Keith, his three team mates, and Nanny and Coran rose from their chairs as the doctor came out of the castle's emergency ward.

Nanny rushed over to him. "Give it to me straight, Doctor! How is she? What did that…that…monster, Lotor do to her?"

The doctor was brown-haired in a blue medical uniform. He smiled. "While I would normally be one of the first to say Prince Lotor should be taken out and shot, it seems that we owe him a debt of gratitude. There was a poison in her system that would have killed her before she got halfway home. The anti-venom she says he gave her stopped it."

Relief swept through the small group; Lance quipped, "Whaddya know - having a stalker actually came in handy for once."

"She's not completely out of the woods yet," the doctor said. "The venom has been counteracted, but there's some concern about whether the anti-venom has any side-effects. Drule physiology is close to human but not quite; we're going to keep he in the wing over night and do some more blood work to be sure. But based on what I'm seeing now, unless something changes overnight, she'll be fine."

Keith said, "Thanks, Doc. When can we see her?"

"Actually, Commander, she wants to see you right now."

Allura smiled as everyone filed in. The sun had set, and rain pattered on the window.

Keith gripped her hand. "Hey how you feeling?"

"Like crap." She turned to Coran. "Coran, what news on Lotor? Did he get home ok?"

"It's hard to say," Coran answered, "but planet Doom has gone quiet. If he had died, their propaganda machine would have swung into high gear to blame us. So no news is …good…news, I suppose."

"He saved my life twice over, Coran. It's hard to ignore that."

Keith sat on the edge of the bed. "Meaning what?"

"What do you mean, 'meaning what'? It's a fact, Keith. I'd be dead - WE'D be dead if not for him. Oddly enough."

Hunk said, "Yeah, but…it sounds like…"

Nanny interrupted, "What did he do to you?"

"Nothing," Allura said. "I don't think he could have done anything if he wanted to. He looked like he'd been through the ringer, too."

Keith nodded. "That was a cluster…" He caught Nanny's look. "…mess for both sides this time."

Allura nodded. "We just talked for a minute. He told me he's an engineer; and that he was raised by Zarkon and Haggar after his mom died when he was born. I keep envisioning a little boy all alone in that castle, learning to be cruel even if it tore him apart inside. It's hard to stay angry at someone who is what-"

Lance snapped, "Bull! Ok, he saved your life, but we all know he would have let anyone else die, and we all know what he wants from you. You cut this guy any slack at all, you're playing into his hands. You of all people know what he's done, right?"

"Do I know what he's done?" Allura grimaced. "You damn well bet I know! There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about the crimes he and his father have committed, that I don't know the names and faces of the people he's hurt. Don't you dare tell me what I do and don't know!"

Lance raised his hands. "Whoa, easy, Princess, I-"

"That's right," Allura yelled, "I'm a princess! That's not a nickname. I'm not just some girl who lives in a drafty old house you found. I am a real, bona fide, honest to Gods princess. I am Her Royal Highness Princess Allura XIV, reigning sovereign and lady protector of Arus! None of you idiots should be standing in my presence. The only reason we have any familiarity is because *I* allow it. Do I know what he's done? Absolutely. That doesn't mean I can't be grateful to him for saving my life. And if you can't understand that, Lance, then that's your problem. Now, I have had enough. All of you, get out!"

Keith backed away. "All right…Your Highness. We're going." He bowed slightly; he and the other boys filed out, Nanny behind them.

Coran stood stiffly at the foot of the bed. "Will that be all, Your Highness?"

'Great,' Allura thought, 'after months of bucking protocol, it'll take him forever not to convince him not to follow it.' She said. "No, Coran. That will be all. Good night."

"Good night, Your Highness." He took a step away, then stopped and turned back. "Your Highness, may I ask a personal question?"

"You can ask me anything, Coran. You know that."

"Your explosion cut off any discussion about your feelings for Prince Lotor."

"I know."

"Convenient."

"You could say that."

He stepped closer. "Exactly what are your feelings for him?"

"Are you asking me if, in spite of everything, I am in love with him?"

Coran nodded.

"That's a good question, Coran, and to be honest with you, I don't know what to tell you. I'm scared of him, I hate him, and I know his crimes by heart. But I was still afraid he'd died saving me. I can't imagine life without looking over my shoulder for him, and I don't even know why. If Lotor and I can be said to have a relationship, then it's probably safe to say it's pretty complicated. More complicated than you would think at first blush."

The old retainer smiled. "That sounds about right. I'll see you in the morning, Princess."