"Are all human women so enamored with military men?" Lotor asked, and Allura couldn't help but laugh a little bit.

"I supposed they are, but these are also the men fighting valiantly for their protection. They wouldn't be so enamored with an enemy," she said, trailing off into a whisper. She couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze, and could feel him watching.

When he didn't reply, she began reading aloud once more, but he interrupted her.

"If this irritated rich man finds her pretty, why doesn't he do something about it?"

Allura looked up at him, he seemed genuinely confused.

"I don't think he realizes how he feels for her, Lotor. Finding her pretty doesn't matter, that isn't… how their society works… and her family is… embarrassing in their behaviors." She watched him, vaguely wondering what Lotor's upbringing had been like.

The prince leaned back on his wrists and gave her a slight grin.

"I liked you the moment I saw you, Allura. He's weak if he can't make his mind up," Lotor said keeping his eyes on her.

Allura couldn't take the ardent, passionate look, and she broke eye contact with him almost immediately. Her gaze was at the book in her lap, she was terrified to acknowledge what he said. He always had to make everything so… intense.

When the princess didn't respond, she heard him open his mouth to speak, but she lifted her hand and stopped him before he could say anything. "If you continue to interrupt, we're never going to get anywhere."

His mouth snapped closed, and she glanced up. Lotor was visibly pouting and looking away, out into her darkened room. The annoyance and awkwardness she felt melted away, and she had to bite her lips to keep from laughing at his expression. It was one she had never seen on his face. When he realized she was watching him, he looked back. Allura had been staring, and flushed at the realization that she was starting to think he had been cute pouting.

"'I hope, my dear,' said Mr. Bennet to his wife, as they were at breakfast the next morning, 'that you have ordered a good dinner to-day, because I have reason to expect an addition to our family party.'"

–

At some point, Lotor had turned himself sideways to her, and was laying back on her bed, his hands folded across his chest and one of his legs bent with the other propped up and resting by the ankle against his knee. She tried not to voice her amusement at the thought of a whole industry on Doom devoted to the making of socks, as she avoided looking at his very relaxed posture.

"Can't they just tell him to leave?"

"What?"

"That cousin of theirs, just tell him to get lost," he said, and smirked.

"It's already been explained, Lotor, he inherits everything, they need to be nice to him."

"If he has an unfortunate accident while visiting, who would inherit then? They could probably change the law at that point."

Allura gasped at his statement, and he turned his head to look at her.

"I suppose that isn't allowed in their culture."

"No, Lotor, it is not. Murder is a crime on many planets." She frowned at him, and he returned the look, but said nothing.

Allura went to turn the page, and was hit by an incredibly deep yawn. She covered her mouth and stretched her arm out.

"You're tired."

She took a long blink and then looked at him. His expression was neutral, and she had no idea what to say in response. It was obvious she would want to sleep now, and the book wasn't even halfway done. When his eyebrows furrowed, she prepared herself for what he might say.

"Will you let me back in tomorrow to hear more?" he asked so softly she almost didn't hear him.

"You wish to continue?" She was stating the obvious at that point, but the princess was positively perplexed.

"I would like that. May I?"

Allura almost asked him to repeat himself, still disbelieving he was asking instead of demanding, but a more pressing thought floated to the surface.

"I might be tired from waiting for a robeast attack, Lotor."

The prince closed his eyes and grinned.

"I won't be leading any attacks while this continues, Allura. In fact," he said, his eyes fluttering open as he sat back up and leaned over onto one elbow, far closer to her than she liked, "there won't be any attacks for a long while."

The thought of no more battles to fight made her instantly excited, but it was laced with concern over why.

"Lotor, what are you up to?"

He cocked his head to the side and smiled.

"I'm merely spending time with you, my sweet. If I happen to tell my father I am up to something, and disappear for hours and hours, then he will leave everything alone."

"And when this ends, Lotor? When the book is complete? This cannot continue forever." Dread was filling her, and the awkward but surprisingly good mood of the past few hours was shaken.

Smiling up at her from his lounged position, he caught one of her hands and kissed her knuckles.

"We will deal with that situation when it comes to pass, Allura. For now, enjoy your rest."

Before her wits caught up to her, he was on his feet, stomping on his boots, and disappeared into the darkness. She heard the window open and close, and then silence. Slowly, she lifted herself from her bed and with the candelabra, investigated to see if he had really left. He had.

Allura had no idea what to make of any of this. When she fell asleep a bit later, her confusion was still very strong.

–

It was getting late. Midnight had come and gone, and the thought that Lotor would be showing up at her window kept Allura from becoming sleepy enough to actually sleep. But now she was beginning to wonder if he wouldn't appear. It didn't seem likely, as she had all but given him permission, yet he was nowhere to be seen.

Eyeing the book she had been reading aloud the night before, the princess considered continuing to read without him. She was curious about the plot, but started to feel a little rude about reading more with him not there. That feeling agitated her.

Allura sighed and picked up another book. She was several pages in when she was startled by a light tapping on her window. She almost laughed out loud. How many times had he barged into her life, even into her bedroom, and now he was actually asking permission?

Marking her place, she set the book down, and as she stood, pulled her dressing gown tighter around her form. The moon was brighter today. She had a bit of visibility, and could see Lotor leaning against the outside wall next to the window, somehow standing as if on a ledge that didn't exist. She briefly wondered if he would explain how he was getting up to her window without his ship if she asked.

Unlatching and pushing the window open, she could somewhat see him grinning at her in the dark. Trepidation and guilt flooded her veins; there was no doubt now, she was purposefully letting him into her sanctuary.

Allura stepped back as the prince nimbly and silently made his way inside. He barely made a sound as his boots hit the floor, and without waiting for her, he pulled the window shut behind himself. The guilty feeling in her breast increased.

"Hello, my sweet, I hope I'm not keeping you awake?" The way he said that was so genuine, she wasn't sure how to feel hearing it.

"Hel-I-no, I was reading something else." She fidgeted with the tie on her clothes. "I can't stay up all night, though…." Briefly, Allura considered apologizing for him having come so far for so short a time. She was unnerved that she had to remind herself that he was her enemy.

She watched him walk towards her bed, the soft light of the candelabra on her bedside table throwing him into silhouette. He stopped and turned to look back at her, and she was reminded again of how she had found the candlelight so romantic before he had shown up the night prior.

Taking in a deep breath, and watching him watch her, she managed to find her voice again.

"Have you been drinking tonight?"

He laughed. "No. Well, only one cup, and that was before I even left. There's a bottle in my ship if you want me to go and get it...? I wouldn't mind sharing with you."

Allura shook her head vigorously, which made him laugh again.

"Perhaps another time, then, my sweet."

Turning away from her again, he sat on her bed. When she didn't follow him, he looked at her.

On her bed.

The guilt was starting to overwhelm her. If anyone knew what she was doing, what she was allowing him to do, they would never trust her again. She had tried to convince herself all day that brokering trust with him would bring about good changes, would somehow end the war and bring peace back to her planet, but she felt overwhelmed. He was volatile and answered to someone else. She had no idea how far she could trust him.

He started to say her name, but a banging on her door startled both of them. She looked at the door and then back to him. He barely looked concerned, and didn't move.

Allura ran at him, surprising the prince by shoving him down onto the far side of the bed. She grabbed the edge of her blanket, and threw it over him. The banging on the door became more urgent. She turned to run to the door, and was halfway there when she turned to look at her bed. She skidded to a halt when she realized she could still see his boots. Running back, she threw a pillow over them.

"Don't move!" she whispered harshly, and ran back to the door. Turning around, she watched to see if he obliged. He did.

She flicked on the main lights, and opened the door. She faked a yawn, asking what was wrong.

The guard on the other side sighed in relief.

"Your Highness, Prince Lotor's ship has been spotted half hidden at the edge of the forest. We wanted to make sure you were okay and he hasn't breached the castle. We'll be posting guards outside your door, by his ship, and along the entire external perimeter."

Allura tried to school her reactions and stay calm.

"But no robeast? No, leave his ship alone. If you startle him, it might start something. Continue as normal," she said with as much authority as she could muster.

"But Your Highness, Coran said-"

"I said, continue as normal. If Lotor shows up to my room, I will be sure to give him a piece of my mind at the end of my pistol."

"Your Highness, are you sure?" The man was very worried.

Allura sighed and waved her hand around in agitation.

"Yes, I am sure. You may place some guards in the hallway, and I will scream if there is an issue. I don't want to alarm the entire castle unless he's posing an actual threat. We all know Lotor stalks around sometimes. Let's take advantage of the calm to all rest." She smiled, hoping to ease the man's fears. She knew Lotor wasn't going to do anything, but there was no way to relay that information.

The guard nodded and Allura shut the door. She sighed, and turned off the main lights, plunging the room back into only the soft light from the candles.

The princess moved back to her bed, and kneeling, looked down at the rumpled blankets. Lotor hadn't moved. Slowly, she picked up the edge and pulled the bedclothes back to their original position. Moving it revealed the drule prince flat on his back, one hand across his chest, grinning up at her. That look made the guilt in her swell.

"You could have told them I was here." He was stating a fact, but she knew what was behind his words; she had mislead her own people to hide him.

"Yes, I could have, but then how would we finish the story?" she said with a little faked mirth in her voice, trying to make the situation less serious.

Lotor was still smirking, and he didn't sit up. Instead, he rolled to his side and closed his eyes.

"Your bed smells nice."

"That's… uh… thank you? Did you want to continue the book…?" she could feel her cheeks redden, and was wondering why he decided to be so awkward.

"Hmmm, yes," he said and sat up. The action put him right next to her, almost touching. With her sitting on her heels, their eyes were on the same level. Allura was once again reminded how dangerous it was with him in her bedroom.

He grinned as he moved closer to her. She tried to lean back away from him, and was caught off-guard when he put his hands on her waist. Gasping for air in shock at the sudden touch, Allura felt her arms instinctively move to hold onto his his to keep herself steady as he lifted her from the bed.

Depositing her up by the headboard, Lotor let go and moved farther away from her. She realized he had recreated their positions from the night before, so she would be next to her table with the books.

"Allura? Are we reading tonight?" She glanced up at him. He had a pleased and expectant look on his face.

"Y-yes," she said, picking up the book with shaky hands, and found the last chapter they had stopped at.