Coran ran his fingers through the red curls that fell to the side of his face. He always liked to look as presentable as possible before he interviewed people like this. This particular meeting was going to be a very significant one. There had been several candidates that had been examined to be the new Captain of the Royal Guard but this one held a great deal of potential. He adjusted his ponytail one final time.
Coran had no issue admitting to himself that his hair looked particularly gorgeous today. It was shiny and smooth like a silken blanket. His skin was practically glowing. Appearance was a vital part of first impressions. Appearance was a vital part of quite a few things in actuality. He fiddled with the ends of his mustache to make sure they curled up in just the right way.
When he was finally satisfied with how he looked, Coran scooped up his datapad and headed out the door. He brought up this latest candidate's information on his datapad. He was looking forward to finally meeting her. They'd only briefly spoken over telecoms. She was a tad awkward but he got the feeling that would go away with time. Coran knew by this point Alfor had gotten rather tired of these interviews. The King was being rather picky though, he didn't want just anyone guarding little Allura.
Coran headed for the grand entryway to the Palace. It was the room where every guest was first received. It wasn't exactly in the best shape at the moment. The servants were still cleaning it up after the grand reception they'd had the previous day. The Alteans had been receiving quite a few visitors since the Queen had passed away. Their sympathy was deeply appreciated, though the visits seemed to be draining the King quite a bit. The stress of the entire situation had driven the last Guard Captain to retire. It was understandable but the timing of it was rather unfortunate.
The latest candidate was already waiting in the reception hall when Coran arrived. She was significantly shorter than Coran had imagined. She was a stout woman with olive skin and thick brown hair that was pulled back in a ponytail. She seemed rather stiff and she wasn't looking over the hall like their other guests had. She wasn't marveling at its beauty. She seemed to be examining every nook and cranny of it in a more practical way. It looked like she was trying to see what might be hiding in the shadows.
Coran tugged on the blue sleeves of his silken uniform to ensure that they were wrinkle free and caught the light in just the right way. Coran tucked his datapad under his arm and put on his best and brightest smile.
"Madame Nayni Nordontu, it is a pleasure to finally meet you," Coran said.
He bowed with a great deal of flourish. Nayni really didn't seem to know how to react. Coran was used to this. Not everyone was as knowledgeable about social graces as he was. Nayni tried to smile but it looked more like a cringe. Her salute was even more awkward. It was surprisingly adorable.
"Um—yes-it's nice to umm-" Nayni stammered.
She tried to sneakily glance at something she'd written on her arm but she was doing a rotten job of it.
"Nice to meet you Royal Advisor Coran Hieronymous Wimbleton Smythe," Nayni said.
She seemed to get a tad tongue-tied. That was also something Coran was quite used to. Nayni shook her head. She still seemed rather embarrassed.
"It's fine," Coran assured. "I know it's a mouthful."
He gestured for Nayni to follow him. She had to take three steps to keep up with just one of his but she did it with ease. She may have been short but she carried herself as if nothing intimidated her. She cleared her throat and Coran peered over his shoulder at her.
"How would you prefer for me to address you?" Nayni asked.
Coran smiled.
"Mister Smythe will do," Coran said.
Nayni nodded. She already seemed to be easing up a bit. But it was only natural for her to feel nervous. Everyone they'd spoken with thus far had been nervous. An opportunity like this didn't come up very often. She was about to meet Alfor too. That was a big deal for any Altean.
Coran escorted her through the grand hall and out into the courtyard. He'd gotten rather tired of conducting these meetings in his office. He found it only made the candidates more nervous. It was for the best if he made them feel a bit more at ease before they spoke with Alfor. The white marbled pathways of the courtyard were glistening in the light of the morning sun. The emerald grass and shrubs were neatly trimmed. The royal banners hanging from the Palace walls were wafting in the gentle breeze.
He was certain that Nayni had just given him the up-down with her eyes and it made him smirk. It was always pleasant to be admired by someone but he wasn't sure that's what had actually happened. By the stern look on her face, it was more possible that she was just sizing him up. He was willing to take the unspoken compliment anyway. He'd broken up with his longtime partner shortly before Allura's mother had passed. With all the work that had to be done since then, he hadn't really had the opportunity to go out and strut his stuff again.
Nayni followed Coran through the courtyard into the main structure of the Palace. Everything about the way she moved was so stiff and calculated. She was the epitome of a well trained Guardsmen. Nayni sniffed and wrinkled up her nose as if she'd just smelt the revolting thing in the universe.
"I'm sorry is there a problem?" Coran asked.
Nayni's cheeks and ears flushed and she shook her head vigorously.
"No n-nothing," Nayni stammered.
Coran flipped his glossy red hair. Yes, he was being flirtatious but he so enjoyed showing off to people. His performance didn't seem to have any effect on Nayni. Coran pulled out his datapad and started scrolling through her resume. They continued their trek through the winding halls of the Palace towards the meeting hall where Alfor would be waiting for them.
"I just have a few questions," Coran explained. "Then you'll be meeting with the big boss man."
He flashed her a toothy grin. Nayni just seemed confused.
"I'm sorry, do you mean the King?" Nayni asked.
Coran sighed. That always got a laugh out of people. Getting Nayni to loosen up was going to be more difficult than he had foreseen.
"Yes, I'm talking about Alfor," Coran said.
As long as he kept a smile on his face and his tone chipper she was sure to relax a bit.
"So, you were in the Army?" Coran asked. "Tell me more about that."
Her expression fell a little bit. Coran almost didn't catch it but there had been a flicker of sadness in her eyes. He knew why. All of the potential candidates for the Guard Captain position had to be extensively looked into. He knew that her wife had passed away a few years ago. He knew they'd met in the Army. He knew her wife had died in the Army too. Nayni seemed to keep it together rather easily. She just nodded and kept walking by his side.
"I just served the basic contract," Nayni said. "I put in my five years and then enlisted in the Royal Guard. I wasn't a fan of all that traveling but it was an experience that will stay with me forever."
Coran nodded and stroked the end of his mustache.
"What drew you to the Royal Guard?" Coran asked.
Nayni fiddled with her thumbs as she spoke.
"I wanted to put down some roots," Nayni said. "I felt like it was a line of work that I'd be very satisfied with. I know that may sound a tad silly to be interested in standing about and staring at people but I do enjoy it quite a bit. You learn quite a bit about people's behaviors by watching them when they think no one is looking."
Nayni seemed to immediately regret what she'd just said. Her eyes widened a bit with panic.
"I sound like some kind of creep, I apologize," Nayni stammered.
Coran found this very amusing but he didn't think laughing was going to make her feel any better about it. He held himself back. He leaned closer to her and this only seemed to induce more panic in her.
"I find your honesty rather refreshing actually," Coran assured.
Nayni chuckled rather nervously but that seemed to have chipped away her wall a little bit. Her answers to his questions were rather brief. She wasn't the very verbose type. That was a stereotype among the Guardsmen but she was the first one he'd met that actually lived up to it. She was rather reserved and stiff. But it already was apparent to him that there was quite a bit of depth to her.
He'd already spoken with her former colleagues from the Army and her fellow Guardsmen during the investigation process. They all had said the same thing. Nayni was loyal to the core and was not someone to be trifled with. Some of her companions had used slightly more colorful language in their descriptions but the same idea was still consistent across the board.
As he spoke with her, Coran kept that in mind. She may have been a tad socially awkward but she'd taken down space pirates and tackled trespassers on Palace grounds. She was a ferocious woman that was willing to go to extra lengths for the call of duty. Because her answers were so brief, Coran had gotten through his questions rather quickly. He was just idly scrolling through the information on his datapad now. He knew Alfor had wanted to pry into matters of his own interest.
Coran only had a vague idea of what Alfor was going to ask her. The questions he'd asked the previous candidates had been of a nature that Coran wasn't used to. But he understood why they were being asked. The Captain of the Royal Guard was going to be working very closely with Allura. Yes, they led all of the Guardsmen and were in charge of the Palace security in totality but their primary job would be to protect Allura. And the little Princess was in a particularly delicate state as of late. She was going to require someone with a special touch.
Coran had tried to delay the inevitable for as long as he could. He couldn't make the walk towards the conference hall last any longer though. They were approaching their destination and Nayni didn't seem to be any less tense than when he'd first encountered her. It was best to just throw her straight into the fire now. He toyed with the orange curl that had fallen in front of his face. He hovered by the door to the audience room and typed into the control panel.
"Well, you'll be meeting the King shortly. Are you ready?" Coran said.
Nayni just nodded. As awkward as she had been with him, he'd expected her to be more nervous. The only indication she gave that she was tense was how tightly she was clenching her jaw. He thought she was going to grind off her own teeth.
"It's now or never," Nayni said.
The doors to the chamber slid open. He extended his hand as an invitation to escort her into the room. Nayni just brushed by him. Never in his life had anyone refused Coran's hand. Maybe she didn't realize that it was a tad rude. After chatting with her, it seemed more likely that she just found it to be an unnecessary inconvenience. Nayni straightened out her uniform and held her head high.
The audience room wasn't nearly as lavish as the entry hall or the throne room. It was a more intimate chamber that Alfor preferred over the others. He was leaning against the tall, plush, blue velvet chair that he normally sat in. The King looked especially regal today. His white and gold armor was polished to perfection. His silver hair was pulled back in a ponytail and his goatee was neatly trimmed. His rich brown skin was without flaw. Despite the emotional weight of his wife's death, he appeared to be rather content.
Coran knew this was mostly an illusion. Alfor had gone through an astronomical transformation since the loss of his wife. He still appeared to be the same man on the surface but it was during the quiet private moments that Coran saw his true colors. The warm and inviting light of the room seemed to make Nayni relax a bit. They walked across the intricately woven blue rug on the floor. They bowed, Coran's was fluid and performed with the grace of a dancer. Nayni's bow was rather stiff. It was clear she wasn't used to it.
Coran thought he saw her hands trembling slightly but she stuck them behind her back before he could get a better look.
"Your Majesty, may I present to you Lieutenant Nayni Nordontu of the Royal Guard," Coran said.
Nayni forced the most awkward smile that Coran had ever seen in his entire life. She certainly would have to get more used to the social courtesies of the aristocracy if she was going to take on this position. Alfor's smile was much warmer and inviting. He seemed to instantly put the woman at ease. Alfor had that magical power. He had the ability to make anyone from any background or alien world feel as if they had finally come home.
"It is an honor to meet you, Lieutenant," Alfor said.
He extended a hand to Nayni. She hesitated before she shook his hand but the process brought a genuine smile to her face.
"I'm the one who is honored, my King," Nayni said.
It wasn't the standard greeting but Coran took no issue with it. Alfor's piercing blue eyes flickered over to Coran. It was time for the Royal Advisor to take his leave. Coran gave one last bow and flashed Nayni an encouraging grin before he departed. He only had a vague idea of what they'd be discussing, but he possessed enough knowledge to know that it was for the best that they talk privately.
He waited in the hall and fiddled with his datapad. They'd gone through quite a few candidates at this point. Nayni was definitely a more unusual one. If she got this position she'd be jumping up quite a few ranks. There was potential for that to cause issues but if she truly was qualified for the job it wouldn't be too much of a problem for long. Coran scrolled through her records on his datapad again as he leaned against the wall.
There was quite a bit on the agenda today for Coran. He'd like to believe that things would be slowing down soon but Coran knew better. There was always work to be done. There was always something going on that Coran was needed for. He either had some grand diplomatic event to plan, some meeting to arrange or some major crisis that he needed to iron out. It was why his partner had left and it was why he hadn't really had much time for himself since then. There was always work to be done. He loved it though. He loved every dobash of it.
Coran waited quite a while before Alfor emerged from the audience chamber. He hadn't spoken with one of the candidates for this long. It was most definitely a good sign for Madame Nordontu. Coran stood at attention as soon as Alfor came through the doors. The King had a look on his face that Coran hadn't seen for quite some time. He seemed to genuinely be feeling hopeful. He was definitely very pleased. Coran could tell by the twinkle in Alfor's eye.
"Cancel your plans for the rest of the day, Coran," Alfor said.
Coran was taken aback.
"But sir-" Coran began.
Alfor held up his hand and smirked.
"She's the one," Alfor said. "Make the necessary arrangements. I want her promoted and ready to take her post in the next few quintents."
By the length of their talk, Coran had expected Alfor's opinion to be positive but this was a tad surprising. Coran started typing into his datapad. He was going to have to make quite a few adjustments to his schedule in order to fit all of this in.
"Show her to her new accommodations and make sure she's comfortable with them" Alfor went on.
Coran kept typing into his datapad as he spoke.
"I'll be sure to introduce her to all of the patrol leaders as well," Coran added.
Alfor nodded in agreement. Coran was going to have to do quite a bit to get this all set up as quickly as Alfor wanted. There were salaries that needed to be negotiated, public announcements, a ceremony was going to be required for her promotion. It was going to be quite a busy week. Alfor reached for Coran's datapad and plucked it from the Royal Advisor's hands. Coran stared at him quizzically and Alfor smiled rather coyly.
"It is of the utmost importance that you introduce Nayni to her new ward," Alfor said.
Coran nodded. He blushed a bit because he realized that the most important part of all of this had slipped his mind. It didn't matter if the other Guardsmen approved or what badges Nayni was going to have pinned to her chest. What really mattered was the start of that relationship. What really mattered was ensuring that Nayni and sweet, little Allura got off to the right start. Alfor turned to return to the audience chamber. He was probably about to give the good news to Madame Nordontu. Coran would be getting to know her quite well soon and he was looking forward to their future interactions.
Allura was watching the man that had been her pillar for years crumbling before her. Coran was hovering over the main control panel on the bridge. He gripped onto the edges of the panel. If he let go, Allura imagined he would fall to his knees. He was trying to keep it together but she knew as soon as he heard Lance's distress call that Coran had lost it. It had been disturbing to listen to. Allura had wanted to be furious. She wanted to throttle Lance but she just couldn't muster up those feelings.
She was too sick with worry. Lance and Nanny had been complete idiots. She'd thought Nanny was better than that. It seemed so out of the norm for the Guard Captain to act so rashly. Allura wasn't surprised that Lotor and Tomyko had been involved. She was just surprised that Lotor hadn't made this play earlier. She couldn't begin to understand how he'd gotten Lance and Nanny on board.
Coran kept his eyes glued to the main display and the two tracking programs. He was obsessively watching the movements of the Galra fleets and the Queen's militia. Shiro had wanted to put together a plan immediately. He and the remaining Paladins were doing just that in the lounge. Allura should be present for that but she couldn't tear herself away from her mentor.
He needed her. She needed to be there for him. They'd spent the past few years thinking they were the only Alteans left. They'd been there for each other and they needed each other now. The past few days had just been a barrage of awful events. They'd been through quite a bit. They'd survived for over ten thousand years but Allura was still terrified. She needed to get some piece of mind before she joined the other Paladins.
Allura approached Coran cautiously. She gingerly rested a hand on his shoulder. It had been awful enough thinking that Nanny, Father, and everyone else they knew had died. But to have Nanny back and gone again was awful. It wasn't just Nanny though. Lance was in danger too. He was a valuable member of the team and he was her friend.
She thought about how he'd held her the night before in the Terrapin village and let her cry on his shoulder. She smeared snot and tears all over his Paladin armor and Lance had just rubbed her back and whispered reassurances to her. Allura couldn't even explain why it'd been him she turned to. Coran had been glued to Nanny's healing pod. But she knew she could've turned to any of the Paladins but she'd turned to him. Allura's breath kept catching in her throat.
She felt like crying again. Lance had been here and then had vanished in an instant. The concept of losing the Red Lion and Lotor was scary but the idea of losing him had really shaken her. It had disturbed her in a way that she hadn't expected. Coran hadn't even acknowledged the presence of Allura's hand on his shoulder. He'd always been the optimistic one. He'd always provided her with little injections of hope and strength. Now they were both a wreck again.
Allura squeezed his shoulder and he still didn't respond.
"Coran, please," Allura said weakly.
He glanced up from the monitor. There were dark circles under his eyes and he looked pale. His red hair was messy and his ears were drooped. She knew she didn't look much better.
"I need her back," Coran said. "And Lance-"
The way his voice cracked when he spoke was breaking Allura's heart.
"We'll get them all back," Allura said.
Coran shook his head. He was trembling. She knew he shared a special bond with Lance too. It appeared both of them had an extra layer of attachment tied up in all of this. She considered all of the Paladins family at this point and Coran probably did too. But Lance had been the first Paladin that Coran had really bonded with, she had no doubt that he looked upon him as a son. Allura just wasn't sure if she looked at the Blue Paladin as a brother anymore. This confusion was not helping her cope with this situation at all.
Allura knew all of the Paladins cared about her but Lance, well, she knew exactly how Lance felt. She was definitely questioning how she felt now. It wasn't exactly the best time to be focusing on something like that. But she'd felt so grateful last night and she couldn't explain why. Coran finally pulled himself away from the main display. He had a strange look in his eye.
"You were too young to remember the first time you met Nayni," Coran said.
He wasn't quite smiling but the mere mention of that memory was so bittersweet. She couldn't really remember it. Allura just shook her head.
"Nayni seemed so overwhelmed," Coran said. "She didn't have the slightest clue what to do with this little girl clinging to her leg. It was like you were some Kabullion parasite trying to suck the life out of her."
Allura chuckled. It felt weird to laugh given the circumstances but it was a nice brief taste of relief. Coran leaned against the control panel. He wasn't making eye contact with her. He was just staring off into nothingness. He seemed to be galaxies away from her.
"But within the varga she was sitting on the floor with you helping you build a castle with your blocks," Coran said. "You were both smiling so much. You lit up the whole room. You were just a little ball of giggles and joy."
Allura wiped a tear away from her cheek. She remembered the hours she'd spent playing games with Nanny. She remembered how the Guard Captain would plead with her not to go traipsing off into the shrubbery in the garden. Allura would hide amidst the green leaves and giggle while Nanny huffed and puffed. She'd scold the Princess every time but it never stopped Allura from doing it again and again. When she was little she found it so annoying how Nanny would nag her to eat all the vegetables on her plate. She always insisted Allura keep her room neat so the servants had an easier time cleaning her quarters. Now that she was older, she knew all of that nagging came from a place of love.
Coran rubbed his eyes and let out a sigh.
"That woman loved you with all her heart from day one," Coran said.
Allura's bottom lip was trembling. She couldn't remember her mother at all. All Allura had ever possessed were some photos and the stories that her father had shared with her. Nanny was the closest she'd had to a mother. She may not have been the elegant diplomat that her mother was. She wasn't poised and graceful as her mother was. And Nanny certainly didn't handle social situations as well as her mother had. But Nanny had cradled Allura in her arms when she scraped her knee. She'd read her stories and bought her iced confections when she was sad.
Allura looked at Coran. His head was hung low again and he seemed to be struggling to keep it together.
"You were the sun to her," Allura said.
Nanny hadn't exactly been good at hiding that. She'd wait for Coran to turn around or for them to part ways but she always got that same look in her eye. She'd smile and blush. Coran had always left her beaming. Nanny was willing to do anything for that man. Maybe that's why she'd gone on this idiotic adventure. And maybe Lance had done the very same thing for Allura.
Lance had Allura laughing during her darkest moments. He'd helped her believe in herself in the thick of a fight. He'd cried with her. Lance let her know it was okay to be weak sometimes. He let her know she didn't always have to be the stoic and unshakable leader. She was allowed to be a person too. Allura clenched her fists. She was filled with a new sense of determination now.
"We're getting them back, Coran," Allura said.
Once they were back, they were going to put a stop to all of this. They weren't going to let the Queen take any more lives. They weren't going to let her destroy another world. She wasn't going to take anything else from them. Allura was ready to help lay out their plan of attack but she was hesitant to leave Coran alone just yet.
"Do you still need me?" Allura asked.
Coran looked up at the main display. They both watched the cluster of red and violet blips dance across the screen in the same loop. The Galra forces had clearly made a dent in the Queen's militia. They'd fled. They may have escaped with a valuable prize but they were still vulnerable.
"I need all of you," Coran said."Let's join the other Paladins. We've got a lot of work to do."