Chapter Seven:
Allura stepped into her bedroom in the Castle, entirely exhausted. Days of meetings and conferences at Olkarion with members of the coalition and Lotor's heads of state had left her spent. There had scarcely been a moment to breathe in the past few days, let alone rest. A sigh escaped her as she sat down on the bed. Lotor had left Olkarion the day before, but the follow-up meetings with the coalition had taken hours and hours. They were incredibly skeptical of him, of course, and it took a concentrated amount of effort to convince them even to give him a chance. The Oklari were probably the most open-minded about him, and they truly did want to give the galra a chance to make amends. Others were thankful to be done with the war, but they wanted to live in almost complete separation from the galra, having next to no contact with them. Lotor had immediately pointed out the problems with such isolationism, but they barely listened to him. Allura was growing to respect Lotor more and more with each coming day. He worked so hard, and against such incredible opposition from both sides, to bring peace to the universe. She could really see a lot of herself in Lotor.
At each insult, he calmly responded and did not take a tone of aggression. His lavender face was blank most of the time, and Allura applauded him for his strong constitution, but she couldn't help but wonder what he was feeling underneath. The majority of the galra and the coalition were skeptical of him, if not openly hostile. Some of them took an interesting position; They did not care for him, and yet they went along with his decisions because they believed that he deserved his position. Honorable right of combat, and all that.
Allura started to take off her shoes when suddenly the dial tone rang on her computer. She rushed over to see who it was.
- - EMPEROR LOTOR IS REQUESTING A VIDEO CALL - -
The princess' eyes widened and she hastily sat down at the desk chair, running her fingers through her hair to try and smooth it down. She clicked on the screen to accept the call.
"Hello, Allura," he began. He was in his home office again, she could tell. For once, he wasn't wearing his hair slicked back over his shoulders. He had it pulled back into a low ponytail and Allura smiled a bit at that. Her father always used to wear it that way.
"Lotor. Good evening."
"I realize that it is late. Again, I apologize. I was in and out of meetings all day," Lotor explained.
"Yes, it was the same for me over here." Lotor nodded.
"Well, I will make this brief," he said, sitting up in his chair.
"I was wondering if you wouldn't mind coming to see me a night early," Lotor ventured. Allura furrowed her brow.
"Oh, I thought that we were scheduled to work on the project starting the day after tomorrow. Did you want to move that up?" Allura asked. Lotor looked down for a second.
"No, we can still begin our work on the project the day after tomorrow… I was wondering if you had tomorrow evening free because I would like to invite you to have dinner with me." Allura stilled.
"Have dinner with you?" She asked. He nodded, his eyes set on hers.
"Just you and me?" She wondered. Lotor's face flickered for a moment. He was beginning to think she was going to say no. He wondered if this was a bad idea all together.
"Yes, just you and me," he explained. Allura stared at him, wide-eyed, thinking. He was asking her out. It took her a moment to realize that. Suddenly a smile broke across her face.
"I'd love to," Allura answered, the smile in place. She was beaming. Lotor smiled, then, too. She looked so happy. He didn't know what to think.
"Wonderful," he responded, smiling along with her. They both simply stared at one another's reactions for a moment before Lotor asked,
"So, it's a date then?" Allura's heart was racing. She hoped he couldn't see her blush in the darkness.
"It's a date."
Allura stepped off the docking ramp from her ship to the entry bay. Lotor was there, waiting for her. He was already smiling.
"Good evening," He greeted. For once, he wasn't wearing his suit. Instead, he had on some sort of Galran fashion that Allura was unfamiliar with. Well, she supposed it was Galran. She didn't know. He was clad in a fitted dark blue long-sleeved tunic, overlaid with a black shoulder-garment. The stiff navy collar wrapped around his neck and dipped down at the center of his throat. The black overlay was outlined with white piping and it contrasted nicely with the dark colors. He looked entirely handsome.
"Good evening." Allura wore her usual blue and white gown, her hair down save for the few pieces twisted up that framed her face. She approached him.
"How are you?" Lotor asked her. Allura smiled.
"I'm doing well. I had a good day. The paladins and I made significant process in the Kulla'a region."
"That's wonderful," Lotor began walking, Allura right beside him, "Did you follow the advice I gave you?" Allura nodded.
"Yes. Thank you for that. I told the paladins that the integration design was your idea."
"They were skeptical, I assume?" Lotor asked, looking at her over his shoulder.
"Decidedly. Hunk did not doubt you, however… I think he has a certain knack for sensing the inner character of a person," Allura explained. She believed it, truly. Hunk had been right about Nyma and Rolo's betrayal, just as he had been right about sensing Lotor's true intentions. Lotor turned, slightly struck by her outward admission of trust. He considered it for a while, stopping in the middle of the hall to look into her eyes. He searched for some sort of a tell, some sign of a joke, but there was nothing there. She was being serious.
He smiled at that. A warm sort of feeling began in his stomach and crept up through his body, pulling on the corners of his lips and drawing them into a very real and heartwarming expression. Trust. He had hardly ever known that word.
"You really believe that?" He asked for clarity on the matter. He didn't want to be wrong and make a false assumption. Allura blinked, looking him over before her gaze met up with his again.
"Yes, I do." Another surge of warmth and joy ran through Lotor when she said that. It ran right through his heart and he could feel the burn there, only further enflamed when she looped her arm through his, walking alongside him. She had a warm running through her as well, one of friendship and camaraderie, but also something more than that- something much deeper than that.
"Where are we dining?" Allura asked, changing the conversation.
"My rooms. I thought that would be more intimate than one of the more formal dining rooms. They can be quite stark," He remarked, taking Allura into an elevator with him. She turned to look up at the taller Altean.
"You said they were new?" She asked, thinking of their earlier conversation about Zarkon's old chambers. She wanted to curse herself for having asked that.
"Yes, I had this whole floor remodeled. Part of it contains my rooms, but the other part houses my personal library and some reading rooms."
"Do you allow others to read from your personal collection?" Allura asked, curiously.
"Yes, if they ask. Sometimes I have had professors or researchers ask to look through my data collection or my books, and I often let them. I see no harm in allowing knowledge to those who are interested," He explained. When the elevator stopped a fingerprint recognition software popped up by the door. Lotor pressed his hand into the screen. Next there was a retina scan. Finally, a voice check.
"Emperor Lotor," he voiced. An alarm started to go off and he rolled his eyes. "And guest."
With that, the alarm stopped. Allura was started by the whole affair. She had never seen someone go to such top secret security only to enter their own bedchambers.
"Sorry about that. I haven't added you to the security system yet."
"Why is there so much security only for you to get into your own rooms?" Allura wondered aloud. Lotor turned and gave her a slightly weary gaze.
"Assassins. I take full precautions." They stepped out of the elevator into a hallway.
"That's horrible," Allura responded, "Do you not feel safe here, even in your own home?" Lotor scowled a bit.
"I trust in my security system. It is only that I do not like having guards or centries anywhere near my sleeping quarters. Robots can be hacked; people can be easily swayed or manipulated. I don't allow them the chance to try anything, so I keep this entire floor clear of personnel… Besides, I enjoy the privacy."
"You like being alone?" She asked.
"Yes, sometimes," he answered, leading her through a large doorway, "I think better with little distraction." Allura made a noncommittal noise.
"Me as well." They had come upon Lotor's dining chamber, apparently. It was quite beautiful, really. The room was large, with high ceilings and a broad depth. At the end of the room there was an open view of space, completely unobstructed. The entire far wall was dappled with blackness and stars.
"Oh, it's lovely," she said, gazing out into the galaxy. Lotor favored looking at her to pursuing the stars, however, and he couldn't help but let his gaze linger a little on her. On one wall there was a large, modern fireplace with a border of black granite. It bathed the room in a warm light that only tapered off near the top of the ceiling. The table was set not too far from the fireplace. It was rather small. But then again, it was the only the two of them dining. She reminded herself of that.
She turned to look at him and he smiled, pulling out a chair for her to sit. She graciously accepted, seating herself in the high backed chair that was much more comfortable than she would have guessed. As Lotor seated himself she did another quick perusal of the room, noting the sunken living area with dark leather couches and sleek, modern furniture.
"Did you pick all of this out for yourself?" Allura asked, meaning the room.
Lotor looked around, almost sheepishly.
"Well, not necessarily. I told the designer what I had in mind and he sent me a couple of mock-ups. I just picked one of the designs and he took care of the rest."
Allura almost laughed at herself. She was asking silly questions. He didn't want to talk about interior design.
"Well, I like it," she added, a note of finality in it. Lotor smiled.
"Would you like some wine?" He asked, picking up a bottle. Allura blinked.
"Sure," she answered. She had never had galran wine. Lotor popped the cork and poured some into their wineglasses. The fermented berries were aromatic, but the smell was largely unfamiliar to Allura. The took a tentative sip.
"There is one person I do let up here besides myself. My chef. He should be out in just a minute or two. I told him you had arrived when your ship was docking."
Allura inclined her head. She looked so pretty bathed in the light of the fire, he thought. It made her eyes sparkle.
"Wonderful. What are we having?" Lotor chuckled a little.
"Well, to be honest I didn't really pick that either. I usually let him decide what he wants to make. I'm never disappointed."
"That's good. It is galran food, though?" She asked. Lotor nodded.
"Most likely, yes. Is that alright?" He asked, suddenly berating himself for not considering that she might have abhorrence for galran food.
"Yes, yes. I had a little when I was growing up. It was very good." She told the truth. She actually quite liked it. It was very different than what she was used to. However, that does not mean it was bad at all.
"When was that?" Lotor asked. He assumed but he still was curious enough to ask.
"At state dinners on Daibazaal," she answered.
"Did you enjoy them?" Lotor questioned. Allura picked up her napkin and folded it across her lap.
"Yes, for the most part. However, at ten years of age I admit I did not have the greatest amount of patience. Galrans ate much later than Alteans did. I was practically falling asleep by the second course," she admitted, laughing. Lotor laughed along with her, watching intently as her eyes so brilliantly reflected the light.
The door opened, then, and a slightly stout man came out, two trays in his hands. He smiled slightly at Lotor before giving a slight inclination of his head as a bow and placing the trays on the table.
"Please enjoy, your highnesses." His only words were quiet and demure, and in only a tick he was gone from the room, and all that was left behind him was two covered, steaming plates.
"He doesn't say much," Allura chucked. He was gone so quickly that Allura didn't even have a chance to ask what they were having.
"He doesn't have to. His work speaks for him," Lotor explained, taking the top off of the tray and setting it aside. Allura did the same.
It was a narrow cut of some sort of fish, topped with vegetables and braised in a green sauce that smelled entirely appetizing.
"This is a typical galra dish, isn't it?" Allura asked. Lotor nodded picking up his fork.
"Yes. Have you had it before?" The emperor asked, looking up and meeting her purple-blue gaze. Allura took a bite.
"I believe so. It's very good," she commented happily. Lotor smiled, pleased that she enjoyed it, but much more pleased by the fact that she was with him. Even though they had grown closer over the past few months, he still had a little voice at the back of his head telling him she wouldn't date him. A part of that, he supposed, was her animosity towards him when she had first met him. Another part, something he would never really be free of, was a fear that no one would want him because he was a half-breed. Suddenly, almost as if she had read his mind, Allura changed the subject.
"Do your people care that you are only half galran?" She asked, taking another bite of fish. Lotor's gaze froze on her for a moment before he answered.
"Yes. Many of them do. Most of them think my Altean ancestry makes me weak and unfit to rule. At the Kral Zera people tried to say that I could never be the emperor because of my mixed race, but it obviously did not stop me." Allura listened intently, nodding as he spoke. She looked at the fire, and then back to his face.
"It's a strange position, isn't it? Being a half-breed."
A pause.
Lotor locked eyes with her, and then Allura already knew the answer. His eyes said so much at that moment. His eyes showed the centuries of anguish he had endured, if only for a moment. His eyes showed, faintly, pain and discomfort, and for a moment he seemed so real to Allura, real and vulnerable.
He blinked it away.
"Yes. But I've never lived another way. I couldn't. I would not be myself." He took another bite. Perhaps he was trying to take the dramatics out of this conversation. Allura was still thinking, however. She sat silently for a moment, thinking about him and his life.
"If you had the choice, would you want to be fully Galra?" She asked, and without hesitation Lotor answered her.
"No." She wondered how he could be so sure.
"Really? Even though you wouldn't have to be discriminated against?" She wondered, and hoped it did not wound him. She spoke softly, gently.
"I could never sacrifice one half of myself. If someone asked to split your body in two, would you chose to live with only one half? Of course not. You are made of two halves. Everyone is. And to ask someone to choose which they would favor more is impossible because they would be giving up one half of themself."
He spoke enigmatically. Poetically. Allura wondered so much about him. He was a mystery, a darkly-lit maze that seemed to stretch on and on. Every time he said something about himself he only made her more and more curious about him: his shrouded past, his philosophies, his thinking. He was a masterpiece waiting to be unraveled.
"You're very poetic, do you know that?" Allura asked, a smile creeping onto her face. Lotor sat back in his chair.
"I'm ancient. And the ancients always have a flair for the melodramatic."
Allura laughed.
"So am I. And you don't have to tell me that, I was there with you in Oriande. We met the original ancient over-dramatics, remember?" Allura asked.
"I'll never forget."
A/N: I hope you enjoyed Allura and Lotor's first date: part one! The second part of their date will be explored in Chapter 8, so come back soon to read the rest. Thank you to all my readers. Please review!