Lotor's eyebrows arched as he turned to face the Altean man. It was a welcome distraction even if it were a puzzling one.
Allura tilted her head as Coran repeated his words more calmly. His eyes were glued to the blinking monitor in front on him. "It seems to be emanating from the royal quarters." His voice held even more confusion. "It is Altean, princess." Coran pierced Allura with an anxious expression.
A dozen possibilities passed through Lotor's mind. His first thought pointed to an intruder. Lotor pressed his lips into a thin line, sliding his gaze to take in Allura. A stowaway would have had much time to board "Blue" while they were on the surface. It would not entirely explain the Altean source of the message, but perhaps an intruder could be using the Castle's own comm array to broadcast a communication elsewhere…
Allura broke into his thoughts with another suggestion, one that silenced his musing. There was obvious excitement in her tone as she exclaimed, "Is it coming from my sleeping quarters!?"
Coran did an admirable job of keeping his jaw from hitting the floor. Shiro held no qualms against letting his surprise show. Lotor plastered a stoic expression onto his face. This was certainly interesting. Lotor had not expected that question but there was something about the shine in her eyes that made him think back to their previous escapade on the planet below.
"Do you mean…" Coran struggled to find the right words, so he just turned his face back to the monitor. Understanding slowly dawned behind Coran's moustache and he nodded as he read. "I see. Princess, if you are expecting a … communication, it is coming from your quarters," he said.
A flicker of disappointment toned Coran's voice. "I am unsure where exactly the frequency is originating."
Allura smiled radiantly. "Thank you, Coran. Please, if you wish, I will show you all, if you like." She turned to look at Lotor. A shadow of reluctance crossed her face. Lotor picked up the inkling of emotion in the instant before she graced him with a polite smile. He had no idea how to interpret the breach into her mind. It rushed a blaze of anxiousness through his mind. However, his face remained cold. He held far more expertise than the princess.
"Yes. Please lead on princess," Lotor spoke equally polite. He flourished for her to make towards the door. She did just that, smiling genuinely this time before turning down the hallway to hastily lead the males to what was obviously significant.
Lotor quickly found himself walking beside her, with Coran on his opposite side. Shiro's sharp glare drove deeply into Lotor from behind, but the half-Galra kept his mind from the vulnerable position by attempting a 'private' conversation with the princess.
It was awkward.
"Allura, this wouldn't happen to have anything to do with our little silver box, would it?" He caught her gaze relishing being able to speak of something only she and him knew of. For whatever reason, it gave him a thrill he never experienced before. Maybe the small talk would also break the ice that had fallen between them during their earlier conversation concerning… Alteans… Don't even think it. It will show. She is knowing you more each second. And you let it. He chastised the voice…
"Is that the trinket Allura mentioned earlier?" Coran said, twisting his moustache and running a calculating stare over the half-breed.
Lotor refrained from snarling at the Altean man. Instead, he ignored the interruption, catching the princess' azure gaze again. A girly enthusiasm was playing over her face. The sparkle in her lovely eyes told him he had hit home. A smirk touched the corner of his lips.
She chuckled, visibly relaxing with Coran's cheap humour at Lotor's expense. She wondered if the prince actually understood the effort. He probably didn't. "Yes, both of you are correct. This morning I was attempting to open the piece of equipment with magic."
Her brow furrowed as she thought back. Lotor felt a lump form in his throat. Butterflies took flight in his stomach. You are so pitiful. Why do you even try? Don't open your mout—
"Did it work?" He asked, immediately hearing the words as intensely stupid. Obviously, it did work. Worthless fool.
Allura did not seem to think so harshly about the question. Her voice took on more pep. "I think it did," she said.
"I agree. If you are receiving a communication through it, you must have done something, princess," Coran chimed in with that annoyingly cheerful voice.
Lotor screwed his face into a smile. Inside shame roared up. Pathetic. Even the others will begin to notice this degradation of your character. An almost physical feeling of pain shot through his chest. He kept the façade up until the four of them passed into Allura's private library. His mind immediately switched gears.
The space was a large square room with floor-ceiling shelves of tangible books as well as holographic datapads intermingled amongst the parchment. The lighting was turned low but immediately came to life when Allura stepped into the centre of the room. A small, comfortable seating area was positioned to the far left of the room. Even a few study tables, strewn with brightly illustrated scrolls, were placed in a corner and looked well-used.
Lotor tore his gaze from the mass of knowledge when Allura spoke, almost bashfully. "I believe that only Coran has been to this part of the Castle," she started.
A genuine smile ghosted Lotors lips when Allura waved proudly to the room. Lotor thought he caught only the slightest hint of colour splash onto her cheeks when her azure eyes flitted his way. "This is where much history is kept." She added as if explaining a disclaimer, "Although, most of the information is dull and archaic."
That familiar burn for knowledge gained strength inside Lotor. He suppressed the feelings very quickly. The ideas would have to wait until they had finished their business.
"Yes, I remember the ways Alfor would coax you into learning your galactic history," Coran chuckled.
A shiver ran down Lotor's spine, but he shoved the memories away. They would not return.
"Yes," Allura said deadpan. She turned around a high shelf into another studying niche.
Lotor's eyebrows shot up when his eyes fell on the small silver box that he and Allura had uncovered. The hinge was open and inside the container was a small, round communications device. It glowed the familiar Altean blue.
Allura quickly reached out to it, flicking switches on the antiquated piece of equipment as if she knew the trinket well. Shiro leaned forward, mouth pressed into a thin line but curiosity burning in his grey eyes. Lotor obtrusively moved to the princess' side, making his point to the man and gaining a perfect view of Allura's sure movements. The look of determination on her face put the butterflies back into his stomach. Pathetic. You are pathetic.
He didn't realise he was staring at every feature on her beautiful face – from the dainty marks running along her smooth cheek bones to the sharp points of her ears. Even the way her bottom lip tightened when she was focused… The memory of that kiss last night still tingled…
The machinery crackled to instant life and a script ran before their eyes. Lotor quickly wrenched his attention back to the matter at hand, reprimanding himself.
Allura and Coran's faces were scrunched up close to the holograph flickering from the device. Altean letters stood microscopically in the air.
An anticlimactic murmur broke the long silence. "Hmmm… You know, princess. Does it have a zoom feature?" Coran offered.
Shiro tutted, leaning in next to Lotor to see… despite the fact that the motion conjured the feeling of putting one's hand down a snake den.
A frown creased Allura's forehead. "Um."
"Can you read any of it?" Lotor asked uncertainly.
Allura squinted for a long moment. "Well.…" Another minute ticked by "…no," she sighed, shoulders slumping and an ungodly look covering her beautiful face