Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. I make no claim to them. Other characters and the story belong to me.
Enjoy!
Chapter 15: Boundaries
Lion Practice had been successful and the Voltron Force had just put in a grueling two hour self-defense practice. Lunch had been devoured and the members of the team had separated to attend to their own duties. Hunk and Pidge were making modifications and improvements to the Lions' shields. Lance and Keith were working on strategies and flying patterns that they wanted to try at practice the next day. Allura was in her office going over and granting requests from her people. She was also working on avoiding Nanny.
Her anger returned with a vengeance at her confrontation with Nanny this morning. She had been going it over and over again in her head. She needed to address it. She wasn't sure how. She wanted her relationship with Keith to be between her and Keith. It had nothing to do with Koran, or Nanny, or the members of the Force, or the people of Arus. She just wanted to enjoy being in love and experience every part of this journey. She came to a decision. She jumped up and hurried to the communications panel.
"Hello," came the voice from the speaker. "Princess, is everything ok?" Concern was evident in Keith's voice.
"Yes, Kei-, Commander," she responded. "I just… need to talk to you. Are you busy?"
She heard muffled voices before he said, "It's fine. I'm on my way. Where are you?"
"In my office," she replied. "I am inviting Koran and Nanny, too. There is something that the four of us need to discuss."
"Ok," Keith sighed, a rock in the pit of his stomach. What could be so important that she would need Nanny and Koran there? And why did he dread that it had something to do with him?
Keith was the last to arrive. Nanny sat in the overstuffed chair near the door. Koran sat uncomfortably on the loveseat. Allura was perched stiffly on the edge of the desk until the door opened to reveal Keith. Her face relaxed into a smile and her body released the breath she had been holding. Because there was no need for secrecy here, Keith greeted her with an embrace and a kiss on the cheek. She nodded for him to sit down on the couch next to Koran.
Allura cleared her throat, "The reason I called you all here is because you are the most important people in the world to me. I know you each love me in your own way and you all feel a need to protect me." She looked at each of them in turn before she continued, "Koran, I am so grateful to you for being open to a relationship between Keith and me. It seems you saw something before even we did. Your blessing means as much as if it came from my own father." She smiled at her royal advisor. He relaxed his posture as he returned his smile.
"Nanny, I know you want what's best for me. Even you have to admit that you know that Keith is what's best for me, even if he is not royalty. Thank you for being willing to stand aside and let me be with Keith," she offered a smile to show that Nanny was forgiven for this morning. Nanny returned the smile and dabbed at the corners of her eyes.
Her eyes found Keith's. He offered her a supportive smile and reached out and touched her hand, an offer of love and reassurance. "Keith, you're here, because there is something I need to tell you. Something I need to tell all of you. I hope you can forgive me and look past this indiscretion. This is something I should probably reveal in private, but I wanted to have to avoid having to repeat it or make excuses for something from my past. I also wanted to reveal it to be able to make whatever decisions I want in my future." She paused and took a deep calming breath.
She sat back on her desk and continued, "I know that I am supposed to be the virtuous Princess Allura, heir to the Throne of Arus. I have the reputation of being 'untouched' and 'untainted'. It's one of the reasons Lotor wants me so badly. The truth is…" she stopped and choked back a sob, "I'm not. I lost my virginity when I was 14 to a friend, a guard's son, who died long ago. It was a moment's lapse in judgment. I thought we were going to die." She hiccupped. "I have lived with this guilt for almost ten years." She broke down completely and put her head in her hands.
Strong arms came around her. She smelled the familiar scent of Keith, his clean, fresh, soap smell. "Hey, hey, Allura," he whispered. "Shhhh! Don't cry. The past is the past. What we have is our future." He kissed her lightly on both eyes, then her nose, before his mouth found hers.
Just before he deepened the kiss, a clearing of the throat reminded Keith that they were not alone. He looked sheepishly down at Koran and Nanny still sitting in their respective seats. They had been uncharacteristically quiet.
"Well," Koran began. "This is a shock indeed. But then again, it really doesn't matter what we think. If the Commander accepts that, then I suppose we should look past it as well." He pursed his lips and looked at Nanny. Nanny said nothing. All color had drained from her face as she stared at Allura.
Rage took over Allura's face. "You're right, Koran!" she spat. "It shouldn't matter to you or to Nanny. And that's one of the reasons I wanted you here to hear this. You and Nanny gave Keith your blessing. You know he's good for me. There is no virtue that needs to be protected. It's gone, like the boy who took it." She turned to Keith and repeated her proclamation, "There is no virtue that needs to be protected. I am free! You can have me, heart, body, and soul."
She turned back to Nanny and Koran, her queen face back again. "I want to be free to love Keith, any way I see fit. I am a woman; not a girl who needs her guardians watching over me and telling me what to do. I want to love him, emotionally and physically, without interference from you. I can be with him any time I want, in his room, in my room. It doesn't matter. You will not question me. You will not question him. Do I make myself clear?"
Koran simply nodded with a deadpan face. Nanny was sobbing into her handkerchief, but managed a nod as well. Allura stood and left the room. Keith stood and glanced back at Allura's guardians, before he followed his love out the door.