Author's Note: As if Allura doesn't have enough trauma in her life, she is about to get more!
KathDMD – Yes, both Allura and Vince could use a lecture on the evils of snooping!
E.M. – Don't worry about Pidge, it will work out!
Confrontations and Declarations
Allura was in her study, with Count Fredericks who was trying to talk to her. She was ready to swat him, as he went on in his mincing way, never getting to the point. She was worried sick about Larmina, and furious with what Pidge had been doing in Larmina's room.
"Fredericks, is there a point to the family history lesson?" He had been trying to tell her about her brothers, hoping she might see a lesson in it. At the back of his mind Fredericks was thinking that he would have to give high points to Coran, for dealing with Her Majesty all the time.
They were both startled when the doors to the study were flung open with force. Allura was shocked to see Lance striding into her office like he owned it. The sentry was right behind him and saying "Her Majesty is not seeing anyone right now, Commander McClain!"
"She is damn well seeing me, and damn well going to listen to me to!" Lance said with fury, and Fredericks was surprised that steam wasn't coming out of his ears. He remembered Lance's comments, earlier in the day, about Allura. Fredericks got a satisfied smile on his face.
He walked over to the sentry, and took his arm saying "Riggs, come along. I think Commander McClain wants to talk to Her Majesty." Allura looked over at the Court Marshall and said "I have nothing to say to him! Get him out of here now!"
Fredericks was at the door, and bowed saying "I think the Commander has something to say to you!" He closed the door behind him, and hoped that the Red Lion pilot would bring Her Majesty to her senses. The sentry said to Fredericks "I hope you know what you are doing!"
Inside the study Lance and Allura faced each other were blazing eyes. "What do you think you are doing Lance?" Allura asked in a rage. Lance, looking at her, and the expression on her face was taken aback by it.
"When did you become so cold, Allura?" Lance asked, in surprise and fury! Allura said "You have some nerve barging in here! My niece could be dying right now!" She was seething with anger, and overcome with worry. Having Lance in a rage, in her office, was not helping her mental state at all.
"Yes, she might be dying, and you won't let the man who loves her see her, or even know what is going on!" Lance stormed, getting into her face. That reminded Allura of what she had seen in Larmina's room and she said "Oh please, I would hardly call it love! What does either of them know about love?"
Lance laughed bitterly and said "I'm guessing a lot more than you do!" Allura heaved her chest and said "You don't understand, he has been. They are. He has been." Allura stopped, not even able to voice what she was trying to say. Lance was looking at her in shock, and she finally managed to get out "They have been together!"
Lance, in other circumstances would have had a good laugh at the look on Allura's face as she said it. He remembered back to when he had figured out that Larmina and Pidge were sleeping together, and he had thought that Allura would get her panties in a wad about it. It had always been just an expression for him, up until now. Lance looked at her standing there, and realized that she did look like her underwear was wadded up.
"For heaven's sake, Allura! They're having sex! So what! They are in love, and people in love have sex! Lots of it, all of the time! That is what they do, at least in the real world!" Lance announced, in a loud tone of voice.
Allura looked at him in total shock as he said those words! Lance went on "You ought to think about trying it some time! It would do wonders for you! When was the last time you had any fun?" Allura couldn't believe he was saying that to her, talking about sex and fun at a time like this!
"What happened to the girl who I used to laugh with, and have fun with? I would come visit you, and it would be great! When was the last time we laughed about anything together? I love you Allura! But you're so busy being queen and trying to run everyone's lives that you have shut me out!" Lance said, as he saw a flash of sadness cross her face.
Before he could stop himself he crossed the room, and put his arms around her. Lance pulled her close against him, and started kissing her hard and passionately, forcing his tongue into her mouth. Allura was shocked when he pulled her against his hard body, holding her tight in his arms.
Allura was all set to push him away when his lips met hers, and his tongue entered her mouth. Her tongue brushed against his, and suddenly they were dueling with each other as a wave of weakness swept over her body. She didn't even understand how she was suddenly holding him tightly and pressing against him, as she returned the kiss.
Lance felt the change in her body, her hands moving on his back, then her tongue in his mouth and he groaned. He had thought about this for so long, but it was so much better than it had been in his mind. He was all set to go on, but then remembered why he was up here and broke off the kiss.
"Allie, there might be some hope for you after all!" Lance got a grin on his face for a minute, as he saw her standing there looking like she didn't know what hit her. He then got a grim look on his face and went on "In case you have forgotten, Voltron is under the command of Galaxy Alliance, as are the lion pilots. Larmina, therefore, falls under Galaxy Alliance command, not Arus'!"
Lance saw that he had Allura's attention and said in an authoritative tone "You have no right to keep Pidge from seeing her. I will have no problem getting on the com to Alliance HQ and getting them involved in this. It will turn into such a diplomatic nightmare that it will take Coran a year to get it straightened out! No one else in this place seems to have any balls, but I certainly do! I expect those guards gone by the time I get back downstairs!"
He turned to leave and was almost to the door, and then stopped and over his shoulder said "If you want to continue our other discussion, on having fun, I'm sure you can find me!"
After he was gone Allura was shaking, not believing what had just happened. She then thought about his threat, and knew that he would carry through on it. Once she had called the guards off from sick bay, and Dr. Gorman, she went over to a cabinet in the corner of the room. It was there in case anyone visiting her study wanted a drink. Allura normally did not drink, but without a second thought she went over and reached for a bottle.
She almost cried when she realized what bottle she had reached for. It was Bushmills Irish Whiskey, and Lance's favorite. Allura remembered him trying to explain why Irish whiskey was so much better than Scotch whiskey. She had not really understood, but had started keeping a bottle for him, to drink when he visited. As she poured herself a large shot and drank it straight up, Allura tried to remember the last time she and Lance had spent any time together.
It was almost half an hour later when she heard a knock at the door. Allura was still shaking, still scared about Larmina, and trying not to think about what Lance had said and done. She could still hear him say 'I love you' in her mind. It made her sad to think about his comment 'you've shut me out'.
Then Allura thought about that kiss! She had never thought a kiss could be like that, or make her body feel the way it did. When she thought about how she had responded to the kiss, she almost couldn't believe it. She'd had another shot of whiskey, and almost took a third shot, and then decided that getting drunk would not help the situation.
"Come in." She said, wondering who it was. She saw Riggs opening the door as he said "Commander Kogane Your Majesty." Keith walked into the office, and smiled at Allura, hoping she wouldn't see how nervous he was.
"Keith, please have a seat." She said, indicating one of the chairs in front of her desk. Normally when he came up here to talk to her, they would sit on the sofa. Right now though, she wasn't in the mood and hoped he wouldn't stay long. As she thought that, it surprised her, because she usually enjoyed Keith's talks.
They would talk about Voltron, and Arus and she would sometimes ask his opinion on certain matters. Since he had found out that he was part Arusian, they had spent time talking about the history of Arus. It had been nice and comforting to her.
Keith was partially disappointed when she didn't indicate the couch, but also a little relieved too. If she didn't take what he had to say well, it would be best if they weren't on the sofa. However, he remembered what he needed to take care of first.
He knew right away that he should have been the one to handle the matter of the guards, not Lance. He was head of Voltron, and it was his responsibility to take care of his people. He had been caught off-guard though, by Allura's actions, and had responded the wrong way.
"Keith, if you are up here about the situation in sick bay, don't worry. I have already called off the guards, since it is not, as Lance explained to me, an Arusian matter!" Allura said in a cold tone of voice, wanting to be left alone. She would really like to see Larmina, but was sure that Pidge was down there, and she didn't want to face Pidge right now.
"Allura, what is the problem here? You like Pidge, and he has done so much for Arus! Why are you so upset that he is going out with Larmina?" Keith said, hoping to get to the bottom of the issue. Allura sighed and said "You don't see anything wrong with him taking an underage girl to a bar and nightclubs?"
Keith smiled and said "By Arusian standards she is not under age, and you let her drink at her birthday party." She ground her teeth and said "That was Count Fredericks, not me!" Keith said "You know Pidge would not let anything happen to her! Why are you so against them going out?"
Allura was glad that he didn't mention what they were really doing, unlike Lance. As she thought about Lance she felt herself flushing. She hoped she would be able to explain her reasons, so that Keith would understand. "Ok, I like Pidge and yes, he would not let anything happen to her. I will have no problems if, in a couple of years, he wants to pursue a relationship with her. But right now, she is not ready!"
Keith wanted to laugh, thinking that Allura must not know that Pidge and Larmina were sleeping together. He wasn't going to be the one to tell her though. Instead he asked "What difference are a couple of years going to make. You thought she was mature enough to take over Blue Lion now!"
"She has no diplomatic skills to speak of, and thinks anything that is not Arusian is not worthwhile. She has hardly been off Arus, and is barely out of the school room!" Allura said in an exasperated tone of voice. She continued "Her experience is limited, and I don't think she has the judgment needed to make a decision about a relationship."
"I don't know how much experience you really need to fall in love!" Keith said with a smile on his face. "For goodness sake, how does she know that it is love?" Allura was getting really tired of being told that her 18 year old niece could know anything about that subject.
Keith looked at her intently and said "When love happens, you know it, Allura." She saw how he was looking at her, and her eyes widened, as she started to understand the implication of what he was saying.
"Allura, the first time I saw you I thought you were the most perfect thing I had ever seen. But you were so young, and royal, so I put aside my feelings. Those 5 years I was gone, it was the thought of you that kept me going. I was all set to say something when I came back, and then realized I was still just a pilot of uncertain heritage. I didn't say anything for that reason." Keith stopped, and saw that she was looking at him in surprise.
Keith went on "Now that I know that I am part Arusian, and descended from the Knights, I feel connected to you. I know this is sudden, and not the best time, but I love you Allura!" She groaned when he said it, not believing that within the space of an hour both he and Lance had spoken of their feelings toward her. 'Well, Lance acted and Keith spoke' she thought to herself, but it was all the same.
Allura saw that Keith was waiting for an answer and she didn't know what to say. "Keith, I'm ahh." Before she could go on the holoscreen off to the side of her desk beeped, and she saw Dr. Gorman waiting for her.
"Your Majesty, Lady Larmina is out of surgery, but still unconsciousness. The next couple of hours will determine if she recovers or not. I am collaborating with the best specialists in the galaxy, so you know. I can brief you on their thoughts, if you would like to hear." Dr. Gorman said.
Keith realized that he had picked the worst time to declare his feelings, and wanting to kick himself he stood up. "Allura, I'm sorry, I should have waited. I'll leave now, and we can continue this talk another time." He was gone before Allura could say anything else. She sighed, and turned to hear what Dr. Gorman had to say.