Kolivan rolled his shoulders and groaned, drumming his fingers on the throttles. His copilot kept flipping through the star-charts. He was getting a headache from the constant flickering. He sighed in exasperation and stated, "If you do not stop that, you will return to the cargo hold."

Lotor gauged his conviction with a sidelong glance before closing the star-charts. "Then at least tell me where we're going. The central hub is nowhere near these constellations."

Kolivan glared ahead, growling through his teeth. The prince of the empire really had no idea how much he tested his patience. And he had thought training Keith after he passed the trials had been vexing. Lotor turned his chair to face Kolivan and folded his arms. Kolivan answered, "I told you the return trip would be longer. I never said there wouldn't be stops along the way."

"So what? I'm just meant to tag along as your prisoner?" Lotor asked sarcastically.

Kolivan raised an eyebrow and Lotor ducked his head. Kolivan replied, "If you'll recall, you were a stowaway. You will suffer through this as the result of your actions, not mine."

Lotor slumped, raising his shoulders toward his ears. "Fine. But you can at least tell me our heading."

Kolivan checked their coordinates and answered, "I have no such obligation, however you will see for yourself. We are just about to arrive."

A wormhole opened in front of them and Lotor gasped. Kolivan accelerated and their ship passed within the magic ring. A few seconds later, they emerged inside the airspace of the Castle of the Lions. Lotor stood and put a hand on the console. He grit his teeth and glared at Kolivan.

Kolivan returned the glare and reminded, "You are welcome to return to the hold at any time." Lotor took several deep breaths and looked at Keith's blade resting on Kolivan's far side. Kolivan snarled, "Boy, sit down or I will make you regret every mutinous thought you've had this entire voyage."

Lotor's eyes widened in child-like fear and he instantly sat down. He gripped the armrests digging his talons into the cushions. Kolivan's lip twisted in annoyance and he growled again, but Lotor remained silent as they approached their landing zone. Kolivan shut the engines off as the hangar lights came on and stood, grabbing Keith's dagger and sliding it into his belt beside his own sword.

Lotor stood and asked, "Wait, what am I to do?"

Kolivan glared over his shoulder. "Either come with me, or stay here and don't touch anything." Lotor gasped, then stumbled toward the door in his rush. Kolivan caught Lotor's arm when he tripped in his haste and shook his head. "And you want me to put you through the trials?"

"I'm not helpless. You can't treat me like a kit forever, Kolivan."

Kolivan chuckled and smirked down at the prince. "On the contrary, boy, you just don't realize it yet. Like Keith, Allura, Lance, Katie, Hunk, and Matt, you will forever be a kit in my eyes. Why do you think I have tolerated your behavior the past thirty six vargas?"

Lotor tilted his head and stood straighter. Then the door opened and Kolivan strode from the hangar with the prince trailing behind. A familiar man was waiting in the hall. Kolivan called, "Alphonse, we have a guest."

Alphonse raised an eyebrow in Lotor's direction. Kolivan barely shook his head. "I will explain in private."

"And what will he do in the mean time?"

Kolivan shrugged. Alphonse looked at the ceiling in a silent plea for help. Then the rest of the paladins came around the corner. Kolivan felt Lotor tense up behind him and grabbed the prince's arm before he could retreat. Lotor tried to yank free, but Kolivan hissed, "You brought this upon yourself. Deal with the consequences."

Lotor gave up resisting, but he shifted until he was more hidden behind Kolivan. Allura noticed the galran prince first and asked in surprise, "Lotor, what are you doing here?"

Kolivan saw the green paladin grimace warily and slide closer to the yellow and blue paladins. He pulled Lotor out from behind him and explained, "He followed me when I explicitly told him there was no part for him in this mission."

Lance frowned and folded his arms. "I don't suppose we can just shove him in a closet somewhere until you leave?"

"Excuse me, I am-"

"A misbehaving child," Kolivan finished. Lotor glared at him, but remained silent. Kolivan lifted his chin and said, "Lance, chaperone Prince Lotor while I brief your team on our new intel."

"What?" Lance practically shrieked at the same time Lotor protested, "You cannot be serious?!"

Kolivan worked his jaw, but Alphonse said before he could, "I think that would be best, Lance. Why don't you take him to the training deck?"

Lance raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "You want me to give him a weapon?"

Alphonse shifted and Kolivan felt a small weight leave his belt. He protested, "Alphonse!"

Alphonse twirled Keith's blade in his hand and flipped it to Lance. Lance caught it on reflex and frowned at the altean prince. His eyes were dark and brooding when he fixed his gaze on Lotor and said, "If you'll follow me, your highness."

Lotor glared between Alphonse and Kolivan before yanking his arm free. Kolivan watched him stomp after Lance with a shake of his head. "That boy has much growing to do. If only Keith were here. He could make Lotor see reason."

Alphonse added, "He has been slipping ever since he seceded as emperor."

"Yet Keith has only grown since that time." Kolivan lifted his chin in pride. "Our son has accepted a new responsibility, Alphonse. We have a grandchild."

Alphonse looked up with wide eyes. "I beg your pardon?"

Kolivan chuckled and started walking with the others following. "On Iiterai, he rescued a galra kit and adopted her as his own. She is very special to him."

Allura asked, "How is he raising her? I thought-"

Kolivan shook his head. "Lance spoke to her. She was woken during our meeting, otherwise we never would have known."

Alphonse's expression was one of open wonder. "She is beautiful. Kolivan, did he say her name?"

"Rhea, adopted princess of the Lord of Lethua."

Pidge asked defensively, "Did Lotor see her?"

Kolivan shook his head. "No. I noticed Lotor following my ship and incarcerated him in my cargo hold for the duration of our meeting. He knows nothing."

She sighed in relief, then jolted and smiled hopefully. "Did Keith agree to the thing?"

Kolivan grinned. It was the only answer she needed before throwing her arms around her fiance's neck and kissing him. Hunk laughed and hugged her tight. He asked, "Was there any bad news?"

Kolivan went into the room and ushered them after him before shutting the door. "That is why I came here as soon as I could."

Lance frowned at the prince who glared back at him from across the training room. "If you want this blade, you're going to have to take it from me."

Lotor gave a crooked cocksure smirk. "Is that a challenge? You know I have bested many with much greater fighting experience than yourself."

Lance summoned the black bayard in broadsword form and duel wielded the knife in his other hand. Readying his stance, he didn't reply. Lotor rolled his shoulders and neck before advancing almost casually. When he was ten feet away, he sprinted and kicked. Lance dodged and countered with the bayard. Lotor blocked with his bracer, but Lance slashed with the dagger, then backhanded it the other direction.

Lotor ducked and tried to throw Lance's balance with a shoulder. Lance rolled over the top of Lotor and swung around with a double kick. It landed on Lotor's hip and chest, sending the prince flying backwards. He fell and slid on one knee. Grimacing, he stood and gave Lance an appraising once over.

Lance reset his footing, giving nothing away. Lotor exhaled and angled himself for a stronger defense. Good. Lance was ready for a test. He started sprinting across the floor. When he was close, he went in for a flying scissor kick, but when his bayard was out of view, he changed it and fired two shots from his pistol.

Lotor was too slow to realize what had happened. The first shot hit his chest plate before he dodged the second. Lance let his bayard go dormant and summoned the shield as Lotor punched. Catching his fist in the groove, he shoved down and slashed with the dagger.

Lotor was beaten, forced to one knee with his arm extended painfully. Lance removed the knife from the back of Lotor's neck and commented, "You've gotten sloppy, your majesty."

Lotor tensed, and Lance was caught off guard when Lotor pushed forward on his knees and flipped Lance over him. Lance rolled and came to his feet, but he realized what Lotor had done. Keith's blade was grasped in Lotor's left hand. Lance raised an eyebrow. "Are you happy now?"

Lotor was panting, obviously in pain and bruised from Lance's attacks. "Why did Alphonse want you to do this? Is it to mock me?"

Lance crossed his arms in boredom. "How should I know."

Lotor glared at the dagger in his shaking fist and snarled. "Why won't this thing listen to me? I've tried everything, and yet it refuses to give up its secrets. If I could awaken the sword, maybe..."

Lance dropped his chin in bewilderment as Lotor fell apart before his eyes. He flinched when Lotor dropped to his knees and braced his arms on the floor. Silent tears landed before him. Lance approached cautiously and whispered, "Hey, Lotor, it's going to be alright."

"What would you know?! You- you charlaton!"

Lance stopped and asked in disbelief, "Excuse me?"

"You paladins are frauds. Defenders of the universe?! You haven't done anything since your own forsook your vows. Do not speak to me as though you know what I've gone through for the sake of that- that deceiver!"

Lance felt a pit of anger settle in his gut. "What you've gone through?" If Lotor knew what Keith had gone through for his sake, he would kill himself and Lance would let him. "You are such a coward. You want to know why the blade refuses you? It's so simple, I'm not surprised you'd completely overlook it!"

"How dare you mock me." Lotor snarled.

Lance stalked closer, his eyes set on his prey. Grabbing Lotor's chest plate, he lifted the prince and pinned him to the wall. "I will do so much more than that, your majesty," Lance spat. "The blade knows you are not ready. How could you be? The blade accepts those who accept themselves, and you've blinded yourself so thoroughly, you think your hate is genuine."

Lotor pushed off the wall, but Lance shoved him back and held him there with all his strength. "You can't see the truth. What you believe is hatred is your own guilt. What you think is grief is misplaced blame. He loved her, Lotor! He never wanted a war or for his people to suffer! How have you been so stupid all these years that you can't see you still love him!?"

Lotor shouted and shoved Lance off. They glared at each other, both waiting for the other to back down. Lotor was the first to blink. Lance watched him walk toward the door with the knife in hand. Then he raised his bayard and fired. Lotor groaned and fell to the ground unconscious. Lance relaxed and took a deep breath before moaning when he realized the nearest closet was halfway to the communications center.