Role Reversal ~ Part 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Voltron or any of its characters.
Rating/Setting: Rating is T. Setting is DotU in flavor and is AU. You need to have read "Role Reversal" in order to make sense of this twist on the Voltron DotU universe. ;-)
Proofreaders: I have sent the chapters to the Eternally KA group (please message Mylari if you are interested in learning more about the group) but the errors are still mine.
Summary: Sequel to Role Reversal. What if Keith were the prince and Allura was the pilot? Please read Role Reversal before reading this one.
Author's Note: So, this story is the continuation of "Role Reversal" which was a challenge from the former KAEX group member, Cheetoy. In this case, Keith is the Prince and Allura is the Alliance pilot. It's hard to believe that it's been almost 7 years since I finished it. I've reread it several times since and it's one of my favorite stories. I decided that it was finally time to brush the dust off the sequel that I started writing when it finished. I scrapped the chapter and a half that I had written and began again. I hope that you enjoy learning the rest of the story.
If you have PM enable, I do reply back to reviews! :) Also, Forever Wells made an interesting comment in her last review that I might just explore as the story isn't quite finished yet. Thanks to all who are reading and an extra thanks to those who review!
Chapter Four
Dova pressed her ear to the crack in the Drule guards' breakroom number four. It was one of the best places to gather information for the Resistance and from the glimpses she had gotten with the return of the Vengeance, there was something big going on. Maybe whatever it was would provide them with an opportunity to escape. Most of the storerooms and dungeons were in the rock underneath Castle Doom along with the housing for soldiers and guards. Haggar's laboratory was also down here and Dova tried her best to stay away from that area though there were hidden tunnels even there.
Words came through the hidden crack to her ears and her eyes grew round. When she had gathered all she could, she headed back to space the Resistance currently called home.
.**********.
Dova whistled alerting the fellow escaped prisoners to her approach. The Doomites had never found the hidden tunnels and all Dova could think was that there was something in the rock that limited Haggar's magic and electronics. She entered the small cavern that was cramped when everyone was there but many were out trying to help others escape, gathering information, or the ever need for collecting drinkable water. Their leader turned to the entrance as Dova entered.
"Romelle!" Dova said as she hurried to her.
"By your demeanor, I think the news you have to share must be of some importance." Romelle smiled but there was an intensity in her gaze. She took Dova by the arm and led her to a bench carved into the dark rock.
Dova nodded and began to speak before even sitting down. "I was listening at breakroom four and heard them talking about the new prisoner that was brought to Haggar's lab."
"Did you get a name?"
"I didn't get a name but a title!"
Romelle's brows drew together, "Title?"
"He's a prince, Romelle! He's the Prince of Arus!"
Romelle let out an involuntary gasp. "Keith!"
"You know him, Romelle?" Dova asked in surprise.
Romelle's gaze took on a distant look. "Yes, we met briefly on my home planet of Pollux. In fact, we met the day I became a prisoner of Doom." She brought her focus back in to the woman across from her. "Did you learn anything else?"
"Yes," Dova was still obviously intrigued by Romelle's comments but she was ready to impart the rest of her news which was sure to interest the head of the Resistance. "It seems that the prince has been tattooed with Merla's mark and was taken to Haggar's lab. It seems that the princess has her eyes on him. I'm not sure why as I've never seen nor heard of him."
Romelle considered this new member who had been with them only a couple of weeks. And Dova regarded her back.
Dova was an oddity among the Resistance that was mostly made up of escaped prisoners. She was an oddity because she also Drule. But she had been raised by Baltan parents after being found orphaned on a planet the Drules no longer wanted. She considered herself a Baltan and had wept with many at the destruction of her adopted home world. Thankfully, her parents were not on the planet, but she had been captured with those on Ebb. She was an Alliance military doctor and had been working at the facility there when it was attacked. She had quickly donned the Doom uniform that her superiors demanded be kept on hand. They had had the foresight to know that she could save lives with it. She had gotten many to freedom who were not seriously injured, but her interactions with the Drule had eventually given her away and she was loaded up with the captured patients and other staff. The Drule had treated her rather harshly seeing her as a traitor to her people.
In the dungeons of Doom, she had been put in a cell with just one other Alliance personnel: a pilot. A week after being interred, they had devised a daring attempt to escape. One of the slaves who brought them food had managed to let them know of the Resistance. If they could find a way to get to the lesser used corridor at the end of their cell block, they might be able to escape. At least the cell block.
Dova had used her feminine charm to get the jailor to open the door and then it had all happened fast. He was subdued, restrained and locked in the cell. They would have freed others but this particular block only housed Drule who had committed offences. Dova had noticed the particular interest that they had paid to the human pilot who called himself Thor and wondered about his confinement in this section. She felt she was there because she was Drule but what were the reasons for the human pilot whose name was definitely not Thor?
Thor was now Romelle's second in command even though he had only been there for two weeks just like Dova. But he had a knowledge of the written and spoken Drule language as well an understanding of the Doom hanger bays and ship deployments. It was obvious that he was more than just a regular pilot but for some reason he wasn't ready to share his true identity with any of them.
Dova and Romelle were still looking at each other and considering what was going on with the Prince of Arus when Thor entered the cavern and came directly to them, ducking now and then under low-hanging rocks.
"I understand that Dova has news from the guardroom." The man's eyes turned to Dova who looked to Romelle who nodded.
Dova told him all.
Thor looked from one to the other betraying nothing about what he felt or might know about the Prince of Arus. But his words let them know that he did know something… in fact he knew quite a bit.
"I know Prince Keith. He was under my command for a short while on Arus before I was almost killed by Haggar who thought I was him."
Both women looked surprised, but Dova spoke first. "I have seen your wounds and wondered at them. I have never seen scarring on a Terran that turned such a bright blue in coloring. You are in indeed lucky to be alive… Commander Holgersson."
Romelle was still quiet as Sven responded to Dova. "I am Commander Sven Holgersson. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner; but in the cell, I worried about being overhead and here in the Resistance, I was waiting to be sure of everyone. The Doomites would love to confirm my identity."
"Why?" Romelle asked breaking her silence.
"I have flown one of the Lions of Voltron and am a friend of the prince. I'm sure they would use me against him and since they desire to possess Voltron and learn it's secrets, I'm certain I would be tortured to gain that knowledge."
"Voltron," Dova whispered. "So, it's true. I knew that Commander Holgersson was in the facility at Ebb. The administration had been honored at your being sent to our care."
There was a moment of quiet and then Romelle spoke, "I also need to confess."
Both Dova and Sven turned to the Resistance leader in surprise.
"My name is Romelle, but I also have a title. I am the Crown Princess of Pollux. I was captured the day that Doom killed my brother, Avok, who had voluntarily agreed to become a robeast. Voltron and the Prince were on my planet that day and they allowed Lotor and Haggar to escape when Voltron could have destroyed them. He did so because they threatened my life."
Dova and Sven both knew that Romelle had been part of Lotor's harem through her own admission previously and the tattoo on her arm. There was no need to discuss her capture or stay at the castle prior to her escape as it could only bring up very unpleasant memories. So, they went immediately to the reasons for the visit to Pollux.
"Keith went to Pollux with Voltron? Why?" Sven asked showing that though he had healed, Garrison had not kept him completely informed with what was going on with his team on Arus.
"He came to talk peace with me but I learned during my… time… with Lotor that the prince came because he needs to control his magic. Keith has strong magic and Haggar wants to feed from it and Merla wants to use it. Obviously, Lotor does not want Merla and Keith to join together as it would threaten his chance at the throne."
"And he's now in Haggar's lab branded with Merla's mark," Sven said as he glanced at his own mark just as Romelle and Dova did theirs.
Sven and Dova were tattooed with Doom's mark: a red and black castle. Romelle was tattooed with Lotor's mark: a skull with a crown overtop. Each rubbed a hand over their tattoo thinking their own thoughts.
"I'm going to go to the tunnels around Haggar's lab. We need to gather as much information as we can because when we escape, we must take Keith with us." Sven looked both women in the eye in turn. Looking at Dova he asked, "You don't agree?"
"He is a high priority; they will put more effort in recapturing him. It would be better to use him as a diversion," she responded.
Romelle shook her head in a negative fashion. "You said yourself that they are saying his magic is strong. We cannot leave him here for Haggar to use for her own purpose and strengthening."
Dova nodded though she didn't seem entirely convinced. "Let's gather more information and then determine what will work best."
"Agreed."
Romelle watched Sven and Dova go out while she went to assign listening tasks to other Resistance members. Her mind was full of thoughts. If they freed the prince, they'd have two trained pilots and a doctor to tend any wounded in their escape. They would have to check on the ships in the bays to see what they might be able to steal and successfully escape in… Her mind was awhirl. She knew she was thinking some grandiose things, but she would love to help as many escape as possible but if it was only to be the current twenty plus Keith, so be it. But she would return to free the rest if it was the last thing she did.