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Takes place three days after Chapter 1
Chapter 2: Cubs, Part II
The revelation of the remaining four paladins all being underage was a hardship not easily overcome. It went against everything Marmora stood for in regards to not just their cubs but children in general. While Kolivan would never deny that they groomed their young into warriors fit for Marmora, those cubs didn't set foot on a battlefield until they were of age; but here, now, Kolivan had been presented with four creatures that were not only cubs but (sort of) seasoned fighters.
It did not help at all that these cubs were also mourning.
Kolivan had had his fair share of taking care of children – his nieces and nephews only comprised a fraction of their current population – and he had seen and dealt with everyone from the newborns to the cusps (those on the verge of adulthood). He had seen and dealt with cubs who had mourned family and friends, but, he knew, there were substantial differences between Galra cubs and human ones, not including the fact that these humans had already seen battle. He had seen grief corrupt soldiers, turn them violent and ruthless and self-destructive. Would these human soldiers be the same? The thought was far from comforting because it brought his two strongest traits to the foreground: the nurturer and the commander.
"You'll find a happy compromise. You always do," said Koratin, Head Keeper to the Blade of Marmora.
Kolivan leaned back on his bed, his back to the wall, and sighed. "Kora…I think this time is very different."
She snorted, the crisp imaging on the communicator showing her nose wrinkling. "Never thought my little brother would run from a challenge."
"There is such a thing as picking your battles…"
"Foolishness!" she barked at him. "Not this time, Koli. Not this time, do you hear me? Those cubs need as many supports as they can get. Two Alteans who haven't dealt with children in, apparently, millennia won't cut it."
"What would you have me do? Pidge cried and fell asleep on me, but ever since, she's been avoiding me as if I were diseased. Lance and Hunk are wary of us all, and Keith…"
Kora's eyes and brow softened, her ears low. "Ah, yes. The legacy."
"I don't know what to do, Kora. Keith must, by right and law, be trained as per his heritage. But he's also a paladin, so he answers to the princess and to Voltron…" He trailed off, sighing again. "He's avoiding everyone, not just the Blades. He barely comes out of his room. If he eats, no one's seen him do it. They're all young and they're soldiers. I've never seen such a combination. I'm at a loss, Kora."
"I know. I know it all looks hopeless, but you mustn't give up on them. They must see you not only as an ally but as a support, a direly-needed friend. How you are to prove that to them, I don't know, but you'll come up with something, my brother. You always do."
Air rushed out of his nose, sharp and harsh. "Yes. One way or another…"
Kora nodded resolutely and then changed topics. "How are the others? Regris and Timalli and the rest?"
"They're doing well under the circumstances. It's been…hard. There are so few of us here. It's hard to remember that some faces and voices are missing."
"Have you performed the rites for Antok yet?"
"We had to leave his body behind," Kolivan confessed, his ears drooping, "and in all the chaos of the Black Paladin going missing and settling the Blades into the castle…"
"I know. It's been chaotic. But, Koli, he deserves rest."
"I know."
They both sighed at the same time.
"I'll perform the rites tonight," Kolivan promised after a long moment.
Koratin smiled sadly. "You'll feel better afterward."
"Funny how everyone says that, and it's never true."
Her smile gentled, concern worrying her brow and eyes. "It's all right to miss someone you cherished."
"I know."
"Which brings me right back to the human cubs. They might be cubs, but remember that they are also Voltron Paladins. Do not underestimate their strength and commitment."
He sighed. "I'll do my best, Kora. Take care of yourself and give my love to the brood."
"I'll do that. I love you, Ta-ta."
"I'm not so little anymore," he grumbled, but he smiled as he disconnected with an "I love you, too."
He stowed the communicator in his pack and hesitated, looking into the depths. He'd brought only a few items: a few changes of clothes, his Marmora armour and cloak, a travel cloak, his hygiene bag, and a book. He'd taken the book at the firm command of his youngest niece, Niemeh, who was no older than seven. Carefully, he pulled the tome from its place at the bottom of his pack and let his fingers trail across the ancient binding and embossed symbols. It was Niemeh's favourite. "To remind you of me when you're away," she'd said.
Kolivan smiled. Niemeh was as courageous as she was kind-hearted, very much like some Voltron Paladins he knew.
Tucking the book into his jacket pocket, he exited his room in search of a comfortable (and public) place to read.
Happening upon one of the commons closest to the kitchen, Kolivan poked his head in and found Lance and Hunk sitting quietly on one side of the sunken couches. Hunk had Lance's head in his lap and absently carded his fingers through his hair. Lance's eyes were red-rimmed and swollen.
"Kolivan." Hunk's head snapped up when his eyes landed on him. "Hi."
"Good afternoon, Hunk. Lance," Kolivan returned smoothly from the doorway. "I hope I'm not intruding."
"No, no," Hunk assured as Lance sat up and wiped his face on his sleeve. "Come on in. It's called a common for a reason."
"Thank you." Kolivan strode in and settled on the other side of the couch. He was casual in pulling his reading glasses from his breast pocket and taking the book from inside his jacket.
He did not miss the way both boys' eyes bugged wide.
"Is that…a book?" whispered Lance.
Kolivan's ears twitched, betraying his surprise. Very few people nowadays knew what a book was. "Yes," he answered, looking over his glasses. "It's an ancient way to keep knowledge among my people. How did you know?"
"Dude, we still use books on Earth!" exclaimed Hunk. "Can I see it? I haven't seen paper in months."
Fighting back a smile (this was going better than he'd thought it would), Kolivan stood, crossed the pit, and sat a few feet away. "Here." He handed it over, and was thoroughly taken by surprise when Hunk lifted it to his nose and inhaled deeply.
"Oh, my gosh! It smells amazing! Lance, smell it!" He all but thrust it under Lance's nose. Kolivan's lips twitched at the dark blush creeping across Lance's face from chin to hairline to ears, but Lance obeyed, smelling. He closed his eyes.
"Smells like the library a block from home," he murmured.
Hunk nodded rapidly and turned back to Kolivan, eyes shining with wonder and awe. "How old is this?"
"That copy is approximately 3,705 years old. It belonged to my ancestor."
Hunk gaped at him, Lance just as slack-jawed. "How are the pages still intact? They're not even yellow! This even looks like the original binding!"
"You're correct," Kolivan said. "Marmora long ago perfected the art of preservation. Many of the volumes we keep at Head Quarters are twice as old as this one."
The reverence in their faces increased ten-fold, and Hunk stroked the embossing with a gentle finger. But then a tiny frown crinkled his brow. "What language is this? It doesn't look Galran."
"It's Old Galran. Our languages evolve as yours do. Many of the symbols we used then no longer exist today. It's a challenging read, to be sure, if you're not used to reading Old Galran."
"But you're used to it." Lance's smile was tentative. "You can read it."
"I can. It's also a well-known story, so it's not overly difficult."
Hunk's eyes went wide. "This is…fiction?"
"A collection of what you call fairy-tales, to be exact."
Hunk gave him back the book with a quiet "Huh" but didn't move away.
Kolivan smiled now, sensing his intensity and longing. "Would you like me to read it to you?"
"Oh, uh, you don't have to," he said, blushing as hard as Lance. "I'm, uh, sure, uh, that you have other things to do…"
"I'm here to read, Hunk," Kolivan said kindly. "Out loud doesn't make much of a difference."
Hunk and Lance scrambled to get more comfortable, their smiles glowing.
Kolivan chuckled and started at the first page. "The Tale of the Moonlight Dancers: In a time when yilti birds took wing and, ere the twin moons lifted sleepy heads, broke the falling night with mournful song, young maidens left home's warmth and glow to dance 'neath unfiltered, silver moonlight by the lake…"
The boys listened, enraptured, and when that story had finished, begged for another. It was halfway through the second that Pidge found them and winkled her way between Lance and Hunk on the couch. Keith, pale and wane, appeared before the third story began and leaned against the far wall, his arms crossed over his chest.
The Blades, too, wandered in, knowing better than to lurk in doorways. Regris took up a post only a few feet from Keith while Timalli, Yarrata, Zoshia and Shah settled on the floor around Kolivan's feet, Timalli resting her head against the couch and not four inches from Lance's knee; and Bavi and Renen sat against the wall between Regris and Keith.
All the while, Kolivan didn't falter in reading and he couldn't quite hide his smile when Allura and Coran finally joined them on his other side.
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