Diplomatic meetings were a duty that she had to endure, but that didn't mean that she had to pay attention. While Princess Allura knew that she would one day have to represent Altea at a meeting like this, she'd prefer to daydream while her father, King Zarkon, and the othercouncil members of the Four star alliance discussed the intricacies of outer galaxy commerce.

She wasn't the only heir forced to the table. Across from her sat Prince Lotor, his long, white hair draped across his face as he struggled to stay awake. She smiled as his head jerked forward and he woke himself up. He lifted his head inconspiciously, and wiped away sleep from his eyes. He winked, and they both went back to ignoring the proceedings.

OoOoOoO

The next time that they meet, Allura does not daydream.

The meeting room is tense when she and her father enter. It seems strange, in such a light and airy room, to feel as if one should watch their back. Again, they sit, her father across from Zarkon and her, across from his son.

"This meeting has been called to discuss the actions of the Black Paladin, and of the future of Voltron." C'ghar says. His wings tilt downwards, just like his mouth. "The first action that we would like to discuss, is that which occured on Dhalra during the fifth movement of the thrid quarter." He pauses, a heavy blank for King Zarkon to fill in. King Zarkon says nothing, and his expression gives nothing away. "The Black lion left the scene of battle, abandoning the other four lions, to destroy the Kwani colony on the moon, which was a civilian base comprised of women, children and men who were unarmed. This action left Red Paladin Jahwer of Rancoult unprotected, wich resulted in his hospitalization. Do you have anything to add?" C'gahr lifts his gaze from his papers.

Her father watches with a grim expression, as Zarkon speaks. "It won the battle, did it not? And that is all that matters."

Allura knows that one day, she too will pilot a lion. Ever since they were built, it had been the intention for the Alliance rulers to pilot, and as King Alfor grows older, her ascension grows closer. It does not surprise her that he disagrees with Zarkon's methods. Although they had been friends since childhood, he had always regarded Galran methods as brutal; She had been taught to be careful of them since she had known of their race. What does surprise her is that her father speaks up, out of turn.

"You killed Children, Zarkon. If you will not admit your wrongdoing, will you at least atone for them?" There is a quiet hush that takes over the room at King Alfor's words. No one has dared to strip a title in this room before, and if his accusatory words were not enough, his tone adds more insult.

Prince Lotor's eyes are not glued to her father, as the rest of the councilmen are, but onto her. With the knowledge that she has an audience, she closes her mouth, slighty open in surprise, and molds her expression into one that expresses nothing.

King Zarkon stands. "I do not recall you stopping me when I did the same for Altea, Alfor." He turns, his predator like gaze locked onto Emperor Mwanhay. "Nor did you, Mwanhay. In fact, not a single Paladin complained against my methods when I used them in defense of their planet, but against a hostile invader on one of my realm, you choose to take offense."

"Perhaps so," King Alfor begins.

Zarkon cuts him off. "If you shall complain against my methods as the leader of Voltron, then perhaps you should not be a part of this alliance."

If the room cold get any more tense, it does. There is silence amoungst the five councilmen. A conclusion is reached. "No one suggested that, King Zarkon." Emperor Mwanhay finally breaks the silence. His usage of Zarkon's title seems to emphasize how no one else has been using it. "We concede to your judgement, as you are the head of Voltron, but we would appreciate it if you soften your methods."

King Zarkon does not reply. He stands, and leaves without a word, his son trailing after him.

OoOoOoO

The first act of war was denied at the begining.

Emperor Mwanhay was so afraid of war, that he allowed King Zarcon to take the first planet in his realm without a fight. Zarcon ravaged the planet anyways.

And then he did it again.

He father calls her to the bridge of the castle, and when she arrives, she has no words to respond with. Rather than a view of Alexandrai, the neutral planet where races from all planets of the alliance meet, she sees an unfamiliar dead, rock. Where the planet was once covered in purple Klafgha, so bountiful that it was visible in orbit, the planet is brown.

"He did this." Her father says. His eyes don't leave the screen as pictures ghost past him. Animals dying on the side of the road. Plants, dead and wilted. People, dried and dead, like focroshes left out in the sun. "And no one even tried to stop him."

Allura doesn't even realize that she's crying until her father hugs her and wipes the tears from her eyes. "I-I never thought that he could do something like this. He-he never seem-" She hiccups, and stops talking. Her father brushes her hair.

"I thought that we could trust Zarkon, too. I thought...but it's too late."

And Allura cries for the dead, and the planet that is no more.

OoOoOoO

Even before the meeting is over, Allura knows how it will end.

The Black lion is missing, and they all know who has it. The only person who could ever get close enough to it to take it is King Alfor. So they call a meeting, and Allura can't help but think that it's too small. The number of people at the table has shrunk from seven to four, amoungst them one person whom she notices the most: Prince Lotor.

He is gone. He's been missing since it all began, and Allura can't help but worry for him. They had been betrothed since before they were concieved; a political marriage. Allura had grown to like him, not as a suitor just yet, but as a fellow heir, forced into a role that niether of them chose. There were others too; Kings, Emperors, the heads of the alliance were disappearing one by one. With each disappearance, a planet goes silent, and another Lion disappears.

Allura knows where they go. Not exactly of course, but she's aware that each Paladin is sending their lions away, deep into space away from their conflict. But the Black lion is with them. Her father had taken it, and although she's not sure how, has been able to pilot it. He had managed to lock it, until the other Paladins could retrieve it themselves. The only way for Zarkon to get his lion back is to destroy the castle, and even then, it wouldn't allow him in.

The war will be over soon, she thinks. Zarkon can't possibly go against Altea. Alfor and Zarkon had grown up together, almost like brothers. She has known the Galran King for her whole life.

She doesn't go to the meeting. Her father forbids it, tells her to stay in the castle in case things go awry. She's not the type to sit and watch; she's been training to be a Paladin one day, and she's begun to feel more at home on the battlefield than in her castle, safe and waiting. It doesn't scare her, but Allura knows it firghtens her father. So she watches the meeting, from her castle until the feed is broken, and then she waits again.

Suddenly the doors open.

"Launch the castle." Her father runs into the bridge, his armor still smoldering from whatever had shot at him. "Now!"

Coran pulls out from the Cryo-pod, still half broken, and rushes to the console. The ship launches before she's even had a chance to speak.

"But why? I thought you were working on a treaty." Her father doesn't stop moving from window to console. He hands grip and ungrip nervously, and his eyes flutter but do not settle. He doesn't even show that he had heard. Allura hasn't seen him like this since the fall of Senersia, when her mother had been left behind. "Father!"

He looks up, and she realises how much of a toll all of this has taken on him. He looks old. Older, than he should look. He has bags under his eyes, and his marks are starting to fade under his eyes, starting to blend with the brown of his skin.

"Look outside."

"What?" Allura manages to choke out in surprise.

"Look!" He yells, pushing her towards the window.

She stumbles forward, her feet catching over themselves. She steadies herself by pressing against the window, but what she sees makes her stumble again, backwards as if she can escape from the site. Fire, red and hungry consumes her home. Zarkon hadn't even bothered to harvest it. He had burned it. Her people-gone. Just like everything else in the past year. Prince Lotor, the council, everybody who had crossed path with Voltron.

She wants to look away, but knows that she can't. If she doesn't look, if she doesn't watch her people die, then everything her father has done is in vain, and they will have accomplished nothing.

So Princess Allura watches Altea burn.