Okay, this chapter was painful to write, I feel bad for Allura and this chapter has a lot of struggling and fight in it so there are mentions of blood and injury if you're squeamish and there is also non-consensual removal of clothing, so a warning for that. I am totally not avoiding the other Paladins on purpose, especially Keith because that will be…yeah. Anyway, since I'm winging this, we'll see what happens. Happy Reading!

2. When Hope Begins to Wither

Allura stared at the dress in her hands. She did not mind wearing dresses. Being a princess, she had worn plenty of them growing up, so it was nothing new to her. There was also nothing actually wrong with this dress, other than the fact that it was given to her by Lotor. In her eyes, that was enough of a reason not to wear it although the threat he made sent chills down her spine. I will change you myself if I have to. Her stomach caved inwards from where he had punched her and she put the dress down, laying her head on the pillow. She had to find a way out of there but how? Surely, he would have set traps to keep her from escaping and if she went the obvious route, he would likely set more.

She had not been able to summon her bayard earlier, so it was likely that she would not be able to communicate with Blue very easily. Still, her father had always said the bond between a Paladin and their lion could not be explained by technology. That there was something deeper but if that was the case, then why was Lotor able to cut off that connection? There were so many questions and far too few answers.

Wanting to distract her mind slightly, her eyes travelled around the room. The room was fitting for royalty with the silk curtains and the large King-sized bed which as soon as she had been thrown down on it had caused her body to sink deeper into the mattress. It was comforting – she couldn't deny that, almost like her own bed in the Castle but at the same time, she knew despite the outer comfort, it really was just a bed of thorns.

Her ears were instantly alert as she heard footsteps approaching, her body visibly tensing as her fists clenched. She was in a place where there was no friend nearby. She was on Lotor's turf, she could not afford to relax, no matter how exhausted the fight had made her. As Lotor appeared at the entrance of the room, she discarded the dress on the bed and immediately stood up.

Lotor looked at her for a moment, expression blank at first before his eyes turned cold. "I told you to wear the dress. Your clothes are not worthy of a princess."

Allura scowled. Worthy of a princess? Who was he to decide her worth? Did he honestly believe that just because he had captured her, he owned her now? That she belonged to him?

"I'm not going to do anything you say, Lotor," Allura said firmly. She knew this was risky – she knew if they were to fight, it was hard to say who would win in a one-on-one. He had proven that he was willing to attack her if she did not listen to what he said. But at the same time, this wasn't her. Giving up just because she was in a bad situation that she currently could not see a way out of.

"Is that so?" Lotor asked calmly. "Is that your final decision?"

"Yes," Allura said stubbornly. The others would not quit searching for her. She just had to keep fighting until she reached them again. She tried to kick out as Lotor suddenly grabbed her without warning, squirming, and thrashing constantly against him.

"I told you," Lotor said, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "I gave you a chance to listen so what happens next is a result of your own defiance."

Allura had been right and mentally preparing herself for the oncoming fight did not help in the slightest. Their strength was very evenly matched. She was able to defend herself from the punches and kicks that were belted out at her. She kicked out, punching, and kicking fiercely, a smirk of satisfaction appearing on her face as she heard him groan. However, despite being able to match him in physical strength, his hands moved quickly as he held her down with one arm, despite her struggles. His cold and rough hands tore through her pilot suit, her arms and legs trapped by his body. No! No, this couldn't be happening. Tasting blood in her mouth, she attempted to push Lotor's hands away as he forced her into the dress but every movement, she made now caused a scream to leave her lips. Had he broken something inside of her? Her eyes watered slightly, seeing her Paladin suit in pieces but she couldn't even move forward to pick it up.

Every part of her body ached and though she longed to curl away from Lotor when he pulled away, she didn't. Partly because she physically couldn't and partly because she didn't want to give him the satisfaction that he had scared her. Still, her body had other ideas as she began coughing out blood, it spills onto his bedsheet, and she winced a bit. She didn't think her body could handle any more fights at this moment and she did not hold powers to self-heal should the need arise, which she wished she could.

Fortunately, or unfortunately or perhaps both, she wasn't sure right now, Lotor did not seem to scowl at the blood on his sheets as he stood up. He merely sighed and a part of her was pleased to see him limp as he stood back up and a small grimace appeared on his face. Maybe she had caused as much damage to him as he had to her in their struggle. Then again, if he needed to pin her down, maybe they were evenly matched.

"Why must you make this so difficult, Allura?" Lotor asked, watching her. "I do not wish to hurt you. I want to make your settling in here as comfortable for you as I can but if you keep struggling, I'm forced to hurt you."

Allura stayed silent, keeping her eyes closed, trying to focus on anything but the excruciating aches her body kept giving her as well as Lotor's voice. It wasn't easy though because her head pounded as she felt Lotor's hands on her bare-naked skin once more as if he were touching her again. Okay, so he hadn't done much more than tear her old clothes off and forced her into a dress, but his hands felt cold. Made her feel small against them and she wanted that feeling away from her body. Where were the others? Why were they not here yet? Had Lotor been telling the truth? Had he killed them?

"Are you listening?" Lotor asked and Allura felt his weight against the bed, slowly opening her eyes to see him sitting on the edge of it, watching him. What did he want her to say? He clearly didn't have the courage to hear the truth, that she wanted nothing to do with him. Her throat burned from coughing out blood and another small cough escaped her.

"What do you want me to say, Lotor?" Allura spat, forcing down the dryness and attempting to stop coughing. "You clearly cannot hear the truth because it leads you to become violent in order to get what you desire."

"I love you, Allura," Lotor said frowning. "Do you not see that? Do you not understand?"

"Capturing me, holding me here against my will, forcibly dressing me and ruining my clothes, these are your ways of loving me?" Allura questioned sceptically. "That's not love, Lotor. You're only fooling yourself by thinking it is."

"How can I prove it to you, princess?" Lotor asked. "I love you. The reason I cannot let you leave here is because I do not wish to lose you."

Allura fell silent again when he asked how he could prove it. Her head hurt too much for her to answer that right now. "Just leave me be, Lotor." He could do that much if he claimed to love her.

"Princess," Lotor began again but Allura cut him off.

"I'm tired, Lotor, and sore and it looks to me as if you're physically wounded too," Allura said as firmly as she could manage right now. "You consider what you feel is love but I don't nor will I ever. Beating me up and forcing me to do things will not change that, it will only strengthen my resolve. So, just leave me be. Or can you not even prove to yourself that you love me because you cannot answer something as simple as that?"

Her hand raised slightly to rub her arm, feeling a bruise forming as a sharp pain shot down her hand from the movement. The last thing she wanted to do was sleep here – but he would not have a healing pod here nor did she want him to use his Altean powers to heal her. Her friends were not here yet – so maybe they were truly gone.

Her heart sunk at the thought – did that mean she truly would have to adjust to living here? Even if she managed to escape, where would she go? If the Paladins were gone, could she really keep herself safe from Lotor for long? He would likely be able to get her again. Keith hadn't been there yet when Lotor had taken her but what could he do alone? He would try to keep her safe, especially if she was his last friend remaining right now but what could the two of them even do alone? They didn't have the other Paladins or the real Shiro to be able to even stand a chance.

She felt the weight removed from the bed and looked to see Lotor walking away. He didn't say anymore – perhaps he thought it best not to as he had realised that his words were having no effect on her. It was only once he left the room and the door closed behind him that she allowed a silent tear to cascade down her cheek as she buried her face in the soft mattress.