Good Evening, All...a blast from the past, I know. It has been a rough few years which is why my posts are so sporadic. To all my favorite writers, please know that I have been reading everything you post and am excited that so many of the authors that had inspired me to write are back in full force! For those who still follow and support me, Thank you! And thank you to those who have recently come in as well! xoxoxo

As I have mentioned before, I have this written up to Chapter 11; however, I have not been happy with what I have written. Slowly but surely, I am in the process of bringing the chapters to where I want them to be. I found myself trying to rush through the story just so I can post, and I believe that it will do Book III and injustice. This story was developed in my heart and outlined by my teenage self over 25 years ago. I want to make sure that I express the way it was meant to be :-)

Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Voltron or any of its characters. All OCs are mine :-)

The Resistance: Book III

Chapter Seven

Back on Arus, word of the Princess' decision had spread like wildfire. Excerpts from the conference were on every channel. People paraded in the streets in celebration of their 'liberation' from the Garrison stronghold. The message was hopeful as Arusians began to have faith once more. With all the celebration came increased talk about the prophecy as well as the commander's possible role within it. Lance, Sven, Hunk, and Pidge were glued to the televiewer. Sven had spoken to Romelle shortly after the announcement just to make sure that Bandor had not received any backlash from the bold desision. The young king assured that all was calm and that he had nothing to worry about, allowing the Swede to relax a bit.

"Man…Cap is in for a surprise when he gets back. Geez, the pressure is gonna be on big time!" said Hunk.

"Now that, my hard-rockin friend, is the understatement of the century. If he thinks that they can keep this little secret once they get back, he is in for a rude awakening." Snickered Lance.

"And what secret would that be, Lieutenant Commander?" asked Coran.

Lance's eyes bulged at the sound of the advisors voice. He swiftly got up from the chair and turned to face him in hopes of offering some kind of explanation; however, for the first time in his life, Lancelot Charles McClain was at a loss for words. The team chuckled in unison as they watched him sweat. Finally, he resigned with a sigh and slumped his shoulders.

"I got nothin'. Draw your own conclusions." He huffed, threw his arms into the air, and fell back into the chair. Coran closed his eyes, shook his head, and grinned.

"Lancelot, my boy, as I mentioned earlier, I know full well of the, ehem, relationship between the princess and the commander. It was not up to me to interject. I know they will approach me when ready. Besides, I can understand the captain's hesitance in going public. He is, after all, extremely protective of the princess." He expressed.

"Now that's the understatement of the century." Offered Pidge.

"Hey squirt…give Ol' Fearless a break." barked Lance as Pidge looked down.

"He's just mortified at what Lotor would do to her. He would blame himself. We all know what that bastard did to Romelle." added Sven, as the men somberly nodded.

Coran cleared his throat to erase the thought. "Indeed; however, we cannot allow Prince Lotor and Korrinoth II to control our lives. The commander needs to believe that he and the Force are more than capable of protecting her, no matter what. The people of Arus want to see love alive in the Castle again, especially those few who still remember King Alfor and Queen Auria." Coran paused in thought, gently smiling at the memory of his dear friends. He shook his head. "Regardless, it is not our place to discuss this. We will all respect any decision that the princess and the commander will make. It is, after all, up to them." he sighed as he looked up at the vidscreen which flashed segments involving the princess and the commander at the conference. Lance silently glared at the advisor and thought I wonder just how much he actually knows.

xxxxx

Shortly after takeoff, Keith got up and made them each a cup of coffee. Way too early for a drink, although I will certainly need it. He thought to himself, grimacing when he noticed Allura look at him with a raised brow.

"Did I project that? Sorry" he said sheepishly as he handed her a cup of coffee and took the seat next to her.

"Keith, you're scarring me. How bad could this secret be that you are so hesitant to tell me?" Keith put his coffee down and ran a hand through his hair. Leaning forward, he rested his forearms on his legs, interlocked his hands, and looked up at the princess.

"It's actually not bad, Allura. The issue is that I think I've waited too long to tell you and I'm not sure how you will handle that fact after you hear what I have to say." He sighed.

Allura leaned back with a mortified look on her face. "Oh god, you're married! That's it isn't it?" Keith let out a nervous laugh. "No, Allura. I can assure you that if I were married you would have found it out by now…silly girl." He smiled while she responded with a grunt.

"Then just come out and tell me already! That would be the only secret that would make me want to strangle you, Keith Kogane!

He knew he had to start talking as she was starting to get impatient and that most certainly would not bode well for him. Still leaning forward, he blew out some air and rubbed the palms of his hands together. He then glanced at Allura, sat up straight, and turned to face her.

"OK, well, do you by chance remember that one morning a few months ago right after Sven and Romelle's wedding…" he paused noticing Allura sport a devilish smile. He rolled his eyes. "…no…not that morning, Allura. Seriously!"

"Alright…sorry…go on…" she giggled.

"You woke up and thought something was wrong with me?"

"Hmmm….yeah….I also remember you making fun of me…"

"Ehem…moving on…I wanted to tell you all this then, but…the timing wasn't right, at least that's how I felt."

She furrowed her brow in thought, rested her chin in her palm, and then her face relaxed. "Does this have something to do with my father and your little 'chats' with him about the prophecy?"

"Well….yes but…"

"Keith, I already know you and the boys are the Chosen…I knew it the moment the five of you crash landed…it was only a matter of time before it came out."

"Allura, you don't…"

She placed her hand on his knee "I do understand, Keith. I am sure this has been overwhelming for you…That damn prophecy has been drilled into me all my life and I'm still confused by it. We'll figure it all out…together." She smiled.

Keith ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Blue…that's not it…part of it…but not what I want to tell you." He reached for her hand and held it within his "Allura, the reason that I have immunity from Garrison regulations, at least in this particular situation, is because…I'm…um…Allura, my father is Arusian. My grandfather and great-grandfather were Lion Knights and members of the Royal Court of Arus." He said trying to get it all out as quickly as he could. He looked at Allura who was, at last, shocked. She stared blankly at him, speechless. He tried to read her, but found that he couldn't. She looked like she was lost in thought and somewhat catatonic. "Allura? Please Blue, say something." He pleaded. Finally, she shook her head as though coming out of some kind of trance.

"That's why our connection is so strong…you're Arusian. Well…that was definitely unexpected, but makes sense I suppose. I don't understand…how? How was this kept secret for so long? How did we not know about your family?" She asked but before Keith could answer she grabbed his shoulders and stared at him with profound intensity. After a few moments, a smile crept across her lips as the realization hit her. "Oh my god…your parents…" she whispered "it's you isn't it? The boy from the safe house…my Black Knight." She uttered, now holding his face in the palms of her hands while gently stroking his cheek with her thumb in a complete state of awe. He returned her smile, taking her hand, drawing her wrist to his lips for a feather-light kiss. "Even as a child you were saving me." She continued, leaning her forehead against his.

"Yeah, you are one high maintenance chick" he chuckled.

"Allura, about that day at the safe house…I saw him, Blue…" he began but she cut him off raising a finger to his lips.

She looked up at him, eyes full of sadness. "Please Keith, don't. I can't. Not right now. Later…I promise, alright?" she pleaded.

He put his arms around her and drew her closer to him. "OK, I won't push, but know that I'm here to listen when you're ready." He sighed. Keith pulled back to look at her, tenderly wiping a stray tear from her cheek.

She smiled. "Thank you".

"Well, you took that much better than I thought you would. I mean, I've been stressing about this for months…it's been eating me alive and you're like 'Oh well…make sense I suppose'…" he chided in a high pitched voice.

"You can't seriously be upset?" she questioned. Keith crossed his arms and pouted which made her giggle.

"Oh come on!" she smiled, putting her hand on his shoulder "Here…would it make you feel better if I slapped you and called you a lying bastard?" she grinned, especially after the look he gave her. "I would be willing to make that sacrifice…for you, of course." She snickered.

"Funny Allura, really funny. You have no idea what I've been going through since we got back." He snorted.

"Keith, I'm sorry. I'm sure that it must have been a lot to deal with, especially for someone who was not raised immersed in the concepts of the metaphysical." She stopped to make sure that he was looking at her. "I told you, I had always believed you boys were the chosen…well, maybe hoped more than believed…and then, after we made love for the first time, I knew for sure. What threw me off was the fact that you weren't Arusian. I couldn't understand how our connection was even possible" She said breathlessly. "Then I thought…this prophecy has dealt me so many blows. You had to be the one, fate could not possibly be so cruel as to let me fall in love with you if you weren't." she finished and provided a loving gaze.

Keith was overwhelmed with the feelings that were emanating from her. He lifted his hand and tangled his fingers into her hair, slowly pulling her toward him for a passionate kiss. As their lips were about to unite, the moment was interrupted by someone clearing his throat. Keith put his forehead against Allura's and smirked.

"Great." He snorted as he pulled away from a blushing Allura and glared at their pilot.

"Um, Your Highness, Master Ko…"

"Don't!" Keith yelped and sighed "Look, I don't care what my uncle told you but please do not address me like that." he demanded.

"My apologies Mast…I mean…Captain…we are on approach and should be landing in approximately fifteen minutes." Advised the pilot,

"Thank you, Dorian."

"Captain, if I may, I must inform you that the Duke has made your arrival quite known" The man paused when he saw Keith smack his hand over his face while Allura turned away to hide her giggle-fit. "Yes, well, suffice to say, you may want to prepare yourselves for the welcoming comity."

Keith rubbed his face, looked up at him, and nodded "Understood."

Dorian took a slight bow and excused himself. As soon as he returned to the cockpit, Allura began to laugh, a laugh that intensified as Keith stood up and glared at her. She stood and gave him her most royal curtsey.

"Forgive me, Master Kogane, for my insolence." She snickered as she rose to meet his obviously annoyed gaze.

"You know, Your Highness, this is the second time today that you have mocked me." He huffed and slowly moved toward her.

She smiled and bit her lip. "How discourteous of me to insult such a fine young man of your stature. One may even say I should be punished." She sighed.

Keith raised his brow and slowly closed the gap between them. "Hmm, that's a brilliant suggestion. Just how should I punish your ill-mannered behavior?" he grinned, gently wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You should kiss me." She whispered.

"So you view my kiss as a punishment?" he snorted.

"In this case, yes." She smiled. He looked at her questioningly and she giggled, softly moving her hands up from his abdomen to his chest, ending by clasping them around his neck. "Kissing me now, Master Kogane, will leave me wanting to devour every inch of you and, seeing as we are moments from landing, you will have to deny me my heart's desire. Could there be a punishment more severe than that?" she explained, her voice low and heavy, infused with seduction.

He offered her a sly smile. "Well, I suppose I better start punishing you then." he chuckled, leaning in to capture her lips.

xxxxx

The Duncan family was considered to be the most prominent in the Northern Isle, known formerly as Scotland of Great Britain. As centuries of royals began to marry outside the lines, prominent families began to take their place in the chain of nobility. Status no longer depended on how blue one's blood was, but how much green lined their pockets, or rather, how many figures were in their bank accounts. Duncan Aeronautics and Artillery Technologies had been founded in the late 21st century and had grown into one of the universal powerhouses where space and weapons technologies were concerned. The majority of the universe's military equipment came from DAAT in some form or another. Ian Duncan was the CEO of DAAT, self-proclaimed Duke of Edinburgh, and the only one in the Duncan family still involved in the company. Of course there were many distant relatives, however he was the only one from the direct bloodline- he and Keith of course.

At the thought of his nephew, the great Ian Duncan gave a deep sigh. His sister's son harbored a great sense of hatred, not that he could blame him. The Duke did not do much to help find his sister and her husband after their questionable disappearance- a fact that he would regret until his dying day. However, the Garrison and Alliance had made it very clear- any investigation would lead to them pulling their military contracts. Although DAAT was strong at the time, it was nowhere near as powerful as it was at present. Ian never would have agreed to the blatant blackmail had the same offer been made today. His chest weighed heavy upon his greedy decision. It was his sister, after all, and he loved her dearly despite their difference of opinion. Alexandra Kogane had been so angry with her brother that she didn't want her son to have any part of the Duncan family. Keith had never even met his uncle until after his parents' disappearance. He had visited the Northern Isle a few times with the McClaines; however, after finding out what his uncle had done, Keith made it clear that he never wanted any part of the Duncan family or their fortune. At first, Lord Duncan didn't care; however, as the years went by he realized that he was completely alone in life. He had no one: no wife, no children, no family. He tried on many occasions to reach out to his nephew in hopes of righting his wrongs, but Keith wanted no part of him. When he received the email from his sister's only child, Ian was elated. Finally, he would be able to begin to make amends. He sat in his study, nervously rubbing his hands together in anticipation of his nephew and Her Royal Highness' arrival. The pair was running late, most likely due to the fact that reporters and paparazzi were everywhere. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. Maybe I should have thought it through before I made such an announcement.

"My pardons, Lord Duncan"

"Aye Maddy" he paused to wave her in "No worries…do come in."

"Not necessary, Sir. I just wanted to announce that your guests have finally arrived."

"Splendid, Maddy. I am on my way."

The plump, middle-aged woman gave a light courtesy and excused herself. Lord Duncan ran a hand through his disheveled salt and pepper hair and blew out a puff of air as he made his way out of the study and down the hall to greet his estranged nephew.

xxxxx

"Well, you certainly handled that like a pro. The media vultures didn't stand a chance against that devastatingly handsome smile of yours…very impressive Master Kogane." Said Allura as she covered her mouth with her hand in attempt to stifle her laughter. Keith drew his lips in a straight line and narrowed his eyes at her. Removing her hand from her mouth, she placed it on top of his and gave him an amused smile. "Oh come on Keith, I'm paying you a compliment after all."

"Oh, is that what it was? Sounded to me like mocking…yet again." He leaned back in the seat of the Town Car and sighed. "It appears as though I did not punish you enough." He turned toward the princess with an arched brow, a sly grin tugging at his lips.

"Hmm, apparently so." She giggled as she squeezed his hand. Her eyes locked onto his as he stroked her hand with his thumb. Keith suddenly became aware of his own heart beating strongly within his chest, especially after he noticed the slight, hair-raising shiver that trailed up her arm at his soft touch. Her breath quickened as they continued to gaze longingly into each other's eyes. Allura discretely inched her way closer, crossing her legs causing her to lean into him even more as she placed her free hand on his knee. At that moment, Keith was overcome with the need to touch her, slowly tracing his fingertips up her arm, around her shoulder, and resting behind her neck. He began to close the distance when the Town Car came to a screeching halt, throwing them both back against the seat.

"For the love of…"

"We've arrived, Captain, Your Highness"

Allura looked at the driver through one eye as she rubbed the back of her neck. "Obviously." Keith began to frantically touch her face and arms "Are you alright?"

The princess rolled her eyes and grabbed his wrists. "Relax, Kogane, I'm fine…besides…I think we both needed that jolt."

The captain looked down and chuckled. "Indeed we did."

He got out of the car and held his hand out for the princess. As she exited, her eyes widened at the majestic beauty that enveloped her. The warm afternoon sun hit her face as she inhaled the mixture of floral scents that travelled through the air from the surrounding gardens. She straightened herself up and glanced around at the expansive grounds, her jaw dropping at the grey-stoned marvel before her. Keith gently tugged at her arm in hopes of bringing her out of her daze. Her reaction to his uncle's estate made him a bit uncomfortable, especially considering the animosity he still held toward the man.

"Allura…" he whispered next to her ear.

The princess linked her arm through his and lightly shook her head. "Sorry Keith, I just…it's just…so beautiful here." She said as she placed her palm over her chest.

The captain rolled his eyes and gently pulled her toward the main entrance once more. "Yeah…it's great…let's go…"

The princess narrowed an eye at him as her lips tugged to the side in mild annoyance. Giving up, she allowed him to lead her into Duncan Manor.

As the pair entered, Allura could instantly sense Keith's discomfort. She knew that he hated being fussed over and the Manor staff was most certainly doing just that. He had momentarily calmed down once the staff disappeared, but instantly stiffened at the sound of Ian Duncan's voice. Allura squeezed his arm and projected calmness out to him.

"Keith Michael, my goodness. Look at you! A fine young lad indeed…and standing beside a bonnie lass for sure." He smiled as he bowed in the princess' direction.

Keith's free hand balled into a fist and he clenched his jaw. "Princess" he growled causing his uncle to raise a brow. "She's a Princess, Lord Duncan…legitimately, you know…by birth… I would appreciate you show some respect when addressing Her Royal Highness."

Allura took in a deep breath and gripped his arm "Keith…" she whispered but hesitated after she saw the fire in his eyes.

"It's quite alright, Your Highness, he is correct. Where are my manners?" Lord Duncan approached the princess and gracefully bowed, took her hand, and placed a light kiss upon it. "I am deeply honored by your presence, Princess Allura."

Allura let go of Keith's arm and stood in front Lord Duncan, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Please, Your Grace, call me Allura…after all, we are about to enter into quite the partnership. There is no longer a need for formalities, wouldn't you agree?"

The older gentleman smiled at her as he offered his arm. "Aye, but…as long as you call me Ian." He winked. The princess smiled and took his arm as he led her down the hall.

'Well, isn't that sweet.' Keith projected as he knitted his brows together.

Allura glanced at him over her shoulder with pleading eyes. 'K, please…not now…we just got here…' Reluctantly, Keith followed.

The three sat in an old conference room located in the East wing of the Manor. As soon as they walked in Keith let out a sarcastic snicker at the fact that there was actually a round table of sorts situated in the center of the room. The captain couldn't even look at his uncle throughout the entire meeting and did his best to avoid his gaze. He wished that he could be more like Allura. She was so diplomatic and graceful and expressed herself with grace and eloquence. It was obvious that she had completely captivated the DAAT CEO as he hung on her every word. Keith silently laughed, knowing the other side of the graceful princess all too well. Allura gave him a disgruntled look making him realize that he must have projected that thought. Seriously, I've really got to learn how to control this. She raised a brow causing Keith to shake his head and run a hand through his hair. There wasn't much negotiation that needed to be done as Duncan pretty much honored everything Keith had requested in the contract.

"Lord Duncan, I am so grateful that you are willing to take a chance on Arus. I can assure you, we will not let you down." Said the Arusian monarch as she signed her name along-side his. She turned and offered the pen to Keith, who signed as a witness.

"Nonsense, Princess, it is the least I can do…"

"That's an understatement" Keith snorted as he threw the pen on the table. Allura tensed at the look on Keith's face, a look that was unfamiliar to her. She then darted her eyes to Ian Duncan.

"Keith Michael, no one regrets the past more than I"

Keith turned his head to the side and huffed before looking his uncle directly in the eyes "Regret it do you? Sleep well in that big plush bed of yours knowing that you turned your back on the only family you had left? Knowing that your greed was worth more than your sister's life?" Keith's nostrils began to flare as the anger rose within him.

Duncan placed his palms on the table, leaning against it with all his weight before wearily lifting his head to look at his nephew. "I swear it, I would give everything to change the past, but I cannot. Nae. All I can do now is repent and use this miserable power I gained to help you, the only blood I have left, in any way that I can….and I will, Keith Michael…I will make sure that you will always have what you need. I've nowt…it all belongs to you."

Allura could sense that the man was full of regret however Keith was far from convinced. He crossed his arms in front of him. "I don't want your money…it's blood money…burn it all for all I care! My mother stopped being a Duncan when this family turned their backs on her the first time. You all disowned her for standing up for what she believed in…and you did it again when she and my father went missing. I'm a Kogane…" he pointed at himself and then threw his hand to the side "not a Duncan, and you'll soon find out that that carries more weight than any Duncan ever could!" he yelled as he pointed at his uncle.

Ian Duncan stared at his nephew with his jaw dropped, not quite sure what else to say or if it was even worth it. Keith's chest heaved from his heavy breathing, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. He closed his eyes and ground his teeth before turning around and storming out of the conference room. Allura didn't know what to say, her body overwhelmed with Keith's pain. My God, Keith… She wasn't the only one that buried her hurt, he was in just as much pain as she was. The princess turned to look at Lord Duncan, who had shriveled up and sank back into his chair. She could see the tears forming in his eyes as they glistened against the light in the room.

"I will try and talk to him, although I do understand his pain…"

The man looked off to the distance as a single tear rolled down his face. "They'd thrown a stone at my door years ago…my sister…and then her son." He looked down at his hands. "I cannae blame them…twas well deserved." He raised his shimmering eyes to look at Allura. "Believe me, I loved my sister, and I love Keith Michael. How can I expect him to forgive me when I cannae forgive myself?" the man placed his head in his palms and wept. Allura ran to his side and held him as he unleashed tears that had been festering for years. It was time: time for them all to move on, time to leave the past behind, time to heal old wounds, and time to let go. I need to tell him everything…we both need to heal…it's time…