Shattered
By Shannon (AKA KittyShan, LancesKitten)
Originally Published 10/20/2015
Disclaimers: Voltron and all associated characters are owned and copyrighted by WEP. Original/new characters belong to the author.
Be Advised - Adult Situations, adult language, sexual situations, violence.
Rating: M Violence, Sexual Situations
Chapter 8
The depravity Sven had witnessed today seemed unreal. People forced into slavery, used in the most atrocious ways. Animals twisted by dark magic until their species were no longer recognizable. Experiments performed on all manner of creature, man and beast alike, that were so sickening he had to fight the urge to expel the contents of his stomach. And that was just the beginning!
The deeper they moved into the bowels of Castle Doom, the more disturbing the "sights" became. And the more glee Prince Lotor took in sharing them. It was the definition of perverse.
Lotor turned to look at Sven and flashed a quick smile as he announced, "And now, our crowning glory!" the Drule had to admit, he was impressed by this human! So far, it seemed nothing got under his skin - his face remained expressionless. Even better, he remained quiet, listening rather than constantly blathering on and on like that irksome Captain Keith. The Prince's smile grew into a grin, 'I bet Keith won't have so much to say when he sees my new robeast!'
"Come, Ryou," Lotor indicated they should enter a nearby doorway. "This is a project my father and I have spent many years working diligently on. One of the few things we built together!"
Sven stepped through the arched door and into what he could only describe as a living nightmare.
"This is where we teach our children about inferior species."
Sven felt his legs shake as he looked around a room with all manner of species, humanoid and animal alike, stuffed and mounted. It seemed there were hundreds of alien races on display; thousands of victims. Men, women - adults, children... Infants.
Some of the displays were scientific. Skeletal remains hanging from wire frames. Creatures that had been skinned, preserved in tanks of liquid (much like the one he had recently been freed from) so their musculature systems could be studied. Skulls cut open and brains displayed, organs in cases with descriptions of what they were and how they worked.
Other displays were of differing species in their natural habitats, animals in the wilds of their home planets - or humanoid creatures in their dwellings... Replicas of homes; of families. One showed a family sitting together and playing a board game. Another a couple sharing an intimate dinner.
Stepping forward, he read a plaque placed before a particularly disturbing scene - a man and woman in a room that resembled a hospital, looking for all the universe as if they were holding their newborn child for the first time.
Terran adult male and female with freshly hatched larvae.
"I caught those beasts myself," Lotor said from over Sven's shoulder. He sounded incredibly proud of himself. "It was on my first raid on Terra. My father was so proud of me - to make such a large and important kill when I was still so young! Do you see how clean my kills were-" he pointed, "-when I slit that woman's throat it did leave some scarring, but I used a small curved blade on the man and you can barely see anything!"
When Sven remained silent, Lotor took it as a sign of awe, and continued on. "This is what inspired my father to create this place! A museum of sorts, where we can teach our children all about animals like-"
"Animals?" Sven's eyes blazed with fury as he turned to face Lotor. "These are humans!"
Again, misreading the situation, Lotor sought to soothe his new friend's concern. "Now, now Ryou. Do not worry! Although you may not have quite the superior intellect, nor the exceptional physicality of someone like myself, or another of my species, we do recognize there are special specimens from all species, like yourself! We have found that there are always exceptions, and that they make wonderful pets!"
"Pets?" Sven repeated. He was beginning to feel rage burning throughout his body and knew he had to get it under control. Looking down at his boots, he briefly closed his eyes and reached for the bright white light he had found his way back to early this morning. When he felt the light's brilliance, he wrapped his entire body within and allowed the calm to wash over him.
"Perhaps the word 'pet' is incorrect." Lotor felt somewhat ill at ease. Last night in a private conversation, Hagar had been sure to reiterate that Sven had no memory of his former life, but that he would maintain a large amount of his knowledge as well as a certain degree of his personality. 'It seems this Sven has a bit of an ego!'
"I do not wish it to seem that we are not friends, Ryou! You are indeed a fine specimen for a human. But, even you must see, we are not equals."
After an intensely quiet moment that Sven used to regain control over his temper, he replied. "You are correct, Prince Lotor. We are not equal at all."
Unaware of underlying meaning to Sven's words, Lotor grinned. "Glad you can see things my way!" He clapped Sven on the back before turning toward a door in the far end of the room. "Now, we will continue through there! We have a small dungeon over here. There are a few cells to keep the animals we are going to kill for the museum, but we also use those cells for important prisoners!"
Sven allowed Lotor to usher him across the massive room only because he was at a complete loss of what else to do right now. He didn't know how much more he could take. His self-control and composure were already beginning to crumble. As they reached the door, he still didn't know what he was going to do, but he had to find a way out of this place. With every beat of his heart, he grew more confident that this was a place he did not belong.
When Lotor spoke, his tone was almost jubilant, like a child showing off a new toy, and it drew Sven's attention back to the moment.
"I have a special guest staying here, right now!" Lotor grinned and used his hands to outline the shape of an hourglass. "Just wait until you see her! She's an incomparable beauty."
: )
: )
Romelle was alerted by the sound of boots clicking on the stone floors. Her hands began to tremble and her stomach knotted with anxiety. She could tell there were at least two people approaching.
'It must be Lotor with whomever he was talking about bringing to meet me...' She didn't understand the game that was being played, but she had a pretty good idea of why.
After Lotor had assaulted her, her two missing maids had returned to the cell along with a female Drule whom Romelle had never met before. The Drule hadn't said much, and had been quick to discourage any unnecessary communication between the Polluxian Princess and her ladies-in-waiting.
'At least I know they're still alive!' she thought as she considered the situation.
After they had helped her bathe, she had been dressed and her hair styled. Then just as quickly as they had been returned to her, the two maids had been ushered from the room and Romelle had been left alone once more.
'This must be about Sven!' she thought, and not for the first time. She looked down and ran a hand across the pink satin of the dress she now wore. Why else would she have been forced to wear what looked to be the tattered remains of her cousin's old gown. She shook her head, '... this is insanity!'
She wondered where the dress had come from and a chill ran up and down her spine. The more she examined it, the more certain she became that this wasn't just a replica of Allura's gown. Shutting her eyes tightly, she prayed for her cousin's safety. Lotor's obsession with the Princess of Arus was absolutely appalling.
For all the stars in the galaxy, she could only think of one reason for the dress - Sven's memory was returning! She had to hope this was the case. The only other idea she had come up with was that Lotor or Hagar felt the need to see just how Sven reacted when faced with what should be a familiar figure in distress. Either way she had to hope that she could find a way to trigger his memories of Princess Allura.
She saw something move from the corner of her eye and turned to face the cell door just in time to watch Prince Lotor approaching, a sickeningly delighted smile playing across his deceptively handsome face.
"My Sweet," Lotor drawled while eyeing Romelle. He turned to face the nearby guard. "Open this door."
As the Prince of Doom stepped aside to allow for the guard to unlock and open the cell door, Romelle caught just a glimpse of the man with Lotor. She couldn't see much, but she could tell he was human and that he matched Allura's description of Sven.
"Now," Lotor spoke as he stepped through the doorway, confidently approaching Romelle. He placed a kiss on her cheek before taking her hand in his own and moving to stand at her side. "May I present to you, my dear friend Ryou. And Ryou, this is my paramour, Romelle."
When their eyes met it was if the entire universe had melted away, leaving behind just the two of them.
Romelle's breath caught in her throat. Tall, broad-shouldered, slim. Hair so black it shone with purple highlights; eyes so blue it was like looking at the night sky just as the stars began to twinkle. Perfectly arched brows, a straight nose, and lips that looked oh-so kissable! Oh, he was certainly the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on to be sure, but this feeling had nothing to do with that. There was something in those eyes of his. She couldn't name it, but in that moment, she felt as if his soul called to hers, singing a melody only they knew. She didn't understand how, but she knew he felt it, too.
The spell was broken as Romelle slowly became aware of the growing intensity of Lotor's grip on her hand. Glancing up, she saw that the smile had faded from his lips. Fear began to bloom in the pit of her stomach at the snarl that now twisted the Prince's face - he was on the verge of flying into a fit of rage! Quickly, she dropped into a curtsey, lowering her head and speaking so softly that both men had to strain to hear her voice.
"It is an honor to meet any friend of my beloved Lotor."
Lotor's jealous fits were no secret anywhere in the universe, and she knew she must keep his attention directed away from Sven, at least for a moment or two. It seemed that was all the time it ever took for his mercurial temperament to flip moods once he was distracted. Romelle seized the opportunity to throw the Prince off his game just a bit by looking up at him through her thick lashes and gracing him with a beguiling smile.
Lotor couldn't help himself. He brought Romelle's hand up to his lips and placed a kiss on her palm.
And that's why the Prince of Doom never saw Sven coming.