Allura let out an exhausted breath. She was aware of his eyes staring into her.
What he saw, she was unsure. Part of her mournfully guessed that he only saw her as a tool, an instrument of warfare that could be manipulated. But the other part of her was hopeful. Maybe he could see past her potential and see her in the present. She longed for that. She yearned for the sensation more than anything else some nights. It was an unlikely fate, but the princess could hope.
She glanced up at the sky, noticing another change in the tumultuous weather. It was the forlorn feelings being amplified that caused the clouds to darken. She took stock of the situation in an effort to calm herself.
The wraith was gone. Lotor stood wearily and breathing heavily, watching her. The storm was so close now she could hear the sound of rain in the distance. Swirling, electrifying energy moved through the atmosphere in an almost tangible manner akin to the sweeping gale. There was a sickly feeling to the quintessence. It stained the prince, yet he was not engulfed in it. Yet. She could see it lapping at his resolve. One misstep or strong temptation and she may be thrown into a fight she loathed. Allura did not want to kill him.
It was a strange thought that after all the war, deceit, and hostility the two had witnessed and partook in, that she was hesitant to hurt him. Because it was neither of their faults. Because she cared about the glimmers of life she had seen under his cold, hard shell. Because underneath she saw a young man who, much like herself, was striving to repair a hole none should be responsible to fill.
She wondered if Lotor could sense her thoughts. A harsh breath of wind misted her face with cool liquid. As her connection with the aura around her snapped to a close, the profound thoughts did as well. Maybe she would never know what he saw in that moment.
His voice reinforced her return to the world around her.
"Allura." He was unsure of himself. "I am glad to see you all right," he said, sounding like he wanted to say more. "Thank you, princess. It seems I am in your debt once again."
She turned around to meet his eyes. A tired, warm smile passed over her face. The radiance from her fiery Altean marks cast her features into soft relief.
Perhaps it was the ebbing adrenaline or the suddenly past circumstances, but Lotor was struck mute.
"Are you alright?" she asked reminded of the gentleness hidden, chained, deep within him.
He chastised himself for the second delay in his response. "Yes, just shaken," he confessed. Focus. There are still threats in this realm. The voice broke the moment. It was right. The prince's face hardened.
Her curiosity changed the subject quickly. "How did you get here?" She looked around, attempting to diffuse the situation. It was suddenly very cold in the ravine.
"I followed an essence," Lotor described. He still had no idea how to put his experience in the cave into words. He felt a blush creep up his cheeks. Go on, it isn't the stupidest thing you've admitted to her. "I came to find you." He left the part about 'rescuing' her out.
Allura was genuinely surprised at the revelation. She couldn't fight off the colour rising to her own cheeks. She broke the eye contact again. "Oh." She quickly added. "I don't know how I came here. I don't know how to get out. I hope you have an idea."
Lotor thought back to the route he had taken here. It had been a convoluted mess, but he was confident he could find it again. However, even if he found the place where he had entered the realm, he was uncertain if he would be able to… exit.
A near rumble reminded the two of the storm. It was nearly on top of them. Of course, the direction Lotor was considering laid that particular way.
He was acutely aware of Allura waiting on his explanation. She watched him expectantly.
"I came from the forest in that direction." He pointed. His head tilted to one side as he attempted to put things into words. "The essence led me from a physical cave to this world through a gateway. I am not even sure if my physical form is, uh…" The prince was truly at a loss for words; a rarity.
"Occupied?" Allura offered. The way his ears picked up slightly piqued her attention and elicited the faintest smile.
"Yes," he agreed. Lotor grimaced as another thought came to him. "I don't know where yours is."
Allura's eyebrows shot up. "Wait, what?"
"You disappeared." Lotor skipped over his encounter with the spirit in the generator. "When we entered that galran installation you went down a hallway while I took another." Guilt stung but he ignored it for now. "I looked for you before Blue brought me to Euro 1 and I found the portal."
The princess struggled to catch herself to speed. "My body is just… gone?!"
"At the moment," Lotor conceded. His face tinged a darker purple. He had no idea why he was admitting this to her. I thought you cared. A hint of paranoia flitted at the back of his mind, but Lotor ignored that too.
"Allura, I don't know what is going on. I just…" It was difficult, almost physically difficult. Come on, go all the way if you're so adamant. Don't be a fool.
Lightening struck too close and both figures crouched and covered their heads. The crack of thunder reverberated through the mountains.
There was reignited haste in her voice. "We need to go."
Lotor nodded. "Agreed." All previous qualms disintegrated. "Which way princess?"
"I'm not sure," Allura said. "But I don't like the way those clouds look."
Decide something. Lotor shivered. "Staying out of the storm's path is probably best," he stated unhelpfully.
The princess turned and began to head out the direction Lotor had originally been travelling, towards the pass cutting through the mountain range they now found themselves in. Now she needn't worry about Lotor, but the endeavour of finding her way back to her own physical form. This place was getting better and better.