Prince Lotor had never wanted for anything in his life that he couldn't have.

So why should this be different?

Haggar stands beside him, as he studies the video feed once more. The five of them seem so small, so insignificant compared to the millions of droids at his disposal. How have they evaded their grasp for so long? Paladins or not, they are nothing compared to the might of the Galra empire. The camera angle shifts, and he watches as they approach a computer console. The Red one unlocks it with his hand, and Lotor wonders if he has Galra ancestry; he must, for his fighting style is distinctly familiar. He lets Haggar take over the battle commands, lets her send a battalion to intercept them before they complete their goal.

He has learned from his father's mistakes; he will not underestimate them.

So he watches, watches how the Black one leads, the Red one fights, how the Green hacks, and the Yellow destroys. Then a new color appears on screen. Blue. At first, there is nothing that causes him to stand out. He doesn't seem to excel in any area, or do anything notice worthy. And then Lotor sees it.

The Blue paladin moves with a kind of fluidity that the others do not possess. He's like water, malleable, and smooth, having a distinctness that the others do not have. Lotor doesn't notice the other Paladins anymore. There is nothing but him, no one else matters.

It appears that the squadron that Haggar sent was too much for them to handle. He sends them away, with Haggar's disapproval. He'll let them fight another day. Prince Lotor knows when to wait, and so he does.

OoOoOoOo

Prince Lotor does not care for the opinions of his generals. He may have given his ear to the witch, but she was never a betrayer, unlike those of his army. General Harkus kneels before him, a quiet defiance in his stance, however submissive it appears.

"My Lord, please reconsider. By focusing on the planets in the Zoraan quadrant, we'll have enough Quintessence by the next quarter to-"

Prince Lotor silences him with the wave of a hand. "Our biggest threat right now is not a lack of Quintessence. Even if it were, Haggar is capable of dealing with that on her own. We will focus on the Paladins of Voltron. They are our priority."

General Harkus doesn't reply.

Haggar steps forward from her place beside the throne. "Do you understand the orders given to you by your Emperor?"

General Harkus flinches and dips his head. "Yes, my Lord. Vrepit Sa."

Prince Lotor returns the greeting. "Vrepit Sa."

As he leaves the throne room, Lotor alerts the guards. He's not going to end up like his father. Any dissenters to his rule will be killed; there will be no room for rebellion.

OoOoOoOoO

He sees the Blue Paladin again during a jail break. He is not sure why they bother with rescuing the likes of them. They are captives, kept for entertainment. Most of them are useless; they can't fight or fly, and so most will simply die. It's a waste of resources to storm such a secured ship, but Prince Lotor must admit, they have gotten efficient at it.

As Haggar sends more troops their way, real Galra soldiers this time, not droids, he wonders how well he will stand up in battle. Will he be injured in the name of others? Is he really willing to die for the sake of nameless aliens marked for death?

Prince Lotor watches from his throne room as the Paladins are swarmed by Galra. The Green one is cornered quickly, but the Blue Paladin quickly disposes of him. The Black Paladin doesn't have any trouble with the five that focus on him, nor does the Red. The Yellow Paladin provides support from a distance, while the Blue alternates between long and short distance attacks.

It's mesmerising how he moves between his two roles: attacker and defender. Somehow he manages to do both, as if both styles are not completely different.

Prince Lotor is mesmerized.

He has an idea, one that will get him what he wants, while doing justice to his father's dream.

OoOoOoOoO

Prince Lotor watches as the Paladins rise to the bait, storming the ship without a second thought. The holographic prisoners watch them in feigned surprise as they attempt to unlock the cages. It's priceless how their faces change when they realise that they did not open the cages, but rather, alerted the guards to their positions. They rise from trap doors in the holes of the cells, and come at them relentlessly.

The Blue Paladin looks frightened, and it's a wonderful expression for him to wear. Nonetheless, he keeps fighting. They all keep fighting, even as they sustain injury after injury, they fell droid after droid.

He watches carefully, and can pinpoint the exact moment when they lose hope. The Black Paladin does not fight as swiftly as he did before; he can barely stand upright. The small one is unmoving on the floor, struggling to keep consciousness as the Red guards, attempting to holding off two droids, even as he himself bleeds out.

"It's time, Haggar." He says, standing up from his throne. Haggar doesn't reply, but when he blinks, he is no longer in his throne room, but in the bloodied hall. The Blue Paladin is injured, but his aim doesn't falter as Prince Lotor approaches. The remaining droids fall back to serve as a guard, and he can see the relief creeping into their stances. They grip their weapons a little less tightly, and their stances are a little less sturdy; these are the things his father taught him to look for, so that he knew when best to attack his enemy and when best to strike a deal.

"Blue Paladin," He calls. It's the first time that he's said the name aloud, and it feels wonderful. "Let's make a deal."

The Blue Paladin looks surprised, almost comically so. "Uh, okay." He replies. His weapon is starting to lower.

"Come with me and I will allow your friends to live."

He hesitates. The Red Paladin bares his teeth, utters a growled, "No."

"Choose me, or you shall burn."

Prince Lotor's Droids raise their guns, and he can feel the heat of them, standing in their center.

He can tell the exact moment when he realizes that he's been beat. The Blue Paladin has no choice.

He doesn't look back at his fellow Paladins as he places his Bayard on the ground gently, nor when he starts to cross the distance between them.

"No!"

"Lance, don't do it!"

"Stop!"

But he doesn't.

When the Blue Paladin is within his reach, he grabs his wrist, and pulls him into his grasp. He sees the Red Paladin running towards him, as if to stop his retreat. It would only require the flick of a wrist to kill him. But Prince Lotor remembers honor, and lets him fall to his knees as Haggar teleports him back to his ship with his new prize. It's more satisfying, he thinks as his feet meet familiar ground again. He runs his fingers through the Blue Paladin's hair, marvels at the softness of it. Up close, he's even prettier.

No, he won't be like his father.

Prince Lotor always gets what he wants.

Author's note: I got my inspiration from post/157124314218/heres-a-lotance-klance-video-ive-been-working

Delete the spcaes between the '/' and between the '.com' to use the link.