The cramped Castle kitchen was filled with the sound of Coran's melodic humming. He was doing a rendition of a classical Altean composition that Nayni had heard be performed far too many times. It was a staple at every lavish gathering at the Palace and she'd stood guard at every single one of them. She was doubled over on the tiny white table. Her round face was almost as pale as the table's surface. Her hands were clutching to the square edges as she tried to keep herself steady. The Teludav jump still caused her a great deal of discomfort. Not all Alteans responded very well to the jumps and she was one of them. It was part of the reason she'd left the transitory lifestyle of the Army and entered the Royal Guard. She laid her head back down on the cool surface of the table. She could hear the sound of a spoon clinking against the side of a cup as Coran stirred the herbal tea he'd prepared for her.
According to him, it wasn't a concoction of Altean origin but she didn't care. She was just so desperate to stop feeling like her stomach was doing backflips. Coran set the steaming mug down on the table and gingerly slid it towards her. The tea had a floral aroma that Nayni couldn't recognize. She took a good long sniff and stared at the steam wafting up from the top of the stout cup. He'd perched in the chair next to her and was rubbing his hand gently along her back. Nayni felt too ill to protest the physical contact.
Nayni brought the cup to her lips and took a sip. The hot tea actually created a soothing cooling sensation all the way down to her stomach. She took another big long gulp, sucking down nearly half of the cup's contents. Its effects were working quickly and she couldn't be more pleased.
"What is this?" Nayni croaked.
Coran rested his hand on the small of her back. She was starting to ease up around him. Not quite enough to let all of her muddled pile of feelings come spilling out but enough to not be quite as mortified every time they came in contact.
"Hunk was having a problematic digestive system as well," Coran explained. "We visited this natural medicinal shop at the Unilu Intergalactic Space Market. The tea seemed to work out nicely for him. I wasn't too sure how it'd work for an Altean but the experiment seems to have been a success!"
He was very pleased with himself so he gave her a flirtatious wink. Nayni sucked down another gulp of the tea to try and disguise her furious blushing.
"The Unilu Black Market is still around?" Nayni asked.
Coran hadn't called it that but she assumed that's what he'd been referring too. The question she posed seemed to sap away a bit of his confidence.
"Well, not exactly anymore. The Paladins just call it a 'space mall.' There's nothing really shady about it anymore. The Unilu have become legitimate traders now," Coran said.
That was an evolution that Nayni hadn't expected to see. The pleasant cooling sensation of the tea had nearly devoured the last bit of nausea within her. The room had also stopped spinning so that was a massive improvement.
"I'm finding that a good bit of my information is-outdated," Coran confessed. "It's been quite nerve-wracking. I've sent the Paladins into some sticky situations by mistake."
He couldn't even look her in the eye as he told Nayni this. Coran was staring at his fingers while he fiddled with them. This was one the more heartbreaking things that Nayni had seen since she'd been recovered from the Ark. Coran had always held himself to high standards. Sometimes the expectations he imposed upon himself were far too high. He had to know every alien custom, every exotic ritual, and every obscure detail about biological oddities in the universe. He'd been gifted at hiding his shame when he was around others but it never really went away. It was always there teasing him in the background.
Nayni reached for his hand and took it in her's. Coran's hands were large and his long fingers didn't really fit within her stubby ones.
"You mustn't be so hard on yourself, Coran," Nayni cooed. "Think about all the times that you were right. I'm sure that's outweighed anything you may have miscalculated. Every mistake holds a lesson too."
His reaction was not what she expected. He was laughing at her. It was a soft warm laugh but it still peeved her. Nayni was trying to be tender with him. Coran clasped his other hand over hers.
"I believe you've given the Princess that same speech several times in the past," Coran teased.
Nayni's cheeks and ears flushed again. She had given Allura that lecture quite a few times. He knew all her classic lines but he needed to watch out because she knew all of his too.
"It's a good speech," Nayni protested. "Maybe if you'd listened to it properly I wouldn't have had to give it again."
The look he gave Nayni made her knees wobble. There was Coran's troublesome smirk again. And here she thought she was wise to his ways. Maybe she was but he still was able to dissolve her into food goo with one simple look.
"It's still a good speech," Coran assured. "And the kind words are appreciated."
She wanted to grab him by the collar and shove her tongue down his throat but she just sipped on her cup of tea instead. This awkward dance they'd been engaging in was going to come to a head at some point. It was more than just casual flirting. They'd moved past that long ago. What was going on now was far more dangerous. The temperature in the kitchen hadn't actually changed but Nayni felt as if it were sweltering.
"The tea is appreciated," Nayni said.
If she could steer the conversation back to a more casual direction she might be able to survive this encounter with him.
"Ah good!" Coran said. "We'll have to pick up more whenever we happen to get back there. We can't have you running about the Castle vomiting all willy-nilly anytime we make a Teludav jump."
She nodded and set the empty cup back down on the table.
"I'd like to see it again," Nayni said. "If the Unilu have changed as much as you say that would be a fascinating thing to see."
Nayni did recall the Paladins telling her about a stray Unilu merchant selling Coran a brain worm but she didn't want to press the subject. It seemed like a story that would embarrass him even more than when he'd gotten the Slipperies. So, not exactly all of the Unilu had changed from what she understood.
"It's not as thrilling as some of the other places we've visited," Coran said.
He leaned in more closely to her and spoke in a hushed tone.
"The whole place just makes me feel really out of touch and-old," Coran admitted.
Well, even the combined ages of Allura and all the Paladins couldn't add up to the amount of time either of them had been alive. It wasn't as if they had one foot in the grave but she and Coran weren't the spritely young Alteans they used to be. Nayni had put on the facade that she hadn't really cared about it but when she first noticed the wrinkles under her eyes, she'd picked up some antiaging serum on the sneak.
"We're not that old," Nayni said. "Though being surrounded by all these children doesn't exactly make me feel like a freshly sprouted bloom."
Being around Coran though had been quite the rejuvenating experience. The never-ceasing tension and anxiety were rather draining but she was starting to become numb to it again. She hadn't always had this much trouble around him. It was hard for Nayni to recall but there had been a time when she was forced to be around him on a daily basis and she had functioned. If she was perfectly honest she was barely functioning towards the end of that period though.
"Age has no relevance during war times," Coran sighed. "They've all just been thrust into this chaos and have had to make do. Sometimes I forget that they're just teenagers."
Nayni wasn't positive yet on how differently the aging process was for Alteans and humans but it seemed fairly similar on the surface. Allura was still a teenager by Altean standards but she led as if she were the experienced ruler that had seen a lifetime's worth of suffering. Coran rocked back in his seat and tilted his head towards the ceiling. The hard edge of his jaw and the lines of his neck were accentuated ever so nicely.
"Lance was just asking me about Altean courtship practices not that long ago," Coran went on. "We have private talks quite often about the different parts of our cultures. He's still so concerned with the things any teenager would be like girls and fitting in. But look at him. He's a Paladin. It's quite strange."
Nayni wasn't exactly fond of the Blue Paladin but she recognized that he was someone very important to Allura and so she was trying to learn to like him. Admittedly though her instincts kicked in and she could not hold back the question that was now burning within.
"Why was he asking about Altean courtship practices?" Nayni asked.
Coran ran his fingers through his red hair and flashed her a knowing grin.
"I think we both know why, Nayni," Coran teased.
She thought about the way Lance looked at the Princess and the way he was always concerned about her safety. He was always putting the Princess first. Nayni wasn't daft. She'd certainly taken note of it. That may have been part of the reason why she scrutinized Lance so.
"We can't possibly be the only ones who've noticed this," Nayni said.
It was entirely possible for Allura not to notice it. When Nayni was young she was dreadful at picking up on cues like that. Tomyko had practically had to bash her over the head before Nayni realized that she was interested in that regard. It was always so much harder to see things when it involved yourself. What was obvious to the people around you could fly completely past you.
The turbulent ride to the planet's surface was doing nothing for Nayni's jump sickness. The landing shuttle was jostling the four of them about but the young Princess was loving every dobash of it. This was going to be the very first time that King Alfor had brought his daughter along for one of his off-planet adventures. Allura had been ecstatic when he offered to bring her along, of course, the little Princess believed they'd be making the journey in the Red Lion. Alfor did not like to utilize the Lion for any personal matters. He believed that the Lion's powers were only meant for preserving intergalactic peace, not flitting around space and collecting plants. Allura had been disappointed at first but her father managed to reignite her excitement with ease. The landing pod made a particularly rough jolt and Nayni was forced to swallow her own vomit yet again.
Coran peeked around from the pilot seat and hollered an apology. Nayni just replied with a guttural growl. It was wonderful to see the Princess in such high spirits but Nayni much preferred staying at the Palace with both of her feet planted firmly on the ground. But Nayni was to go wherever the Princess went even if she wanted to curl up on the floor and die. Allura had grown so much since they'd first met but her feet still couldn't quite reach the floor as she sat strapped into her seat. Nayni had already set down the ground rules about half a dozen times now and she was resisting going over the rules again. The farthest she'd escorted the Princess from the Palace were to various parts of Altea. Nowhere off the planet and nowhere this exotic.
Voltron had recently liberated this sector from a band of ruthless space raiders. They'd been terrorizing this cluster of planets for years and now peace had finally been restored. The very existence of the superweapon still brought Nayni chills. The process of the Lions' construction had been a long one. There had been many nights where Alfor had kept working until the dawn vargas. Nayni would leave Allura with her night guard and return to find the Princess had only seen her father for a few tiks before he'd collapsed in his bed from exhaustion. This was more than a simple outing. Alfor was trying to make up for the time he'd lost with his daughter.
"Nanny, look!" Allura gasped as she gestured to the window.
Nayni craned her neck to peek out of the cockpit. They'd finally made it through the planet's atmosphere and the landing shuttle was gliding along the surface of a vast ruby colored ocean. The crimson waves twinkled beneath the blush pink sky. A stretch of beach was on the horizon, the sand was a strange minty hue and the blue foliage running along the shoreline looked wild and untamed. It was a spectacular view. Nayni only had to resist vomiting one more time as Coran landed the shuttle on the beach. The Royal Advisor had come along for the journey just in case they ran into any unfriendly locals. According to Alfor, the planet wasn't occupied by sentient beings but he didn't want to take the risk.
Allura had already unbuckled her restraints and started for the pod door before Nayni even started to disembark. This was going to be a bit taxing on Nayni's nerves but if it brought the Princess joy it'd be worth it.
"Patience, Allura," Alfor said.
She had no patience left. The journey had been a long one and Allura was ready for her first real adventure.
"Remember, Lurie, always be in my line of sight," Nayni pressed.
Allura sighed. She was old enough to understand the importance of the rules but it didn't stop the Princess from being frustrated with them. The King finally came to her side. He escorted his daughter down the ramp onto the beach, his white and gold armor was twinkling in the sunlight. He had one hand on his bayard and the other was grasping Allura's. Her eyes darted along the forest line. The blue leaves were rustling in the hot breeze but she couldn't detect any other movement that might be out of place. Even with her mind this focused on protecting the Princess, Nayni couldn't help but note how nicely Coran's rear end looked as he walked across the sand.
She followed them a bit more closely than she usually did. This world was truly beautiful but something about it all felt off. She could be overthinking things. She'd been excessively paranoid before but she always preferred to be when Allura was involved. Alfor was gesturing to the plants along the tree line and Allura was nodding with great enthusiasm. Coran was snapping candid pictures of them with a smile on his face. Nayni couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. All she could hear was Allura and Alfor's muffled chattering and the red waves crashing onto the beach.
Nayni kept looking over the surroundings. It would've been logical for an ambush to come from the forest but the only thing to be seen in the direction was Allura placing plant samples into the preservation capsules. The rock outcropping to the right of them would've been a good hiding place as well but the deep red stone was too small to provide much cover. Maybe she was too on edge. She relaxed her shoulders. It was just as she let her guard down that she noticed something unnatural at the base of the rock.
It was composed of geometric shapes and the gray color didn't match the environment at all. It wasn't often that nature had sharp angles like that. Nayni crept closer to it. She felt a sinking dread when she came upon it. It was a very outdated and worn stealth module. It was covered with flecks of the green sand but there was no denying what it was. She pulled her blaster from her holster and it all devolved so quickly. The stealth field beyond the rock flickered and fell away. The raiders descended on them like a pack of vermin. Nayni activated her particle shield and dove for the Princess.
The King had already sprung into action. He'd drawn his sword and was already fending off one of the raiders clad in filthy rags and rusted armor. Nayni forced Allura behind her and fired off her blaster at their attackers.
"Get her to the shuttle!" Alfor roared.
Nayni knocked back one of the raiders with her shield and planted a blaster round in his belly. She would be their battering ram and nothing was going to stop her. A flurry of rounds came flying towards them. Nayni held up her shield and watched yellow beams bounce off of it. Allura was right by her side and trembling. Nayni whirled around, her shield firmly planted behind them while Coran and Allura ran for the shuttle. Rounds continued to ricochet off of the particle shield as she slowly pushed them back toward the vessel. Alfor fought with such skill and ferocity. All of his movements were so quick and fluid. The raiders hadn't laid a finger on him.
Allura and Coran ran up the loading ramp onto the shuttle. The raiders were circling around the King like a horde of rabid beasts. She was Allura's bodyguard but she could not let the King fall. It was completely stupid but she charged the group. Alfor's blade swung through the air like a red banner in the wind. She barreled through a few of them and felt a stray round slice through her side. Nayni fell to the ground. She fired off shots at two of the raiders and Alfor struck down the rest.
Nayni clutched her side. She could feel the dampness of her blood spreading out from the wound. She and Alfor were surrounded by thick smoke and a pile of groaning raiders. They'd fended off this group but there could be more on their way at any moment. Coran was holding the Princess back on the shuttle ramp. She was thrashing to try and get out of his grasp and run to her father. Alfor helped Nayni to her feet. Her side felt like it was being torn in half but Alfor looked as if he'd barely scuffed his armor.
"We need to get you in a healing pod immediately," Alfor insisted.
Nayni had smeared a swath of her dark, violet blood across the King's armor. Every step back to the shuttle was agonizing but they had to hurry. Nayni collapsed on the ramp. Her limbs felt heavy and she could barely hold her head up. She could feel the King and Coran pulling her into the belly of the shuttle. Allura hovered over her. Her cheeks were stained with tears and she was still shaking from the shock. Nayni clutched her side and forced a smile.
"Are you okay, Lurie?" Nayni wheezed.
The Princess nodded vigorously. That's all that mattered. It was the only thing that mattered. She could feel the shuttle jerk and sway as it rose back into the air. It seemed like the vessel was slowly growing darker. Nayni tilted her head to the side. She could barely make out the form of the Princess in her blurred vision.
"It's going to be all right, Lurie," Nayni said. "You're safe."
Nayni was finding it hard to keep her eyes open. Her deepest instincts were driving her to hold onto consciousness. Alfor and Coran were talking but she could barely understand them. Allura's hysterical crying was echoing off the shuttle's metallic walls. Nayni felt someone pulling her towards them. They were far too large to have been the Princess. She recognized the faint scent of spiced tea and Nayni wrinkled her nose. Coran was pulling her into his lap.
"You have to talk to me, Madame Nordontu," Coran said. "I know you feel tired but you can't fall asleep just yet."
Coran pressed a medical mesh to her side. Nayni let her arm fall limply onto the floor of the shuttle.
"You smell awful," Nayni chuckled.
The laughter morphed into a groan of pain and her muscles tensed. The shuttle bucked and Coran tried to keep her from shifting.
"My apologies but I can't really do much about it right now," Coran said.
He plucked her arm off of the floor and slid her limp hand into his. His fingers completely engulfed hers and she smiled. Her mouth felt dry and it was taking a great deal of effort for her to breathe.
"Keep talking," Coran said. "I won't allow you to slip away. The Palace would be dreadfully boring without your grumpy mug around."
He squeezed her hand harder. She could barely twitch a finger in response. Her side felt blisteringly hot, the medical mesh was doing its job. Nayni gritted her teeth.
"I'm not going anywhere," Nayni groaned. "What if my replacement was terrible? I couldn't leave the Princess in just any fool's hands."
The last thing Nayni remembered about the shuttle ride was how genuinely Coran laughed at that comment. She also could vaguely recall how much better King Alfor had been at piloting the shuttle than Coran was. Once the painkillers from the medical mesh kicked in Nayni's perception of everything was dulled. She could vaguely recall being placed in the healing pod. She could remember seeing the Princess, her eyes puffy and red from crying, holding on to the King's hand as they loaded her in. The last thing that came to her before the pod rendered her unconscious was the haunted look on Coran's face. The fear in his eyes was the same fear Nayni had felt when she'd lost Tomyko.
They were gathered around the main monitor in the bridge. This was Nayni's first time encountering the former Voltron Paladin, Keith. His visage from the video feed filled up the main monitor. Black hair fell in front of his dark eyes. The handsome young man spoke with a deep voice and serious tone. The violet lights of his ship cast an eerie glow on his face. It was odd to see the Galra architecture in the background of a friendly transmission again. Everyone from the Castle crew seemed overjoyed at the opportunity to speak with Keith again.
The boy was very no-nonsense though. He kept the small talk short and immediately wanted to get down to business. Keith's gaze trailed off the side and he appeared to be typing into the console on his ship.
"So we had an interesting time in the Terrapin system," Keith said. "I'm sending over the data we collected right now."
Pidge darted over to her station. Her green interface lit up as the data started to pour in.
"Interesting?" Shiro asked as he stroked his chin.
The Bladesman leaned back in his seat. The video feed twitched minutely from some static interference.
"Well there were a lot of Galra battleships, more than we expected to find," Keith explained. "The Galra have upped their encryption substantially so we had a hard time listening in on their transmissions."
Pidge pulled up her Galra tracking program on her monitor. The green backdrop was littered with neon purple blips of various sizes. They were constantly shifting around the screen as if in a dance.
"Something big came in but there was too much interference for us to understand what was going on in the radio chatter," Keith went on. "But it must've been a big deal because a good chunk of the fleet broke off and left the system."
Pidge scrolled through her logs on the tracking program. She pulled up a time loop of the Terrapin system and projected it on the main monitor. Another blip appeared on the edge of the screen and they watched as the forces converged on it.
"It has to be Lotor," Pidge said. "Why else would they abandon their post so quickly?"
They watched the suspicious blip vanish from the screen and the rest of the fleet vanished shortly afterward. What remained of the Galra forces was enough to guard the planet but not much else. It was still a formidable force but it was nothing that Voltron couldn't handle.
"He's giving us a window for attack," Shiro said.
"I don't like it," Hunk said.
Hunk's black bangs bounced as he shook his head.
"So what if we fly in there with guns blazing?" Hunk said. "What if he comes back while we've got our guard down and brings a whole fleet of Galra battleships with him."
Even Nayni didn't think this was likely and she was probably just as paranoid as the Yellow Paladin. If Lotor wanted to take out Voltron, dragging in a fighting force full of people that wanted him dead as well wasn't the best strategy. He'd be fighting enemies from all sides at once. He'd be outnumbered and outgunned.
"What if they just come back on their own?" Lance said. "We can't handle that entire fleet with just Voltron. I mean we're pretty badass but not that badass!"
Allura had been pretty silent through all of this with her arms folded across her chest. She came forward now. She seemed to be dripping with determination.
"If we had back up I think we could handle it," Allura said. "Regardless of how we feel about Lotor, liberating the Terrapins would add a valuable asset to the Coalition. We need to at least give this a shot."
She looked to Keith on the monitor. There was a tension there. It was very subtle but Nayni could recognize it anywhere.
"Then we get back up," Shiro agreed. "Keith, can you see if the Blades are up to it?"
"I'll see what I can do," Keith said with a nod.
Pidge lept out of her station. Her eye's twinkled with excitement.
"I can contact Matt and the other rebels and see if they'll come too!" Pidge added.
These suggestions didn't seem to be alleviating Hunk's concerns but it was enough to stop him from protesting again.
"And if Nayni helps me operate the Castle defenses we should have all of our bases covered," Coran said.
Coran flashed her an encouraging thumbs up but it didn't quelch the panic that suggestion immediately filled her with. Keith's eyes widened and his mouth fell open.
"Whoa whoa whoa-is that another Altean?!" Keith asked.
On the monitor, it just looked like he was pointing at no one in particular but it was obvious who he was referring to. Lance grinned.
"Oh that's just Allura's old nanny, no big deal really," Lance teased.
Nayni growled. She wanted to throttle that boy so desperately. Shiro dived in and saved the conversation from turning into a screaming match between Nayni and Lance.
"All right, gang, we've got a lot to do in a short amount of time so lets focus," Shiro said. "Keith let us know as soon as the Blade of Marmora is ready to move."
Nayni was terrified of learning how to operate the Castle. They maybe had a few vargas to get her used to one of the most complicated weapons systems that the Altean's had ever created. She'd probably be of more use if they tossed her out into space and let her kick the hull of the Galra battleship.
"I'll get back to you guy's as soon as I can," Keith said.
He signed off and his image disappeared from the monitor. Allura let out an audible sigh of relief. It was clear to Nayni that the girl needed to talk. After all of the years they'd spent together she could just tell when the Princess had something on her mind. She rested her hand on the Princess's forearm. Nayni tilted her head towards the exit and Allura nodded. They still had that secret unspoken language that only the two of them understood. No amount of distance nor time was going to ever strip that away from them.
"I'll be back in a few tiks, Coran," Nayni said.
She didn't want him dropping in on them.
"Don't doddle for too long. I've got a lot to show you," Coran teased.
She couldn't even respond to that. She didn't doubt that he had quite a bit to show her and the concept of it all made her ears flush. She and Allura slipped off of the bridge, arm in arm. Once the doors closed behind them, Allura took the lead. The Princess headed for the elevator. It would be pretty hard for someone to interrupt them in there. Clever girl.
"What's going on?" Nayni pressed. "That whole meeting you were quiet as a space mouse."
Allura sighed and shook her head. Now that she could relax a bit she was letting herself unravel. The Princess wasn't that distraught she just seemed bothered. It was as if she was stuck on some difficult calculation and just couldn't figure out the solution. The elevator arrived and they entered. Once the doors closed Nayni flicked her hand over the emergency stop button. The lights in the elevator dimmed and it hovered in the shaft. The red maintenance light flickered at the base of the control panel. Allura's gaze fell to the floor. She clicked her heels together. It was an anxious tick she'd had since she was a child.
"It's so stupid," Allura sighed.
Nayni reached up and cupped the Princess's face in her hands.
"If it's troubling you then it's not stupid," Nayni said. "Tell me."
The girl had every right not to tell her anything but Nayni was nosey. She didn't like seeing Allura like this. The mission they were about to go on seemed risky. Maybe Allura wasn't as secure with the plan as she let on.
"If you're worried about this mission you should speak up," Nayni pressed. "You've got a good head on your shoulders, you know when something's not worth fighting for."
Allura sighed.
"It's not the mission," Allura explained. "I just—it's been hard seeing Keith since he left us."
Nayni had been quite off the mark with this one. Allura bit down on her bottom lip and shrugged. A faint blush was clinging to her cheeks.
"It's stupid. It's just so stupid," Allura went on. "I was just starting to grow—fond of him. I mean I never told him anything. It was irrelevant and I don't think he really looked at me in the same light."
This wasn't the first discussion that they had on matters of the heart. Allura had a few romantic encounters during her adolescence but the war with the Galra had really gotten in the way of all of that.
"It hurt when he left; much more than I'd expected," Allura said.
"Do you need me to give him a punch?" Nayni teased. "I'm not afraid of some ninja Galra rebels."
She held her fist in the air and flexed it. That got a tiny giggle from the Princess.
"I'm not naive. I know it was just a silly crush. I hadn't really invested anything into him but—it stings still whenever someone mentions him or we make contact with him again." Allura explained.
Nayni leaned against the side of the elevator shaft and smiled softly. The boy did seem her type. He was dark, mysterious and lean muscled.
"It's always the unexpected things that really get to us," Nayni said. "There's nothing wrong with having those feelings."
Allura smiled. The Princess was worried about Keith when she had a Paladin on this very vessel that was literally throwing himself at her. Nayni still didn't care much for Lance but he was still here, she had to respect him for his dedication to Allura.
"It sounded to me as if his departure was amicable," Nayni said. "You have to remember he wasn't leaving you. He wasn't rejecting you. Sometimes things just aren't working and its time to part ways."
Allura just nodded. There had been an incident when the Princess had first really started noticing boys in a romantic sense. She'd gotten so wrapped up by the fantastic idea of marrying this Altean diplomat's son. The boy had other plans. They'd never gotten together. It was just a childhood romance but it had devastated her. Nayni had held the Princess in her arms and kept her supplied with tissues and large amounts of sweets. It hadn't been long before Allura bounced back.
"It's nice to have someone to talk to about these things with again," Allura said. "I've been having to keep it all bottled up since you've been gone."
Well, that was the real problem right there. Nayni chuckled to herself.
"These things will eat you alive if you don't let them out," Nayni said. "Do you think you still like him?"
Allura just shrugged.
"There's nothing wrong with stewing on it for a bit. But you're still young, Princess," Nayni said. "Why not talk to him? If he turns you down then it'll smart for a bit. But you've got the rest of your life to find someone who you're truly meant to be with."
Allura let out a hearty laugh. The Princess was doubled over with laughter. She wiped a tear away from her eye as she collected herself.
"Oh Nanny, you're really one to talk," Allura said.
Nayni scowled. They were going to bring this up again, weren't they? The older the Princess got the bolder she'd gotten with her bodyguard. She liked it. The girl had spunk but there were just certain topics that Nayni preferred went untouched.
"I don't need to talk to Keith. That ship departed long ago. We're in completely different places in our lives now," Allura said. "But you on the other hand—"
Here it comes. Allura smirked. She put her hands on her hips and gave Nayni a sly look.
"Are you going to wait another ten thousand years before you talk to Coran?" Allura teased.
Nayni cringed. The Princess scrunched down so she could look Nayni in the eye. Staring into those sparkling indigo orbs was like looking into the eyes of a goddess. Allura was just like her father. She could make you feel as if she was looking right into your very soul.
"Maybe you should follow your own advice," Allura suggested. "I spent most of my life watching the two of you pining for each other, I think it's about time you did something about it."
Nayni bit down on her lip. She didn't like to think that it had been that obvious, especially to a child. She also didn't like that the Princess was right. She couldn't possibly admit that to Allura's face though. Nayni flicked her finger over the control panel and the elevator lights flickered back on.
"You're too smart for your own good, Princess," Nayni sighed. "But I shouldn't have expected any less from you."
Allura pulled Nayni in for a hug.
"Thanks for this, Nanny, it's really helped," Allura said.
Nayni patted her on the back. She needed to get back to the bridge and face the music. She was going to have to figure out what all those buttons on the controls panel did and she certainly needed more time then she had to puzzle that all out.
"Yes, yes," Nayni sighed. "Boys are stupid but we still have a war to win."
Allura giggled and Nayni stepped off the elevator. She stared at the archway to the bridge. There was a big battle ahead of them and an entire civilization to liberate and Nayni was worrying about training alone with Coran. She needed to get her priorities straight and quickly.