Hell Hath No Fury

Disclaimer: I do not own Voltron or any of its characters nor any of its alternate universe personas. So sad, I could become fond of a Lotor with green eyes…

Part 5 of the Chivalry story arc: 1. Chivalry; 2. Lion House Restored (& 2A. LHR – Allura's POV); 3. Doomed Quest; 4. Alternate Choices; and 5. Hell Hath No Fury. While some of the stories can be read as stand alone, this one must be read AFTER Alternate Choices for it to make sense.

Rating/Setting: Rating is T, bordering M. There are some topics that could be triggers for some people; I will try to post warnings for those chapters. However, I'm never graphic or explicit in any of my writing. If you've read Alternate Choices, you should know what the trigger topics are. Setting is DotU in flavor.

Chapter 3

The small group that exited the crypt two hours later was both encouraged and slightly worried. After explaining the situation to the king, he had departed to speak with the spirits associated with the prophecy of "the One." When he returned, he had been slightly angry. It seemed that the spirits were being difficult yet again, saying that the prophecy of the One had been completed and they had no more part in the matter. However, at the urging of King Alfor, the spirits had finally provided him with an amulet that could be used to travel to the alternate universe and back. Since the spirits knew where the alternate universe was located, they didn't have to use magic to do a search for it. Keith and Allura had both been secretly concerned that Haggar would be their only hope at universe hopping. Now they had a different option, one that could transport two to the other universe and bring back three. Allura plus one other from the Force could go to the Mirror-verse. Together they could bring Keith back. Two over. Three back. No other options.

Allura held the amulet and chain tightly in her hands. She wanted to keep it with her so she'd be able to follow Keith immediately.

As they stood outside the crypt chamber, Keith gently reached over and took the amulet from his wife's resisting hands. He leaned over and kissed the top of her head as she was not looking up at him. Instead, she was looking at his hands that held the magical, hope-giving amulet. Leaving her frozen there, he took the few steps needed to reach Coran and Gretchen. "The two of you, plus Lance, will know where the amulet is. Allura is not to know where it is until it is time."

Allura spun to look at his back. "But when the time is here, you WILL give it to me."

Keith glanced over his shoulder at Allura and then back to the silent couple in front of him. "Yes, you are to give it to her. She will come to get me." Both Coran and Nanny opened their mouths as if to protest, but Keith forestalled them. "Do you really think you can stop her?"

Allura walked up beside him to look at her former guardians. "And more importantly, do you really want to face me if he doesn't come back?" Keith looked at her, and she stared into his eyes. "If something happens to him, I have to know that I did everything I could to save him."

Coran and Nanny didn't say anything for a moment, but then Coran asked, "Who will be the other person who goes back with Allura?"

Keith and Allura both answered at the same time. However, they both responded differently. Keith said, "Lance," and Allura said, "Naveena." They looked at each other in slight surprise, and Allura said with resignation, "Well, it seems like we have a few things to iron out."

Raising a dark eyebrow at her, Keith agreed. "It seems that we do. Shall we call a meeting this afternoon to discuss the particulars?" Keith would rather discuss it as a team than face his wife alone about the issue. Turning to Coran, he said, "Call a meeting for two o'clock in the conference room. Allura and I will go to our castle chambers until it's time."

Coran nodded, "As you wish, Keith."

Taking Allura's hand, Keith moved down the corridor to the elevators. Maybe Allura would be content to spend their time before the meeting in bed… but he didn't think he'd be that lucky.

A few hours later, after lunch…

The team, plus Coran and Nanny, sat in the conference room. Keith had given them a shortened, but detailed overview of what happened on his third quest. He spent more time giving details about Allura Alt's behavior towards him and to alternate Keith since that was what really mattered, not the quest itself to recover Voltron in the other universe.

Lance had leaned back in his chair and was stroking his chin with his fingers. "So, you're telling me that Queen Allura is the female version of our Prince Lotor and her obsession is you." Keith nodded. "And you feel that she will find a way to come across from her universe to bring you back."

Pidge looked thoughtfully at Keith. "The technology required to do such a thing doesn't currently exist. At least that we know of."

Hunk snorted, "Like the scientists and higher ups would tell us if that were possible. People would be scared. The technology could be out there, but I don't think that anyone would admit to having it."

"Magic." All eyes turned to Lance. He stopped stroking his chin and held his fingers up. "What? That's more or less how Keith went there, right? Queen Allura has Haggar on her side… so with a magical power like that, who's to say what she can or can't do." His eyes turned to Keith. "The only problem is, our Haggar isn't on our side. So what are we going to do?"

Keith turned and nodded at Coran who extended his hand to gently lay the amulet and chain on the table.

Leaning forward, Naveena looked at Coran who nodded. She gently pulled the piece of jewelry toward her. The amulet was a silver disc suspended by a matching silver chain. The disc was covered with intricate engravings, which seemed to move somehow on the disc. Besides the engravings, the only other notable feature was an inset crystal blue stone. Naveena studied it and as her fingers went toward the blue stone, Allura spoke loudly.

"Don't touch the stone." Allura's voice softened as all faces turned to her. "The amulet is our way to the mirror universe and back. When the time comes, I will press the stone. Pressing the stone again will bring us back."

Lance was watching Allura closely as he said, "How many can it transport?" No one thought it odd that he didn't question the ability of the amulet. After all, they had watched Keith come and go any number of times over the past year. This wasn't that big of a jump for them to make intellectually.

Allura's chin tilted up as she answered. "It will take two there and bring three back. Whoever is touching me."

Leaning forward and looking at the table as he traced imaginary patterns, Lance asked, "And besides Keith, who will be holding your hand?" He looked up and pinned her with an intense look.

Keith cleared his throat, bringing all faces, including that of his second in command, to his. "Allura and I differ on who should accompany her. We were hoping that you could help us work that part out."

"Well, Allura would need someone who could help convince the Resistance that she isn't Queen Allura. To do that, I would think it would be need to be Hunk, Pidge, or myself," Lance responded.

"It would need to be someone that could protect her." Hunk crossed his arms.

Pidge straightened his glasses. "I think having someone that could hack through the security systems and information would be important."

Naveena quietly spoke, "Or she might need someone who they don't know, someone who can move about without being recognized by Queen Allura or the Resistance." All eyes turned to her as she continued. "Keith didn't mention me at all in his account." She shrugged. "Perhaps I'm on the wrong side or dead, but it doesn't matter if we are in an area of Queen Allura's influence and not the Resistance."

Allura's eyes sparkled as she turned to Keith. "See, she agrees with me."

Resting his crossed arms on the table, Lance drolly said, "But I don't, Princess. You'll need to get help from the Resistance and for that you really need one of us."

Naveena stiffened. "We could take a vid or something with us that would indicate we are from Arus, not Altea. It doesn't have to be one of you in person."

Steepling his fingers under his chin, Coran said, "Both Lance and Naveena have voiced valid points. No one is questioning any of the team's ability to assist Allura in returning Keith to Arus. I don't think we need to make a rash decision about this, but take some time to think it over."

Sounds of agreement for tabling the matter for a few days sounded quietly around the conference room. Allura and Naveena locked eyes before standing and when they exited, they exited together without a glance to the men who cared for them. Coran and Nanny headed out, talking to each other about the best place to hide the amulet, and Hunk and Pidge left muttering about weapons or tech that might be able to cross with the travelers… whoever they might be. That left Keith and Lance sitting at the table across from each other. Keith didn't look up, but stared at the platinum and gold band inset with a small blue stone that was his wedding ring and his ring of status as Prince Consort. The filigree work was delicate, yet masculine and was the matching ring to Allura's. It was his as the future Prince Consort and as the husband of the Princess and soon to be Queen of Arus.

Still gazing at the winking stone, Keith said, "You know you are my choice." Looking up from the ring to his friend, he continued, "It's not that I don't trust Naveena; I just trust you more."

Lance didn't say anything for a few moments, the silence heavy with the thought of Keith's uncertain future. "How do you do it, Keith?"

A puzzled look crossed the commander's face. "Do what?"

"Watch Allura go into battle? How do you do it?" He saw Keith lean back in his seat. "I mean, I've gone into battle with Naveena to fight robeasts and it's hard to do. If she ends up going with Allura through the looking glass, how am I supposed to function over here?" In an uncharacteristic display of emotion, Lance quietly said, "I could lose three of my best friends without any chance to help them."

Keith closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them to focus on Lance. "I go into battle with Allura because I know it's part of who she is and part of what I love. It's easier when I CAN go into battle with her. Letting her go off with Doren during the Lion House quest was one of the hardest things I've ever done. If…when she comes after me, it will be harder. I KNOW that the queen will have that damned bond-mate arm band on me as soon as she gets me. I won't be able to do much to help Allura until that's off."

"That puts you, Allura, and whoever goes with her in a tough spot."

"Exactly. That lock pick isn't something I can have embedded for long term… just waiting for when the queen will come. I'll have to find another way to get it off if I can. So you ask how I stand it?" Pushing back from the table and standing, he said, "I stand it because I don't have any other choice," and then smirking at his friend, "and because Allura wouldn't have it any other way."