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 8

~End of Day Two in the Mirror-verse~

Allura thanked the heavens that her mother's name had not been Guinevere. She and 'Lancelot' had requested to room together just for her safety. As this universe also knew the story of King Arthur, the name pairing would have just been too weird. As it was she was fine with Eleanor, but she wanted to snicker anytime someone said Lancelot's name. She looked at Lance who was checking the room for any surveillance equipment.

Looking over at Allura, Lance shook his head. "No bugs that I can find." His attention then turned to a small desk in the room. Orla had two data pads sent to their room with information she thought they would find useful about the current status of Allura Alt's Empire and her base of operations on Ormond. Picking up one of the devices, he moved to the single bed closest to the door and dropped his lanky frame onto it. When Allura didn't move, he inquired, "What's up?"

Allura shook her head in a negative fashion and moved to pick up a data pad of her own. Sitting on the side of her bed, she faced Lance on his. "Now that we're here, it seems a little overwhelming."

Nodding, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat the data pad gently to the side. The room was small and with them facing each other, their knees were almost touching. "We can handle it." At her nod, he continued, "But that's not everything that's bothering you."

She was too transparent to her friend so she drew a deep breath and voiced her fear. "She's had him for over thirty hours. She's tortured him…" Her voice failed her then.

Lance reached out to take one of her hands in his. "Keith's strong. He KNEW what would happen. And you know that he's been tortured before. He doesn't break easily, and he definitely won't break knowing that he has you to come back to."

Looking down at their intertwined hands, she sighed, "I know… it's just… I thought we would get here sooner than thirty hours after he did." Her eyes came up to meet his. "She could have already done… so much."

His fingers squeezed hers as he answered, "Unless she bedded him the moment they returned, I don't think it happened. He's in too bad of shape, and I'm sure she'll wait at least a few days until he's better able to give her what she wants."

Allura blushed slightly and fought down her anger. After all, this was her alternate that was preparing to rape her husband. Channeling her emotion into action, she picked up the data pad and said, "Let's look at the complex she's staying in first and then work on our route in."

Lance tamped his smile down. Now THAT was his Allura.

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Allura Alt watched Keith with interest as he carefully put on the drawstring pajama pants she had given him. She had seen the surprise in his eyes when she had dropped them on the bed beside him once she finished her ministrations to his wounds. His motions were exaggerated in their slowness. Haggar had done a thorough job with his punishment. There was only one slight blemish to his face, which pleased her. It was true that her goal was to have this talented military man father her children in an effort to produce an heir worthy of her; however, the fact that he was devastatingly handsome wasn't something to be overlooked.

The queen moved to slide between the sheets next to him. Dressed in a short nightie with spaghetti straps, she noticed that he barely spared her a glance as he directed his gaze to the ceiling. He was safe for the next couple of nights. His pained movements only confirmed that he needed to recoup. However, even with his weakened state, he was a force to be reckoned with and he needed to know the safeguards she had put in place.

Reaching out to touch his arm band, she spoke, "I think you should know a few things before we sleep." She had thought he would turn to look at her, but his gaze remained on the ceiling. A tingling pulse caused his eyes to turn toward her. "If you think to snap my neck during the night and escape, you'll never make it out of my room alive." His full attention was now on her. "The band has been modified so that it can determine the status of my life-force. If it queries my status and finds nothing, the electric pulse to stop your heart will automatically be triggered. If you think to knock me out and escape, then you should know the band has a range that I can set. Right now it's set pretty much to the dimensions of my room. If you travel beyond that range, you will receive a debilitating shock." Allura Alt smiled and watched as he turned to gaze at the ceiling again.

"I understand, Allura."

"Good, Keith. I want us to be open in our relationship; I just wanted to put that out on the table."

Sarcasm laced his response. "Your benevolence is amazing." He felt a tingle but no more. Closing his eyes, he decided to try to sleep. He was in no shape to attempt an escape right now anyway. Thoughts of Allura crowded into his mind. Was she on Ormond already? Was she still on Altea? How had the Resistance responded? He needed to rest but knew that it wouldn't come easy until he knew she was safe.

~Day Three in the Mirror-verse~

Sleep was fitful for Keith. At times he managed to drift off, but his fears for Allura and his pained body brought him awake many times. He awoke with a hiss of pain. It wasn't from his own movement, but Allura Alt once again rubbing a nail across a burned streak on his back. In an effort to stop the pain, he rolled onto his back and turned his head to look at her.

Allura wasn't smiling as Keith lay on his back beside her. She wouldn't admit it to him, but she had been consumed with thoughts of him and the original Keith that she had killed. Would he still be sleeping beside her now if she hadn't rashly killed him? She felt this Keith was more a copy of her Keith than a near-opposite and because of that, she had had the means to thwart the devastating attack on her empire. That is, if she had let her Keith live, but she had killed her advantage. She would avoid making such a mistake again. The problem was, her admirals and generals didn't know what she knew of Keith Kogane. To them, he was an obsession of hers and not a military genius. The other Keith had never been able to show his skills to the fullest before he died. The man had kept his skills hidden, even from her. It was only this Keith's ability to trick her during his last foray into her universe and then her research while in his universe that showed her that he was a force to be reckoned with. It was imperative that Keith show them his worth so that when he took his rightful place as her bond-mate, they would listen to him. His tactical genius would be needed to defeat the Resistance.

"I need you to do something for me." Her tone was serious and not flirtatious.

"I won't do anything to hurt the Resistance."

Propping herself up on an elbow, Allura Alt stared into Keith's eyes. Hers narrowed as she answered, "I figured you would say as much. However, you may change your mind when you see the consequences your actions can have." Here she stopped for a moment, and then continued. "But, I am getting ahead of myself. You see, all I want you to do is look over the security for this fortress and point out weak areas and make suggestions to fix them."

"Why? I'm sure your security people have already been over the place."

Allura Alt ignored him for a moment as she moved to stand beside the bed and stretch. When she had finished, she said, "Your place is not to question my commands, but to obey. But as you are new to this, I will allow it… this time."

"Why do you need me to look over security?"

"Due to the battles waged by the Resistance since you stole Black Lion, I have lost a number of valuable officers. Because of such, others have been promoted to fill the ranks and lead. One of my newly promoted generals has a background in black ops and has made it a point to inform me of the lack of security in this facility."

Frowning and sitting up in the bed, Keith asked the obvious. "So if she has already pointed out the many flaws, why do you need me to do it as well?"

Allura Alt walked around the bed to stand beside where he sat on its edge. "Very few of my command staff understand the tactical knowledge and strategy that you have. They didn't get a chance to see it with your mirror and they didn't see all the documentation of your skills from your universe."

"What difference does it make?"

"When you take your place as my bond-mate, I expect you to do more than share my bed. I expect you to aid us militarily."

"Won't happen," Keith said.

Allura Alt's lips formed a smile that was in no way friendly. "Before you refuse, I think you should understand the consequences of that decision." The queen picked up a long silk robe and put it on. As she pulled her hair over one shoulder and belted the robe, she moved to a video panel on the wall. After tapping in a few commands, she said, "Connect me with Admiral Graham on Ascension." Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that she had Keith's attention as he stood up beside the bed.

Keith stared at the screen. Ascension was Lotor's home world that was currently occupied by Altean forces. And what was Graham's role? His eyes studied the monitor as Admiral Graham's image came up on the panel.

Graham lowered his head momentarily as he said, "My Queen, how may I be of service?"

Smiling at the Admiral, Allura Alt responded, "Have you assembled the prisoners in the arena as I requested?"

"Of course, my Queen."

"How many are there?"

"Three hundred just as you commanded - some Alteans, some Terrans, and a mixture of other Resistance species."

The queen turned to Keith. "Three hundred, Keith. Are you ready to watch them die?"

Keith's eyes moved frantically to stand between Allura and the screen. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, are you ready to watch three hundred prisoners of war die because you refuse to assist me?" She saw that he believed her. "I have had an arena constructed on Ascension. It makes for very entertaining evenings having the prisoners fight one another. Many of the empire enjoy attending events there. The three hundred gathered in the arena will be given weapons, and only the last one standing will be allowed to live." She watched as Keith paled at the thought. She had no idea he was reliving his time in the arena. "If you agree, I will have them taken back to their cells and they will return to their former schedule. They won't be saved completely, but they will live weeks… maybe months longer." She tilted her head as she looked at him. "Your choice, Keith. Three hundred die now, or they live another day."

"You wouldn't-"

Allura Alt didn't let him finish, "Give them the weapons, Admiral."

Keith's hand shot out toward Allura Alt as he cried out, "No!" His eyes closed for a moment as pain shot through him at the fast movement. "No. I'll do it. Let them live."

Looking over her shoulder at the Admiral on the screen, she said, "Disregard my last order, Admiral, and return the prisoners to their cells."

"As you wish, Queen Allura."

Allura Alt moved to key in a command to end the transmission.

Keith just stood watching her. Watching and wondering. "Why don't you use them to get me in bed?"

Finished with the vid screen, she turned back to him. "Because the drug will work just as well, and if I used the threat against the prisoners for everything I wanted, you might grow callused enough to let me go through with it." Allura Alt moved to stand in front of him as she continued, "So, I threaten prisoners this time. Perhaps a group of orphans or a freighter carrying medical supplies the next time." She saw anger spark in his eyes as she finished, "Perhaps when I have your beloved Allura on the ground begging for her life, I will ask you to give what you choose to withhold." Turning ever so slowly, she moved toward the bathroom. "I will bathe and change and then it will be your turn. When we're ready, we'll have a light breakfast and then you can begin your study of our defenses. I've also called for the doctor to visit our room; he will tend your wounds further and give you something for the pain."

Keith watched her go into the bathroom. She had laid out the morning as if she hadn't just threatened to murder three hundred people. He shook his head; there was no understanding her.