eight and check out is at ten. Here's your key. Room eleven. Up the stairs and first room to the left."

"Thank you," Keith murmured. He turned towards Duvessa, gently placing his hand on her back, following her up to the room. "You overpaid him. If they come looking for us, he will remember us."

"I know," she whispered as they climbed the stairs. "However, it could also buy his silence. Although, Mr. and Mrs. Black? Isn't that a bit…obvious?"

He grinned. "You'd rather I used our real names for the Drules to find us even faster?"

She sighed as he opened the room. "I suppose not. Sorry. I'm just tired and cold."

He gently pushed her into the room before him, watching the hall behind them, looking for anything suspicious. He closed the door, making sure it was secure. "I know." He looked around. "Well, it's small, but clean."

"At least we're out of the wind and rain," she stated, unfastening her cloak and hanging it by the fireplace to dry. "Gods, I'm cold," she whispered and stood close to the fire.

Keith stood beside her after hanging his own cloak up to dry. "I wish we had dry clothes to change into," he murmured, his arm touching hers.

"Yes, that would be nice," she agreed. She looked to her crown and pulled it from her arm, staring into the black gem. "Why are you vibrating?" she whispered.

Keith shot her a puzzled look. "It's vibrating? Why would it be doing that?"

She nodded and shrugged. "It…it's kind of like the Lions, in a way. There are mystical powers in it. Some that even I don't fully understand. It's trying to get my attention for some reason. It only seems to be doing it when you're…" She stopped and looked at him.

Silence hung between them for a few moments. "When I'm what, Duvessa?" he asked softly.

She swallowed hard. "When you're touching me or it," she answered. She looked back to the crown, then turned away, setting it on the nightstand as someone knocked.

Keith watched her, then moved to the door, checking the peephole before he opened it.

"Your dinner, sir," the innkeeper stated, holding two covered plates and a pair of bathrobes. "And something dry to wear. It isn't much, but at least your traveling clothes can dry."

Keith smiled with a nod. "Thank you, sir," he stated, taking them.

"If you need anything else, just let me know," the innkeeper stated and walked off down the hall.

Keith closed the door and moved into the room, setting the plates down on a table and tossing the bathrobes onto the bed. "Come eat," he ordered. He moved to the en suite bathroom and found a pair of towels, bringing them out to the table.

She looked at him, puzzled as he handed her one. "What are these for?" she asked, taking it and looking up at him.

He chuckled before he used it on his hair. "Step one in getting warmed up," he stated.

She blushed. "Oh. Thank you," she murmured, gently rubbing the towel over her own.

He sat down, the towel still draped over his head and pulled the lids off the plates.

She sat opposite him and they ate in relative silence, the only sound being the crackle of the fire.

Keith looked at her once he finished. "Would you like to shower? The innkeeper brought up those bathrobes," he stated, nodding towards the bed. "Might get you warmed up a bit and your clothes can dry."

Duvessa blushed and nodded, setting her fork down. "If it's all right with you, yes."

He chuckled. "Would I be offering if it wasn't all right?" he teased.

Her cheeks flushed hotter. "I'm sorry, I'm just – a little nervous," she whispered.

He laughed. "Duvessa, I should be the nervous one. You at least have all your memories," he whispered.

She bowed her head. "I know. I just – feel awkward remembering things that you can't."

"Duvessa, it's ok. They will come back," he answered. I hope…

She looked up at him, hope shining in her eyes. She nodded and stood. "I'll try not to be long," she stated. She picked up one of the robes and disappeared into the bathroom. She leaned back against the door once she was in the bathroom and closed her eyes. She sighed, then stripped her clothes off and got into the shower, quickly bathing. She toweled off and slid into the bathrobe, making sure it was secure before leaving the room.

She froze, staring at Keith, shirtless before the fire. She swallowed, closed her eyes. Relax, Duvessa, don't embarrass him or yourself. "Shower is free," she stated, opening her eyes and moving to the fire, her damp clothes in her arms. She hung her clothes up by her cloak to dry.

Keith turned and saw her flushed face. She is so nervous and there is nothing I can say that will make her less nervous. Hell, even I am nervous about being in the same room with her in nothing but that robe. "Thanks," he murmured. He grabbed the other bathrobe and disappeared into the bathroom. He closed the door, leaning on one hand against it. Damn, I just want my memories back… He stripped down and climbed into the shower, quickly bathing.

Duvessa walked over to where she had left her crown and picked it up, staring into the black diamond. "What are you trying to tell me?" she whispered. She placed it on her head and closed her eyes. In her mind images flashed of her coronation as the Black Crown Princess and then Keith. Her eyes flashed open and she bit her lip. "I don't know why you would want to do that?" She got a sense of helpfulness from the crown. She sighed and took it back off. "Well, really, what could it hurt?" she whispered. She walked over to the fire and began to pace, tapping the crown on her free hand.

"Usually I am the one doing all the pacing," Keith murmured as he walked out of the bathroom.

Duvessa stopped and looked at him. She stopped tapping her crown on the palm of her hand. "I think I might know what the crown was trying to say to me earlier."

Keith's eyebrows arched up. "Really?" he asked, moving to the fire to hang up his damp pants.

She nodded, her lower lip pinched between her teeth. "It – it wants me to put it on your head," she blurted.

He blinked, looking at her funny. "Come again?"

She grimaced, a furious blush staining her cheeks. "It wants me to put it on your head," she stated slowly.

A confused look entered his eyes and he slowly shook his head. "Why? I'm not a prince or anything…"

She shook her head. "I really am not sure, but that's the image it gave me. I got a sense that it thinks it might help you."

Disbelief crossed his face. "It can help me? With what?"

"I think it believes it could help with your memories," she whispered. She shook her head. "I know it sounds crazy and it would be a long shot, but who knows?"

He slowly nodded. He chuckled. "Worst thing it could do is just make me look silly," he answered.

Duvessa laughed softly. "You – you never look silly, Keith. Far from it."

He stopped in front of her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "Do you think it could help?"

She stared up into his eyes, the crown vibrating in her hand. "I don't know. Like I said earlier, it has mystical properties that I don't understand at times. It might."

Keith shrugged. "Well, what could it hurt, right?"

Duvessa nodded. "It's up to you, Keith."

He sighed. "What the hell. Let's give it a shot," he stated. "Where do you want to try this?"

"Well, I don't know how long it could take or what it will do. The bed is probably safest in case something happens," she stated.

He nodded and moved to the bed, sitting down on the edge of it and looking up at her.

Duvessa stood before him, a nervous look on her face. "Here goes," she murmured. "Gods, I hope this helps," she whispered and gently set it on his head. She slowly drew her hands back.

Keith sat there for a moment, looking up at her. "I don't feel any different."

"Give it a moment to adjust," she whispered with a nod. "It has to adjust to you."

Keith suddenly gasped, feeling as if the crown was driving spikes into his head. His eyes closed and he fell back, seeming to go into convulsions.

"Keith!" Duvessa cried. She moved around the bed, reaching for the crown. She reached for it, but the crown shocked her. She tried again with the same result, but this time she got the sense of no, let me try. She stood there silently watching and Keith finally calmed, but remained unconscious. "I hope you know what you're doing," she whispered to the crown. She moved back around, carefully moving him on the bed so his head was on the pillow and lifted his legs onto the bed. She covered him with the top blanket. She dimmed the rest of the lights, leaving the one on in the bathroom, then moved to one of the large wingback chairs by the fire where she could see him. She drew her legs up under her and waited, not knowing how long this could take.

Time passed and Duvessa drifted to sleep, every sound waking her, though Keith remained still and unconscious. At one point she got to her feet and checked his pulse. It was steady and strong and she went back to her chair, getting as comfortable as she could. Exhaustion finally set in and she fell asleep in the chair.