"I'm back," Keith said, quietly so close to Allura's ear that she felt his breath fanning her face. She turned to face him with a warm smile of greeting on her face.
A silent conversation passed between them as their eyes met.
Hers were bright with curiosity. His were clouded with concern and caution. A slight furrowing of his eyebrows warned her not to ask any questions as his eyes flickered towards the other members of the Voltron Force.
"So, is anything up? Why did the Space Marshal want to meet with you?" Cliff asked.
"No real reason. It's an old tradition of ours." Keith explained, choosing to address the second question instead of the first. "Marshal Graham used to be my grandfather's aide you know. Whenever we had parties like this, he'd make a token appearance and then disappear into his study." He smiled at the memory. "I used to join him as soon as my grandmother let me leave and we'd spend hours talking."
Ginger shot him an incredulous look. "Somehow," she commented wryly. "I can't picture you spending hours talking voluntarily."
"So speaks the woman who spent two hours answering questions for the Advanced Leadership Class," Lisa laughed. "Because of you we were almost late for the party."
Keith shook his head and ignored the friendly bickering. "If you'll excuse us, I promised my wife the first waltz of the evening and I think this is it."
He held out his hand to Allura in a silent invitation to dance. She put her hand in his and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor, where the orchestra began to play the slow opening notes of a stately waltz in three-quarter time.
Allura moved into Keith's arms, as he took her extended right hand in his own much larger one and placed his other hand at her narrow waist. Without a word, he swirled her into the dance, officially starting the dancing for the evening.
Allura looked up at him, as he guided her across the vast expanse of the dance floor, avoiding the other couples that had begun to join them there. "So, what did the Marshal Graham want?"
"Peace with Zarkon," Keith replied tersely, leading Allura into a turn that kept his back to the other guests. He barely managed to refrain from grimacing as he felt a foot step on his toes. "OW!"
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Allura whispered, mortified by her clumsiness. She stared at him in dismay. "Does Marshal Graham really want to peace with that, that... trupqa?"
Keith couldn't resist a chuckle. Trupqa was a particularly vile curse in the Xardian language. "Does Nanny know that you know words like that?" The widening of her eyes as she realized what she had said the only answer he needed.
"Keith!"
He sobered and slowed the pace of their steps, still making sure that they were in time to the music. "He doesn't want to. He knows what Zarkon is, but others don't feel the same way. Out of sight, out of mind, you know."
They both struggled to come to terms with what they had just learned. The possibility of a peace agreement with Zarkon was something that neither of them had ever considered, knowing the monster that he was.
Soothing music filled the night air.
They danced in silence for several long moments as the music weaved its magic spell. Without realizing it, the world and all its problems faded away and they each became aware of the closeness of the other.
A lazy smile dawned on Keith's face as he held his beautiful bride tenderly in his arms. Allura smiled up at him with her heart reflected in her glorious eyes.
The music continued to serenade them.
Keith's dark head drew closer to Allura's golden one. He rested his chin on the crown of her head, feeling her breath on his hand as he cradled it against his chest with his own.
The full skirts of Allura's gown swirled around Keith's formal trousers as they moved together effortlessly. It was almost as though they were two halves of one whole.
The music built in intensity.
Heads turned to watch them — the handsome young captain dancing with the beautiful princess who held his heart — sensing the magic that shimmered between them.
This, without a doubt, was the stuff that fairy tales were made of.
Allura sat at the dresser in her room, counting the strokes as she brushed her long hair. As a little girl, Nanny required her to brush her hair thoroughly — a minimum of one hundred strokes — every night before braiding it.
It was a ritual she still followed. The mindless repetitive tasks of brushing her hair helped her unwind from the hustle and bustle of the day and settle down for the night.
Fifty-six, fifty-seven, fifty-eight, fifty-nine... A dreamy smile tilted the corners of her lips upwards as she skimmed the brush lazily through her golden hair.
If she closed her eyes, she was back in the garden, dancing under a starlit sky — with Keith — her husband! The thought filled her with pride and tenderness. She couldn't help but remember how wonderful it had felt to be held by him.
Although the security in the condominium was flawless, Keith refused to take any chances with Allura's safety. He stealthily moved around the condominium, checking the doors and windows, in a final patrol before turning in for the night.
The soft dim light that spilled out of Allura's room caught his attention. She was still awake. He peeked into the partially opened door, intending to wish her good night.
His heart skipped a beat when he saw her. He had never seen anything more beautiful in his life. His princess was a breathtaking vision in white silk and lace.
He called her name that was quiet, but was in some undefinable way, proprietary.
She opened her eyes and saw him standing only a foot away, his hair untamed as usual, his eyes dark unreadable in the dim light. A blush immediately bloomed on her cheeks. "I didn't hear you come in."
"I... I just wanted to check up on you. To see if you were okay." Keith said self-consciously. Without being aware of what he was doing, he had suddenly found himself inside her room.
Allura set down her brush and Keith fought down the disappointment that welled in his chest. He wanted to ask her to continue brushing her hair, but he was certain that the request would sound ridiculous.
Another smile touched Allura's lips. "I'm fine, Keith." Her eyes sparkled with amusement and a hint of exasperation, "Contrary to popular belief, I'm not fragile."
Keith shook his head. Couldn't she see how wrong she was? Didn't she know how she looked right now, her thin white gown flowing down, her hair smooth and shining in the dim lamplight?
He suddenly realized that he had never seen her hair this way before — loose and tumbling down over slim shoulders, without any of the intricate braids that normally constrained it. Of its own volition, his hand reached out to touch the glistening golden strands.
Keith's hand slid down to touch Allura's soft cheek. Their eyes met and the air around them crackled with awareness. For a long, endless moment, they stared into each other's eyes.
He reached out to run his knuckles down the side of her cheek. His dark head lowered as he leaned closer and then still closer, studying her face feature by feature.
Allura watched his gaze settle on her mouth and was helpless to suppress the sweet tangle of emotions rising in her. Her heart thudded in anticipation, and in that moment, she wanted nothing more than to feel his lips against hers.
His kiss, when he finally lowered his lips to hers, was as soft as a whisper but more powerful than a hurricane.
Wave after wave of sensation washed through Allura's senses as his lips tasted and courted hers. She inclined her head, yielding to his tutoring, instinctively imitating his gentle pressure and complementing the angle of his mouth with hers.
Keith's hands slid around Allura's slender waist and he drew her slowly to him, enfolding her with exquisite care. She clung to him, innocently and unconsciously, molding her body to his.
He deepened the kiss and she gasped in surprise. She had never experienced anything so potent, so pleasurably intimate, so wholly involving. Her body hummed, resonant with pleasure.
Keith felt her confusion, and, with an effort that was almost painful, he dragged his mouth from hers. He looked down at her with hooded eyes. Her skin was flushed, her lips were swollen with the effect of his kisses and her eyes were soft and dreamy.
The sight of her unfolding passions aroused something new and unexpectedly sweet inside him. He had known his fair share of women, but in all his life, he had never felt anything like this, never wanted a woman as badly as he wanted this one.
He took a deep breath and forced himself to step away, knowing that if he stayed, he wouldn't be able to keep his hands off her. She deserved much more than his lust, his princess deserved to be honored and cherished.
Allura watched him uncertainly as the silence stretched between them, thick and heavy. She felt compelled to break it. "Keith?" She whispered, reluctantly removing her hand from his chest as he backed out into the hallway.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Princess. Good night and pleasant dreams," He replied, flashing her a quicksilver smile filled with warmth as he firmly shut the door to his room.