Allura's tiny hand reached up to readjust the basket on her head. The chubby little toddler was crouched behind a pile of fluffy periwinkle and lavender pillows, brandishing her doll as if it were a sword. Her royal playroom was in shambles and Nayni found herself somewhat overwhelmed. She'd stabbed wild beasts in the throat, spent decaphoebs camped out in the wilderness and battled with space pirates but none of that chaos compared to what this child could do. Adjusting to her new position had been much more difficult than she had foreseen. This was going to be more than standing stiffly by doorways and looking intimidating. Technically, this little girl was her superior so Nayni had to obey her. And she had been given some very interesting orders since she'd obtained this position.
Allura peeked up over her pillow fortress and waved frantically at Nayni.
"Nanny, Nanny! Hurry! Get behind cover before the nenemy combatants arrive!" Allura yelped.
The girl had taken to calling her "Nanny" because she was having trouble pronouncing Nayni's actual name.
"It's 'enemy' not 'nenemy', Princess," Nayni corrected.
She wasn't used to children. It was still awkward for her. Nayni wasn't sure how to address her. Allura just gave her a quizzical look and kept swinging her dolly through the air. She had a lot in common with this little girl though. It was not a topic that had been brought up yet in their conversations. No child this young should be clad in pink like this. Princess or not. Someone so young shouldn't be wearing the color of mourning.
"You're going to die if you don't get behind cover, Nanny!" Allura protested.
Nayni winced at the mention of death.
"Princess, your lessons with Mister Smythe are starting soon. We need to get ready," Nayni pressed.
Allura tilted her head and her confused expression was actually incredibly adorable.
"Mista who?" Allura asked.
The Princess knew very well what Nayni was talking about. She had to take a deep breath to stop herself from snapping at her.
"You know who Mister Smythe is," Nayni said through gritted teeth.
Allura started to giggle and wriggled herself in between her pillow pile. Nayni might have to fish her out again. She'd been retrieving Allura from a myriad of places. The girl liked to explore and hide at very inconvenient times. Nayni had dragged her out of a bush just yesterday. They'd spent hours picking the twigs and leaves out of her hair. Combing out the knots had been an even more arduous task. Allura popped out of the pile of pillows and giggled furiously. Her basket helmet had nearly tumbled off letting her silver curls run wild.
"You mean Coran the Mustachio Man!" Allura teased.
Nayni had to take another deep breath. The ridiculous titles Allura bestowed upon everyone were charming in their own way but Nayni was still getting used to them. She couldn't remember being that innocent and sweet. She was that little once too but that seemed so incredibly far away now. Coran would be here any moment now. There was no time to keep fooling around and giggling about pretend wars and silly titles. Nayni scooped Allura up with one thick arm. Allura squealed with delight. She kicked her chubby diminutive legs. Her squirming did little to free her but the Princess seemed to take great joy in trying to escape from Nayni's strong arms. Nayni took care not to step on the pillow fortress as she carried the Princess over to the doorway.
"Nanny, please we're so exposed! They're gonna get us!" Allura pleaded through a fit of giggles.
Nayni plopped Allura back on the ground. She was so small but she was so feisty.
"No one will ever be getting you, Princess, not while I'm here," Nayni assured.
She brushed Allura's silver curls back into place with her thick fingers. It was a fruitless endeavor to try and get her straightened out but Nayni still felt the need to make the attempt. The gilded doors to the royal playroom swung open as Nayni gave Allura a final pat on the head before their departure. Coran stood in the doorway and the light spilling in behind him made him look like he was radiating with a magic aura. A pearly white grin was plastered on his face and his orange hair styled perfectly into a ponytail. Nayni wasn't quite sure what to make of him yet. He was like some exotic bird that was constantly displaying his plumage. She wanted to hate him but he was unbelievably personable.
Allura did not hesitate to run to him. She wrapped her stubby arms around his legs.
"Coran, Nanny won't play fortress with me. She's no fun at all," Allura said.
Nayni scowled. She could be fun. She was fun. This was an entirely false accusation. Coran flashed Nayni a knowing smile before he scooped the Princess up.
"Well it's impossible to be more fun than I am, Princess, so you must forgive her," Coran teased.
He always poked at her like this. This man was well aware that Nayni could probably crush his head like a rotten melon and yet he still dared to say these things.
"I'm fun," Nayni protested gruffly as she followed them out the door.
Allura gave Coran a few pats on the arm and he set her back down. Her little feet barely made a sound as she skittered across the sleek tiles of the palace. Nayni always did a quick sweep of the area with her gaze. This happened wherever they went no matter where they were. It was her job to be constantly aware of their surroundings. It had become second nature to her in the military but she'd come to find this new cushy job was softening her instincts a bit. Coran seemed to be hanging back this time. Nayni had taken to following behind them at a distance so she wasn't sure why he was letting the Princess take the lead.
It was frustratingly awkward. Nayni was perfectly content to let them have their privacy while she kept an eye out. She looked him over briefly to try and gauge what his intentions were. He still had that sparkling grin plastered on his face.
"So, you seem to be taking to this position quite easily," Coran pointed out.
The compliment produced an unexpected emotional response from her. Nayni felt reassured. She'd not really needed reassurance before. But she had been feeling concerned. This had not been exactly what she'd expected and she'd started to doubt herself.
"I appreciate the sentiment, Mister Smythe," Nayni said. "I'm not certain I'm the best with children but I'll have to be better about that if I'm to remain here."
Allura was waving and greeting every guard and Altean citizen that they passed by. She was so loving. Nayni was envious of this little girl's ability to reach out to everyone in the world around her without any fear.
"You're wonderful with her," Coran said. "You never had any children with your-"
He hesitated before he asked. She appreciated it but there was no hiding from her past. It didn't matter how delicately people asked her questions or if they were careless about it. They all made little cuts to her still healing emotional wounds.
"My wife and I never got around to it," Nayni said.
They hadn't even discussed it. They'd never really sat down and made plans for their future. It was strange to think about it now that she was gone. It was almost as if Tomyko knew what was going to happen. That something was going to take her from this world.
"You definitely have a knack for it," Coran said. "I'm quite pleased with Alfor's decision to bring you into the fold."
He changed the subject with such grace that she hardly noticed it. He seemed to just pluck the painful topic of her lost spouse from the conversation without any effort.
They were approaching his office. Allura would be here while he excitedly told her about the different aliens that were allied with the Alteans and their complex cultures. Nayni would stand awkwardly outside but he lectured with such enthusiasm that she could still hear them through the walls. She heard every bad pun and excited giggle from the Princess. Allura tried to jump up and open the doors herself but she wasn't quite tall enough yet. Nayni scooped her up and gave her a little boost to the console. Allura slapped the controls and squealed as the door slid open.
The little act brought a smile to Nayni's face. The Princess was wriggling her way into Nayni's heart and there was little to be done about it. Allura scampered into his office. Any living space that Coran had any control over was well decorated and well kept. The man had a flair for presentation there was no doubt about it. Allura's little legs wiggled in the air as she climbed into an ornate, plush velvet red chair. Coran was hesitating in the doorway. The smile on his face was much softer and genuine than the one he'd worn before.
"If I may be so bold, Madame Nordontu," Coran said in a hushed tone. "The loss you've experienced has given you a connection to the Princess that not many of us possess. She desperately needs that compassion despite how things may appear."
Nayni was rendered speechless. He gave her a friendly nod before he entered into the office.
"I—I'll be just outside, Princess," Nayni called out.
"Yes, yes we know, Nanny," Allura sighed.
As the door slid closed, Nayni's gaze remained fixated on the flamboyant man and that precious little girl. She felt something stirring within her. She took her position by the door. Back as straight as the wall behind her, arms folded across her chest. Nayni had to maintain the appearance of strength but she felt her lip trembling and her eyes started to burn. She had not cried at the funeral. She had not shed a single tear even when the news of her wife's death was first delivered. Now the tears were coming and she could not stop them. Nayni stubbornly wiped them away with her gloved hand. It had been a few years since she'd lost Tomyko. Allura had lost her mother not that long ago. The Alteans were mourning their queen. This little girl was left with a burden that she should not have to bear.
Allura was so young that there was a chance she wouldn't remember much of her mother as she grew. Nayni wasn't even sure if she could grasp the true meaning of death yet. It was difficult for a child to grasp the permanence of such a thing. Alfor had made it clear when she took on these duties that he was concerned about Allura. She'd woken in the night calling for her mother. This was something Nayni hadn't seen. The child hadn't asked her about anything involving her mother and Nayni was glad of it. She wasn't exactly sure how to handle that situation. She wasn't entirely sure that she'd handled her wife's death correctly. It was easy to forget her own pain with that smiling bouncy ray of sunshine around. The way Allura was affecting her only made Nayni that much more determined to protect her no matter the cost.
"You bonded with and piloted two different Lions?" Nayni asked.
Lance had puffed out his chest in pride.
"Oh yeah it was no big deal," Lance continued. "I helped Allura with learning the ropes of piloting Blue too."
The Princess had sent Nayni, alone, to learn of the Paladins exploits directly from their lips. Always the peacemaker, Allura wanted Nayni to spend some time alone with them and get to know them a bit better. It had been an enlightening conversation. The four humans explained everything that had happened since they'd recovered the Blue Lion and discovered the Castle. All of them had their own personal strengths. Hunk was loyal to the core and a clever engineer. Shiro was level headed and had a solid grasp of military strategy. Pidge was fiercely determined and incredibly intelligent. Lance was the only one that still remained a puzzle to her. He came off as cocky and shallow but there was no way he could have bonded with the Red and the Blue Lion with those traits alone.
"He does stop bragging sometimes, as hard as that is to believe," Hunk joked.
Lance shot his comrade a dirty look and slumped back into the black couch. They teased each other but it obviously came from a place of love. They'd formed themselves a makeshift family and that was something that Nayni could relate to.
They had all endured so much and most of them were still children in her eyes. They should be playing at war not fighting in it like soldiers. What choice did they have though? The Lions had chosen them for this fight and they had done so much more then Nayni ever imagined possible. Allura had been right. Talking with them had been educational but Nayni still felt a little lost amidst it all.
"Don't forget, Lance, that Keith also bonded with two different Lions," Pidge teased.
Lance pouted and let out a sigh.
"Stupid Keith," He muttered.
This 'Keith' had gone to join the ranks of the Blade of Marmora. Nayni didn't know if she could really trust any Galra even if they were a rebel group. The Paladins seemed to think highly of them though. Shiro leaned forward and the couch cushion squeaked beneath his shifting weight.
"C'mon guys, you've all accomplished something to be proud of," Shiro said."It's not a contest."
Nayni saw a lot of Alfor in the soldier. It wasn't a surprise that someone with such strength could bond with the Black Lion so deeply.
"Its true," Pidge sighed. "We never would've escaped Beta Traz if Lance hadn't landed that shot perfectly."
"I am the sharpshooter, remember?" Lance said and winked at Nayni.
Nayni couldn't even fake a smile.
"How could I have possibly forgotten," Nayni said dryly.
Her comment made Hunk and Pidge giggle among themselves. Those two seemed to have forged a close bond. Lance didn't seem to enjoy the humor they were finding from this situation.
"At least when I saved the day it was cool and not because I screwed up baking cookies!" Lance snapped.
This only resulted in everyone bursting out into laughter.
"Baking can be cool!" Hunk chuckled. "And it wasn't the cookies by themselves that got us out of that. If Coran hadn't had the Slipperies there's no way we would've been able to wormhole out of there."
Nayni covered her mouth to hide the mild shock this gave her. Coran had gone through the Slipperies? That must've been disconcerting for him. She'd yet to experience that phase of Altean life. Nayni had gone through a physical exam before she was sent on her mission to the Ark and the Alchemists had warned her that she was overdue for the virus.
"How on Altea did a case of the Slipperies help you...wormhole?" Nayni asked awkwardly.
The vocabulary they used for basic scientific terms was quite strange but she was starting to get a grasp of what they meant.
"Well, my scaltrite cookies needed to be more shiny to reflect the beams in the Teludav. So Coran kind of polished them with his mucus," Hunk explained. "So it really was a team effort to get the Teludav working again."
It was quite possibly the most revolting story they had told Nayni. In their younger years, Coran and Nayni used to tease each other over who would get the Slipperies first. She didn't actually care about it but the concept of aging seemed to really bother him. He had apparently lost that wager and now owed her a stiff drink.
"That's Team Voltron though," Pidge said. "Working together to get the job done."
The job, in this case, was liberating the universe after ten thousand years of Galra oppression. It was no small task. The doors to the lounge opened with a metallic swoosh. The Princess arrived with Coran in tow. The little Paladin party was over and Nayni was just starting to really feel at ease around them.
"Well, I assume you're fully up to speed now, Nanny?" Allura asked.
Nayni scowled and Lance flashed her a devious grin. She really wished the Princess would use that nickname in private but it was something that Nayni would never escape.
"As caught up as I possibly could be," Nayni said with a forced smile.
Allura and Coran took their places around the lounge. The Princess took her seat between Lance and Shiro, which made the Blue Paladin smirk. Coran stood behind the couch, painfully close to Nayni. His proximity was making the tips of her pointed ears tingle. She didn't dare turn to glance at him. It was much easier for her to just stare at the glossy white floor. The two of them had barely attempted to address their unresolved tension and they seemed to be continuing to dance around that situation.
"Good," Coran said crisply. "Now we can really address the weblum in the room: what to do about Lotor."
The mood in the room shifted. The air seemed to grow heavier. These gossipy and giggling teenagers now bore serious expressions. They had undergone an instantaneous transformation into the roles of true war-weary Paladins. Nayni looked to Allura. She still felt like she was drowning in all this. It had never been her place to give counsel on matters of the state.
"Shall I take my leave, Princess?" Nayni asked.
This question clearly vexed the girl. Allura leaned forward, her indigo eyes narrowed with frustration.
"You're staying, Nanny," Allura pressed. "I value your input just as much as anyone else."
If this is how Allura wanted it to be then Nayni had no choice but to stay. She'd been more gifted at advising the Princess on personal matters, not those of diplomacy, but she would do her best to serve the crown.
"Lotor must know we visited the Ark by now," Coran explained. "He's going to expect some kind of response from us and soon."
He leaned into the back of the couch, resting his hand on the cushion near Nayni's head. Did this man not realize how incredibly distracting he was? It was maddening.
"I still don't trust him," Allura said. "I expected to find so much more on the Ark and we only found one survivor. A valuable survivor but still just one Altean."
Hunk and Lance nodded. They seemed to be on the same page with Allura.
"But Lotor never told us the Ark was going to be full of Altean survivors," Shiro said.
His tone was perfectly calm but his words still seemed to alarm the others.
"I understand why you and Coran had your hopes up, Princess, but Lotor didn't lie to us fully." Shiro went on. "He could've ambushed us there easily. It was in a remote sector of deep space. It would've been like shooting fish in a barrel."
Nayni had no idea what that last phrase meant and she tried to puzzle it out. She wasn't even sure why someone would want to stuff a fish into a gun barrel, let alone shoot it.
"So what?" Hunk said. "What's to stop him from turning around and stabbing us in the back? If I had a bounty that high on my head I'd be willing to do anything to win back Zarkon's favor. He fed us one piece of good intel and we're supposed to magically trust him after everything he's done? No way."
Pidge was fidgeting with her glasses. The light bouncing off of the lenses with every minute movement that was made.
"I think we can all agree that Lotor is a jerk," Pidge said. "But I think if we completely turn him away we're missing out on a lot of valuable information. We can't just let that go."
Hunk was mortified by what the Green Paladin was suggesting. Lance had the most dramatic reaction. He folded his arms across his chest and shook his head vigorously.
"We are not letting that guy anywhere near Allura!" Lance snapped. "We can't put her in that kind of danger."
Nayni was actually in agreement with the Blue Paladin and she was deeply troubled by this realization.
"No one is suggesting we do anything that risky, Lance," Shiro said. "We can keep him at a distance and still forge an alliance with him. I don't fully trust him either but Pidge is right. Lotor has information we need and quite a bit of it."
Silence fell over them. It seemed everyone had to take a moment to ponder the various points that had been made. Allura had been staring at her palms, clenching and unclenching her delicate fists. Her wide indigo eyes flickered up to meet Nayni's. She wasn't really going to look to her for a solution was she?
"Nayni, what are your thoughts?" Allura asked.
There wasn't a trace of that meek little girl in her voice anymore. She didn't need Nayni's advice.
"I don't know..." Nayni trailed off.
Coran sighed. She felt his hand grasp her shoulder firmly. He leaned forward so he too could look Nayni in the eye. She nearly soiled herself. He was close enough that he could've tickled her nose with his orange mustache.
"Nayni, you used to be able to look around the room and tell me exactly what risk every person posed," Coran said.
His tone was firm and even. It sent a tickle running down her spine.
"You know how to judge people. You know how to judge situations," Coran went on. "Your entire career was built on predicting what people might do and you were very good at it."
Nayni was certain that she was blushing furiously but there was no point in hiding it. Coran pulled away and Nayni tried to get herself together before she addressed the room. She'd never met this Lotor. She couldn't see him right now. She couldn't read his body language or hear the tone of his voice. These things were all essential to her and even with those bits of information, it was never truly possible to perfectly predict what any sentient being would do next. Nayni had just become very lucky with her guesses.
"I think the Black Paladin is right," Nayni said. "You need the knowledge that Lotor possesses but it's important to trust your instincts. If your gut tells you not to trust him that is the sum of all of your knowledge and experience culminating in one feeling. Don't ignore that."
Allura was hanging intently on every word. Nayni looked over the faces of the other Paladins. She half expected Lance or Hunk to be giving her a sour look but even they seemed to be listening with open hearts.
"If you're going to contact him find some way to do it clandestinely," Nayni explained. "That way he can't find his way back to us."
Pidge perked up at this. She'd already pulled up her computer interface. The transparent green screens hovered right in front of her face. Endless rows of code streamed before her large brown eyes.
"I could probably come up with a workaround. It's not that hard to make it seem like a transmission is coming from a different sector then it actually is in but I'm not sure just how far we could misdirect Lotor," Pidge said. "He should still be able to contact us freely but, talking to us and showing up at our doorstep with a bomb are two very different things."
"How soon could you get this up and running, Pidge?" Shiro asked.
The Green Paladin scrolled through her code for a few moments, her face scrunched up in intense concentration.
"Maybe a few vargas. If Hunk helps me out with any necessary hardware modifications it'll be even less than that," Pidge said.
Hunk was already nodding in agreement when Pidge looked to him for a confirmation. The more the plan was discussed the more Shiro seemed to be confident about it.
"Before we get too ahead of ourselves, we're all on board with this right?" Shiro posed.
There was some grumbling but the other Paladins and Allura nodded in agreement. She was surprised that it was not Allura who ultimately made the call. The decision was made by a group effort. It was not what Nayni was expecting. It was the Princess's Castle. It was her Paladins so it should be up to her. But if this is how Allura wanted to run things Nayni would not protest. Allura was wise enough to know what was the best way to go about things.
"May I make another suggestion, Princess?" Nayni asked.
Allura's ears perked up inquisitively. All the other Paladins had their eyes locked on Nayni too.
"I would refrain from telling Lotor what you found on the Ark," Nayni suggested.
This seemed to confuse them.
"Why would that matter?" Lance asked. "He'll know we went there and we found it. What difference does it make?"
Nayni opened her mouth to explain. She was ready to give him some sass because the answer seemed blatantly obvious to her. Coran stepped in before the sparks could truly fly. She felt his firm grip on her shoulder again and Nayni flushed. Even if she'd wanted to speak now he'd stolen her words away.
"We found something truly priceless on the Ark, Lance," Coran said. "If Lotor realized the real value of the information he provided for us, it'll give him more leverage. It would just give him another bargaining chip to use against us."
Allura got to her feet. She seemed to be possessed with a renewed sense of determination. She placed her hands on her slender hips as she addressed them.
"It's settled then. We all know what we need to do," Allura said.
She spoke with such authority and strength. Seeing her in action like this made Nayni swell with pride.
"Pidge, as soon as you and Hunk have completed your modifications to the transmission module let us know and we'll make our move," Allura said.
They scattered to the wind. Each of them off to see about whatever preparations they needed to take care of. Nayni wasn't even sure how else she could be useful and frankly, this Castle was still a maze to her so she wasn't entirely sure where she would go. The lounge had been full of life only a few moments ago and now it was just her and Coran. The young Paladins had been full of excitement as they regaled tales of their glory. They had discussed and debated their plans just like the military strategists of old. There were no voices echoing in the chamber now. There was simply that ever tense silence that was present when Nayni found herself alone with the Royal Advisor.
The heels of his boots clicked as he walked along the floor to the other side of the couch. When the others were around it was easier for her to distract herself from the power he held over her. Now her safety net was gone. Her eyes were fixed on him as he came around. He still moved like a dancer. Everything was constantly flowing and swaying with such perfection. Nayni doubted that he'd lagged behind like this before she arrived. He'd probably been by the Princess's side as often as possible or finding some way to make himself useful. He still felt the need to check in on her. It was possible that Coran was just ensuring that Nayni would be able to perform her duties adequately but she desperately hoped he had other motivations.
"I'm afraid you've been thrown right back into the fray, Nayni," Coran said.
He relaxed into the black, sleek chair across from her. Even when Coran was lounging around he looked like a model posing for a fashion magazine.
"Not quite," Nayni said. "I haven't actually seen terribly much yet. Hopefully, I've got enough time to get these creaky old bones in working order again."
Nayni did genuinely want to get some combat training in with one of the drones but she'd partially meant the comment in jest. Coran didn't seem to find it funny in the least. He came flying out of his chair, stopping at a tantalizing distance from her.
"Are your knees still bothering you from the sleep chamber?" He pressed.
He knelt down before her and began rubbing her knee tenderly with both of his hands. His touch made it feel as if her skin was on fire. Coran was bent on killing her with his charms. Nayni had spiraled into a blind panic rather quickly. She felt like she was going to implode. Coran worked his hands deftly over to her other knee. He was being so gentle and kind. She didn't want it to stop.
"M-my knees are fine. I-um-I was just telling a joke," Nayni squeaked.
Coran recoiled his hands.
"Oh," Coran said sheepishly.
He was still kneeling before her, looking up at her, when Hunk stumbled back into the lounge. Nayni and Coran both stared at the Yellow Paladin, red-faced and embarrassed. If Nayni was perfectly honest the boy looked like he had deeply regretted coming back to this room. Coran and Nayni glanced at each other then back at Hunk. Now his chubby brown cheeks were turning red too.
"I just left something in here but um—I don't really need it anymore. I mean, I do but, I kinda just want to leave now so-" Hunk stammered.
The Yellow Paladin fled from the lounge just as quickly as he arrived. Coran scrambled to his feet. He inched his way back towards the seat across from her. He was rubbing the back of his neck and his violet eyes darted around the room nervously.
"Well," Coran said a little bit too loudly. "I'm glad your knees are fine. I'll just—go do some royal advisory—with the Princess."
Nayni cringed.
"Yes, yes. Well, I'll see you on the bridge or something?" Nayni said.
She just sort of squeaked that sentence out. The atmosphere of the room was so thick with sexual tension and embarrassment that she very well felt like throwing herself out of the airlock to escape. Coran slinked out of the lounge. Nayni waited until she heard the soft click of the door closing before she let out a desperate sigh. She buried her face in her hands and let out a muffled scream. How much longer was she going to have to endure this?