Betrayal hurts like a bitch.
King Alfor had declared that Alteans and Galra were no to interact, and since he had influence over more than half of the Council, his word was enforced. The colonial outposts were emptied within a month, and eventually, the evacuations came closer and closer to home. Home had been a stationery word for her. She rarely used it; as a medic and witch woman, she had little use for staying in one place. But for the past half a year, she had called the home of the Black Paladin her own.
King Zarkon had his own slew of problems as the king of Ganesia. While his race was prospering, their population was by far outgrowing their food and land supply. Normally, this would end with the Planetary council allotting another planet to fix the population distribution, but with Alfor heading it, they had refused vehemently. Even though the Alteans had another planet under their control that was underpopulated due to their own reproduction problems. King Alfor had made the relations with Zarkon worse by recalling their scattered population in the hopes of repopulating their planet.
Haggar refused to go. So did many others who had found love, or a home with those of other species. Their host planets had forced them to go. They had rounded them up, and shipped them back to Altea as prisoners. Still, many of them had found refuge on Ganesia, under the protection of King Zarkon.
She couldn't say if she had influenced his decision, or if he had done it out of spite, but she was glad that he had made it.
Haggar wondered if this was love that she was feeling. She hadn't believed in love before now, but why else did she feel so bound to him, over her own planet, her own people?
King Alfor demanded a search of his planet while at a diplomatic meeting meant to resolve the simmering distrust between the two peoples. Zarkon had no choice but to comply; it meant avoiding a war, even if he could very well take them on. But Haggar didn't.
She had never used her magic on such a large scale. She connected with every Altean on the planet, felt their minds touch for a moment, and excluded those who were loyal to Altea. She could feel it, that same sentiment that they all shared: hate, for their home planet.
King Alfor had walked right past her without a second glance at her appearance. He had only found two Alteans, both unable to shapeshift. King Alfor apologized for the intrusion, and left, anger evident in his cool demeanor.
It was then that they started to prepare for war. Ships were being manufactured by the dozen, as droids were made to match every solider in their army. Recruitment was very successful, and at least eighty percent of the population was enlisted. Haggar had been practicing her magic all the while, and slowly was getting stronger.
It was just when Altea and Ganesia were at the brink of war that Haggar finally admitted it.
"I love you." She said plainly. Neither of them liked the deception that long, frilly words emitted.
Zarkon looked up from his battle plans. He was always working on something, she had noticed. Every day, no matter if he were eating, or drinking or resting. It had aged him, all of these undue problems.
He smiled, and for the first time in a while didn't look tired. "Is it not improper for an Altean and a Galra to fall in love?"
"Like hell if I care what's proper, my lord." She replied, taking a bite from her clukivan. If there was one thing that she never missed about Altea, it was the food. They were a largely vegetarian planet, but she had always preferred the taste of meat. Galran cuisine had been what had won her over, she had often joked.
"I suppose we do have that in common." He pushed his papers away. "I'm going to declare war on Altea. We will get the land that we need, with or without the support of the Council." He paused to meet her eyes. "Would you still love me then?"
"I hold no love for Altea, my lord." She replied without hesitation.
That was the day that they consummated it, and the day that she chose to give up her original appearance. She hid it behind purple skin, and yellow, pupil-less eyes.
When she led one of the first sieges against Altea, she was sure to let Alfor know that Alteans fought with them. It was the last time that she had dropped her Galra skin, and she didn't regret it. The look on his face was worth it. She smiled. Betrayal hurts like a bitch.