Chapter Five: Summer

The weeks passed quickly. Lotor's Arussian, and even his English which was similar to Arussian, had come along remarkably well and a translator, or a language tutor's services, was hardly required anymore. His almost immediate fluency did not surprise Coran as there must have been a human mother who had spoken to the boy, something the Queen refused to let him share with his teachers who seemed to be in awe of the child's brilliance. Coran did have to admit that the child was brighter than your average human one. Maybe even brilliant.

In fact, he had far surpassed his tutors' expectations in all of the subjects he had demanded. For the most part, except for his obsession with the kingdom's fighter craft, he had been very academic in his pursuits His interests revolved around science, math and history. He seemed to be obsessed with Earth's most successful conquerors from Alexander on down to Venturas. He spent hours pouring over maps. He even sought out Coran, much to the officer's dismay.

King Alfor, while an excellent pilot, did not seem very competent when it came to explaining large scale military campaigns. He had been taught by the tutors at his school that in general warmasters should not rule. They also taught that magistrates should not fight, which Lotor thought was a little self-serving. Perhaps this was also true for humans. Alfor took him more as a Magistrate King which made Lotor fear him even more. They were craftier than the warmasters. If they were displeased with an underling they just seemed to disappear. Eventually, that fear dissipated. King Alfor was quite kind to his servants. No one seemed in danger of disappearing. Lotor did not know what to make of this.

The human civilians seemed to be content at being ruled by a softer hand than the Drules which Lotor noted with interest. Some Drules had also wished a more benign way but it went against the inherent nature of their kind in general. They were a predatory species and there was little room for the weak. The strong survived and the strongest ruled them. The Law, given by their Great Empress, ruled them all so that they were no longer animals clawing against each other. The strongest still fought their way to the top but there were rules that had to be adhered to and obeyed before one could advance. Violate the Law and you were an outcast to all.

Say what you will about his human guardians but they did listen to children. This pleased Lotor. Even Coran, whom he sensed had an incredible dislike for him, would sit down with him as he poured over the maps and the details of the human campaigns. At times, he noticed Coran was studying him. Coran asked him why he liked the ancient battles the best since he saw little use in them when one was now fighting with modern technology. The boy smiled. He looked at the military man with great interest as he answered.

"Coran, what would you like me study? Campaigns are easy. Someone attacks, someone defends."

There is a whole world of literature and philosophies to explore." Coran watched those piercing eyes looking straight into his soul and wondered what the boy behind them was thinking. What Coran did not know was the Drules had a lot of problem interpreting human eyes. When he first came they looked like large liquid circles. As the months had worn on he became rather astute at reading human faces. His father would one day be delighted by the skill. It had always been so hard to interrogate humans. Few of his people understood them well enough. Unfortunately the humans, being physically weaker, usually died before a thorough interrogation was completed. No one could read their damn faces. Now, Lotor could. He could teach the others what he had learned. This made him satisfied.

"Things that do not interest me." The boy's eyes never veered from the pad. "It is bad enough I have to suffer them in school." Lotor paused and looked up at the officer.

"Coran, you have fought the Drules." The boy did not require his answer. He was just stating a fact.

"I was an officer in the Galactic Alliance before I came to Arus." Coran answered stiffly.

"Where did you fight?" The boy pushed on.

"Kiras" Coran looked away.

"The Fourth Kingdom took Kiras. Warmaster Soltron was in command. She took many prisoners. Were you a prisoner?" Lotor looked up expectantly. Coran nodded.

"That is how you know so much about us." Lotor looked back at his maps.

"I have met her. She is a horrid looking woman. I have a feeling her husband must be blind for how else could anyone beg her bed?" Coran almost smiled at that remark. The child, in his odd way, was trying to sympathize with him. What small good feeling was easily dispelled. "Coran, you are smart for a human. You would have made an excellent Drule." It was an image that Coran shuddered at.

"And why, Prince Lotor, do you know so much about us? You might fool your tutors but you haven't fooled me. Your Arussian has become flawless. You know more about Earth history than the average university student. Why have you given us such attention?" Coran raised an eyebrow. Lotor leaned back and smiled.

"You are correct in this. It is thought that every Drule should have a hobby to keep the mind entertained, mine is humanity. Sarrinoth has an excellent central library." The prince leaned back.

"It's an odd hobby for a child." Coran replied.

"Is it any stranger than your fascination with me. You watch me all the time." Lotor fixed his amber eyes on Coran.

"I'm a security officer, that is my job. Do all Drule children speak like you?" Coran gave him a wry smile.

"Drule children are not encouraged to speak at all," Lotor said with a bit of a giggle. "It all depends what schools you attend. I went to one that focused on persuasive speaking. Most of our top magistrates send their children there." Lotor answered hesitantly.

"I thought warmasters raise their own children." Coran's interest was now peaked.

"They usually do. Father thought it best that I have a different experience." Lotor answered. Coran saw the child biting his lower lip. Coran could tell he had entered a territory that the child was uncomfortable with. It was the most the child had ever shared with him and he decided to tone down the questions.

"How has a child your age acquired so much knowledge?" Coran eyed him suspiciously. "You are quite impressive. Your tutors think you are a prodigy or an android."

"I am neither. It is just the product of loneliness." Lotor gave him a funny smile. "I just did not have any friends at school. I slept only five of your hours a day so that leaves a lot of time to read and think. Borak always pushes me to do my best. He is absolutely a brilliant man and when I grow up I hope to be just like him."

"A boy usually wants to be like his father." Coran answered looking for some reaction in those yellow eyes.

"My father will accept nothing less than perfection in a son. I assure you, I will never live up to such an exacting standard. I hope when I am older that I can accept people for who they are, not what I want them to be. This is a hard thing for a king to do." Lotor looked down on the map and sighed. "It is much easier to conquer than to rule."

"Why don't you have friends?" Coran asked, the first time with any sympathy in his voice for the child.

"Look at me. Anyone can tell that I am not a true Korronnite. When Drules are not looking down their noses at humans, they look down on the other races of Drule. In me, there is something for everyone to insult. On top of that, a Crown Prince can have no friends. Eventually, one of them will try to take my throne and I will either have to kill this person or die to keep what is mine. What's the point in trusting anyone? Now, can we get back to the problem at hand." Lotor was pointing to his computer pad which illuminated the continent of Europe during the first part of the 20th century. :How did your people solve the problem of trench warfare?"

'The blitzkrieg. It was perfected during the next major war. I do not remember all the details of how it was employed." Coran muttered. "The war you are studying basically ended out of sheer exhaustion."

"So will the war between our peoples if no solution is found. In the end, you have the numbers. The Drules need a blitzkrieg." Coran shot Lotor an odd look.

"The side that developed that tactic lost the next war." Coran warned.

"Good to know." Lotor mumbled back. "As always, Coran, you are the most helpful person to me here." A baffled Coran shook his head and walked away. Drule or not, this was one of the strangest children he had ever met.

Lotor was happy that he puzzled the humans. Most tried desperately to read his face and came up empty. Allura, however, had been the exception since the clever girl was always under his feet. She barely left him time to do his studies. At time, though he adored her, he had to hide from her affections. He was amused. Little sister had a crush on him. He was not used to girls. All the females he knew were slaves or noblewomen. He had no need or desire to interact with either group.

The tutors seemed pleased with the boy. Their only complaints were that the boy was arrogant and ill tempered at times. He was known to throw a glass or a pencil when he became frustrated with a problem. Queen Alanna had not seen this behavior up close. He was generally quite polite with her. He had even made the reluctant Allura read to him. Many a day, the Queen found her daughter sitting in his lap land reading to him stories usually revolving princesses and princes. Lotor would chide her about her human ideas of chivalry and romance. These ideas were foreign to him. Queen Alanna also noticed that, save for the doctor, Lotor had never let anyone touch him but Allura and even that was done warily.

Lotor was mesmerized by Allura. She was the happiest person he had ever met. She did have her moments. She was stubborn and always wanted to be with others. She never understood his need to be alone and would barge into his rooms unannounced. While he preferred his long walks alone in the forest and his books; she wanted to be surrounded by people and used to try to drag him along. She was good at drawing the solitary prince out of his shell but at times he longed for the company of the his own kind who would understand his need for meditation and solitude. Allura was a whirlwind.

Coran appreciated one thing about Drules. They could be patient. Lotor had explained to him that this trait on the surface seemed at odds with their hot tempers, but it was not. According to their scientists it had developed side by side , aiding them in their ability to hunt. The quick change in temperament was needed to complete the kill. Coran thought of the prince's words as he watched the prince with their beloved princess.

Others were impressed with the boy's patience with her when others were worn out; but all Coran thought about was the kill. He had to admit the boy calmed her down. She, on the other hand, made him play. It was a long forgotten skill he seemed hesitant to remember. He often, with an air of desperation, would give in and bring her little fantasies to life. Queen Alanna treasured these scenes. She thought it was adorable when the boy referred to her as "little sister". He was the perfect big brother Allura never had.

Lotor had planned a surprise to celebrate Allura's seventh birthday. He had bribed a castle carpenter to build her a tree house in the orchard. He had given him a bag full of credits and a piece of lazon. The carpenter was thrilled with his good luck as the prince had paid him a small fortune to build this small thing. He was careful to do a good job with it as he did not want the young prince complaining to Queen Alanna that he had been had. It was with great pleasure that the prince took Allura to the tree house. He worried as she climbed the ladder that led up to the platform. Allura as usual showed no fear.

Allura was thrilled with her new playhouse. Inside, he had waiting for her a human tradition that his mother had always insisted on having when he turned another cycle, though he really did not like cakes. He had convinced cook to make a small one for Allura. He sung the traditional song as she blew out the candles. He tried to get her to tell him her wish so he could grant it by trying to deny her the presents he had hoarded in front of him. His father, though lacking in affection, had granted Lotor a generous allowance and he showered her with gifts of dolls, toys and even a sapphire necklace to match her eyes. Allura, as usual, would not budge and he ended up giving her the huge pile he had amassed anyway.

It was a simple room. It had a small couch and a table. There was a basket with a pulley outside. To the children the tree house was a castle, a fort and a spaceship. It became their hiding place when the pressure of the Castle became too much to bear. It was the secret place to escape to when dignitaries arrived or when an unloved tutor was searching for them. Lotor was entranced with his princess. She was the purest thing he had ever met. She was perfection. She viewed him as a noble prince to her rescue. He was her knight in shining armor.

She brought him through the forests surrounding her Castle. With delight, she showed him all of her favorite places that she went to escape the eyes of her Nanny who always seemed to be five steps behind the children. Lotor, with an animal's sense of territory, committed all of them to memory.

She took him to a waterfall where they would swim and cool off under the cascades. They would strip down to their underwear and tee shirt and sit for a long time under its spray. He taught her to dive into the swirling green and blue pool below. He loved the way that her eyes seemed to sparkle as she came up in the water. Nowhere on his world was there such a magical place as that waterfall..

Eventually, Nanny would find them. The woman, he thought, would have been an excellent tracker for his father's hunters.

Nanny would yell at him for encouraging Allura's dives. He, however, would argue that her form was improving. She would chide the princess for swimming so immodestly. He would tell her that humans were too prudish. She would lecture the boy who, at times, would have a hard time deciphering her thick words. He would make up his own dialogue in his head and laugh. This only served to infuriate the woman more.

When they got back to the Castle she would refuse to give him any sweets thinking that this punishment was horrible to him. He did not understand this human love of these things called desserts but he would play the game. He would pretend to sulk and beg of her until she gave in. Even the harsh Nanny would give in to his odd charm and Allura wish she knew how he did it. He would flatter her hair, her eyes and her cooking skills. He could make Nanny laugh. Soon, Nanny would pile his plate high commenting on how gangly and thin the boy was. His huge hands reminded her of a large pup's paws. She would tell him that he needed to go live in the mountains where they would feed him properly and build up his muscles. Allura protested that Nanny always gave him more than her. Nanny answered that it was her job to make him big and strong so he got the extra servings. He even occasionally let her give him a pat on the head. Lotor was glad that the abrasive woman she did not know that on his world it was an act of deep submission. Lotor did not know why he allowed her to touch him, as he hated it, but he had to admit to himself that the woman intimidated him at times. When Nanny turned her back he would pile what he could on Allura's plate or hide it in a napkin. It was another one of their games.

Queen Alanna was amused at their adventures. Nanny was not. Nanny warned them that the boy was too interested in the girl. They should keep them apart or they would have a Drule prince for a son-in-law. King Alfor and Queen Alanna laughed at the very suggestion. He was a child who was playing with spaceships, wooden swords and braiding flowers in their daughter's hair. They were the best of friends. Coran would occasionally be present when these games were going on. He would shake his head and walk out of the room. Whatever feelings he had about the young Drule he had learned to keep to himself.

Lotor had fallen in love with Arus. He feared the day that his father would call him home. Occasionally, he thought to himself, that this had been his mother's world and it was his right to be here. She had once seen Aras's flowers, its trees, its blue oceans and yellow deserts. She had been brought to the dark world of his father where there was only clouded sunlight for but a few hours each day. She wondered what she must have thought as she overlooked the black ocean that lapped against the Castle – rather than the sapphire blue ones that bathed this planet. It must have been too much to bear. He wished he had more memories of her before she died. He was young and he had not learned to place them properly yet. The aftermath, which was crystal clear, had been horrible and fearful days.