Lotor woke before Keith the next morning. The sun was just starting to appear on the distant horizon. Keith shifted against him, rubbing his face into Lotor's chest. There were scratches on both of them, but Keith had more bruises. They had lost control again. Lotor squeezed his pretty boy more securely in his arms and placed a light kiss on Keith's bare shoulder. Keith inhaled and stretched before slowly opening his eyes. Keith smiled soft and warm and his lips barely moved as he murmured, "Hi."

Lotor ran his fingers through Keith's hair with a loving smile. "Good morning, dearest."

Keith stretched again and sat up yawning. Scratching his head, he squinted. "Morning already?"

Lotor sat up behind Keith. Covering a yawn of his own, Lotor replied, "I wonder how long we actually slept." Keith raised an eyebrow at him and leaned against his chest. He wrapped Lotor's arms around himself. Lotor twined their fingers together and lifted Keith's hand to his mouth. He kissed the back of Keith's hand and whispered, "What we did... last night... Keith, I- I'm sorry if I hurt you. However, I think... perhaps..."

Keith remained quiet as Lotor fell to silence for a moment. Birdsong greeted the rising sun. Then, "Acxa is pregnant with my child, Lotor. In less than four pheobs, I will father another girl or boy. I'm sorry, but we can't repeat what we did. As much as I wish we could, I will not hurt her like that. I've already done so much."

Lotor's breath stalled. Acxa, his beautiful sister, had taken so much from him. And yet he knew there was nothing he would ever do to even that gap. She'd suffered enough. Lotor put his face against the crook of Keith's neck and asked, "Will you tell her about this?"

Keith huffed a laugh. "I doubt I even have to. She has an uncanny way of reading my emotions." Keith held Lotor's hands to his chest and whispered, "But are you really determined to join our fight, my heart? Out there, I won't be able to protect you. Haggar will abuse you and Sendak will use you to his every advantage. To my colonies, you are the worst villain and a face to an empire that abandoned them. So I ask again, do you truly intend to do this?"

Lotor placed a final kiss on Keith's shoulder and answered, "To be at your side is all I've wanted since our fated meeting at the Kral Zera."

"Then let it be so," Keith whispered to the dawn with the weight of a thousand suns. Lotor felt a shift in himself which transferred to Keith. They were locked in this together now. Whatever the end. Keith murmured, "I saw you at the window yesterday."

Lotor chewed his lip in consideration before asking, "Those candles... what do they symbolize?"

Keith sighed and crossed his ankles. "Solidarity. Unity. The end of two lives as they become one."

Lotor contemplated that in silence. The deja vu of Faive he'd felt wasn't so alarming now. He muttered under his breath, "I must apologize to them."

"Hm?"

Lotor was loathe to end this moment. This brief time where everything seemed right for once. But end it must. Lotor stood and retrieved his pants. Tossing his shirt to Keith, he said, "I have to tend to a few matters before we leave. I'll see you at the briefing, Keith. Until then." He resisted the urge to kiss his lover's hand a final time, but burned the image of Keith wearing only his too large shirt sitting amid a bed of flowers aglow with the morning sun into his memory.

With his head held high, he set off to correct one of his many mistakes that was still within his power. He stopped in his own room for a fresh change of clothes before knocking on the rebel leader's bedroom door. The low conversation within fell silent and Lotor stepped back as the handle twisted. The yellow paladin filled the door frame. His eyes widened slightly before he composed a blank expression. "Lotor, what a surprise. Uh, can I help you with something?"

Lotor tipped his head. "I was actually hoping to speak with your wife and her brother."

Hunk looked over his shoulder. "Um, I don't think..."

"Please. I'll only be a minute of your time," Lotor insisted.

Hunk glowered at him before stepping aside permitting, "One minute."

Lotor nodded in thanks and entered. Inside, the green paladin sat with her sister-in-law while the rebel leader leaned on the edge of the vanity. He glared and unfolded his arms. Lotor took a deep breath and knelt before his courage failed. Bowing his head, he caught the barest glimpse of confusion cross their faces.

He cleared his throat and said, "I know I have no right to come before you given my past actions. What I did all those pheobs ago... the blame... and... and anger I directed upon you both. You, rebel leader, and you, paladin of the green lion, those I should have loved as my beloved does... I know now that my rage was misplaced." Lotor paused and said evenly, "However I do not seek justification and only ask forgiveness. For what wrongs I have committed, I am truly sorry."

He wasn't sure what he expected, but silence was not it. Slowly, he came to his feet and a heavy weight settled in his chest. Unable to meet anyone's gaze, he turned to the door and said, "That was all I wished to say. Thank you for allowing me to do so."

"Lotor, wait."

Lotor paused just before the threshold. Steeling himself for the worst, he looked back to see the elder Holt's wife standing. She looked between Lotor and her husband and tipped her head insistantly. Matt sighed and folded his arms again. Chewing his lip in frustration, he began, "Look. We appreciate you coming in person to apologize, but we've been through a lot. Katie was still recovering from what happened when you verbally and emotionally assaulted her. I stepped in and you simply changed target. We were all hurting.

"But," Matt looked at his sister, "we knew what we were doing by not telling you Keith's agenda. Thank you for apologizing and in time, I know we will be able to fully forgive you in our hearts. And now that you're in bed with us in all of this, I want to ask you to forgive me for insisting that we keep you in the dark. Despite our best intentions, we hurt you when we only wanted to protect you and the empire and that was wrong."

The weight in his chest shifted slightly and Lotor took a relieved breath. "Thank you, Matt. I too know how the best of intentions can quickly become cruel." Holding a hand to his heart, Lotor said, "I forgive you, Matt. I think I forgave you all when I realized what a fool I've been. Do not feel burdened with guilt on my behalf. Paladins, rebels, I take my leave."

When he stepped into the hall, Lotor breathed as though he'd been struggling underwater. How long he'd suffered such guilt and he hadn't even realized. With strong, even strides, he returned to his room to retrieve what few possessions he was allowed to take. A presence caught him off guard and he gasped, turning in surprise to see Alphonse leaning into the door frame.

His uncle apologized, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

Lotor tucked Keith's knife into his belt and asked, "Is it time?" Alphonse straightened and nodded. Lotor frowned and pulled at his the cuff of his sleeve. "May I have a moment longer?"

Alphonse blinked permission and stepped aside to let Lotor pass. Lotor held his emotions in tenuous check and walked to his late aunt's bedroom. Alphonse followed a few steps behind, a silent sentinel. Lotor didn't hesitate when he opened the door. Talias's familiar scent was dull and musty, but unmistakable. Lotor closed his eyes and inhaled slowly before sitting on the lounge at the foot of the bed.

This was the only place he'd avoided during his meaningless wandering the day before. So many memories had been made in this room. His eyes stung and he covered his face with a hand. Then the cushion sank beside him and a strong arm held his shoulders. "No one is forcing you to do this, son."

Lotor's lip twitched in a bitter smile and he answered, "That is not what she would tell me, uncle." Lotor took a minute to gather his emotions and said, "I fought and lost everything when Keith was taken from me five deca-pheobs ago. I will not lose him a second time. For the sake of my empire and the honor of my lineage, I cannot fail."

His gaze lifted to meet Alphonse's eyes to see the altean prince look away. "Lotor, I'm sorry for what I did to you. No one deserved to be isolated the way I treated you after the armistice. I did not understand your own reasons behind your actions. I'm so sorry." Alphonse pulled Lotor to his chest. "Promise you'll take care of each other out there. I know only too well what that witch is capable of."

Lotor's reply was muffled by Alphonse's shoulder when he answered, "I will do everything in my power to keep them safe."

Then Alphonse kissed his forehead and said with an encouraging smile, "The others are probably wondering where we are."

"Right," Lotor sighed. He stood and took in the room a final time. He was going to miss this place. "I'm ready." Alphonse rested a heavy hand on his shoulder and led from Talias's sleeping chambers to the innermost study of the master suite.

Only Keith, Kolivan, and two of the paladins were present. Alphonse went ahead to the others. When she saw him, the green paladin reached into her pocket and said, "Lotor, take a seat." The others barely acknowledged him before resuming their conversation. Keith had his back to Lotor when he sat where the green paladin motioned. Keith stood with one hip cocked, leaning on the table with one hand while the other rested on his waist. It was how he commanded the space. And command it he did. Lotor sighed with a soft smile as Keith directed the conversation, pointing to miniatures on a large holographic map spanning the table.

"I'm going to do it now."

"Ow!" Lotor flinched and pulled his arm away as he looked to the green paladin. He glared at his arm where a red prick formed a single drop of blood. He raised an angry eyebrow at the paladin as she injected the blood sample she'd taken into a second vial and swirled it around. Drawing the contents of the second vial back into the first syringe, she looked at him expectantly. He asked, "What are you doing?"

"Coding," she answered. "This is your tracker. It will tell us where you are in the entire universe and monitor your vitals. My brother and I developed them for all the blades and rebels we've hidden behind enemy lines. It's completely untraceable and mimics your natural blood cells now that I've matched it to your personal DNA." She lowered the syringe toward his arm, her hand hovering. "I need to inject it into your bloodstream now."

Lotor forced himself to relax and looked away as the needle entered his vein. Pidge finished her work and stuck an adhesive bandage where the needle had been inserted. Lotor rolled his sleeve back down and asked, "Will it take time to activate?"

Pidge shook her head. Holding up a small device, she explained, "I've got it all here."

Lotor looked closer. Above his name was Acxa's and the girl... Rhea. So the paladins had taken precautions for them despite Keith's proclamation to protect them. They weren't taking any chances. Lotor followed Pidge to the table and stood between Kolivan and the black paladin.

Lance folded his arms and glared down at the table. "And there's nothing new? Keith, you're sure Sendak is holding position."

Keith exhaled slowly and worked his jaw as he considered. "I'm almost certain. When I alerted my colonies and the Flame of Purification to what happened at the armistice, Sendak was the first to support my call to retreat. Not that there was any other option. Haggar wasn't in her right mind to make the decision. As long as they actually went to my colony, the situation should not have escalated."

Kolivan nodded. "The empire has not sent any alerts about enemy ships encroaching on their territory. I agree with Keith's assessment."

Keith nodded in thanks and chewed his cheek. Looking at the black paladin, he said, "If I learn anything about Shiro, you'll be the first to know, Lance."

Lance's expression softened as something warm and sad made him reach out. "Hey, we'll find him, Keith. We're going to get him back."

Keith lifted his chin. "I know. Lotor, last chance to back out."

Lotor tilted his head with a challenging smirk. "You're not getting rid of me."

Kolivan pushed off the table. "Then you'd best be on your way before I change my mind about all of this and prevent you from leaving."

Keith rolled his eyes and turned into Kolivan for a hug. "Take care of mom for me. She's going to freak when she finds out he's with me."

Kolivan kissed Keith's hair and whispered, "I shall, though I only wish you were there to ease her fears. Finish this... and come home, son. We all love you so much more than can be expressed."

"I love you too, father."

Alphonse made a noise in the back of his throat and came closer. Holding Keith between them, he shut his eyes and slowly exhaled. "Keith, my boy, be safe."

Lance cleared his throat and they slowly separated. Kolivan turned to Lotor and gave him a one armed hug, his hand rising to hold the back of his head. "We'll know where you are at all times... and I will not hesitate to come get either of you if I feel you're lives are at risk." Then he stepped back and left the study.

Alphonse cursed under his breath and went to follow him, pausing in the doorway to glance back at them. There was fear in his eyes. The kind only a father could show when he was afraid this was the last time he'd see his child. Then he was gone and Lotor knew this wasn't the first time he'd gone through this. Kolivan and Alphonse had to relive this exact moment every time Keith returned to that witch. Every. Single. Time.

Keith hugged Pidge and Lance at the same time. "I'll be in touch."

Lotor looked away. He didn't deserve to witness this. He had done nothing but cause them all pain and suffering through his stupid ignorance. Then a hand touched his arm. "Lotor?"

Lotor glanced back at Keith. "Is it time?" Keith's eyes darted back and forth, searching Lotor's eyes for something only he could find, and nodded. Lotor rolled his shoulders and straightened. "I follow your lead."

Keith barely nodded, firming up his resolve. Then they left the study. He explained as they walked, "Acxa is prepping the Retribution. Once we're airborne, we'll be making one stop before rendezvousing with my fleet."

"What have you told your daughter?" Lotor asked.

Keith answered, "She believes an old friend is staying with us for a while. I doubt Haggar will keep you completely isolated even as a prisoner and I didn't want to alarm Rhea. Plus, anything she may say to cast doubt on my loyalty would come across as youthful confusion."

The hangar door of the Retribution opened and they walked on board. Lotor stalled and had to catch his breath. The flagship of his armada. A gift he'd had commissioned for Keith so many deca-pheobs ago. So much time had passed. He pushed through his emotions and followed Keith to the bridge.

"Daddy!"

Keith laughed and caught his daughter beneath the arms when she ran to him. Picking her up, he tossed her, catching her and squeezing her in a hug. Squishing her cheek to his, he asked, "Is everything set?"

"Affirmative. The intel you asked for arrived this morning." Acxa stood from the captain's chair. "The ship is your's, captain."

Lotor glanced around before finding an empty seat. Making his way to the pilot's seat, he watched as Keith settled in the captain's chair with Rhea in his lap and Acxa went to the navigation charts. Their destination came on screen and Keith fired up the engines. Hitting the PA switch, he announced, "All crew prepare for take off in twenty ticks." Lotor felt the ship hum in response to Keith and the pull of the Retribution pushed him into his seat. The monitors flashed and Keith thumbed the throttles, drumming his fingers before gunning the ship through the upper atmosphere. When they cleared Lethua, Keith said, "Preparing teleduv."

Lotor saw the crew share a look as Keith stood with his hands on two pedestals beside the captain's chair. Rhea clung to her father's clothes, her small talons digging into his druid's tunic. A wormhole lit with blue light ahead of them and the Retribution entered. Keith said, "Perov, will you show Lotor to his quarters?"

A woman saluted Keith and gestured from the bridge. "If you'll follow me, your majesty."

Lotor raised an eyebrow toward Keith, but followed the galra. "So which are you, blade or rebel?"

The woman shot him a disapproving glance. "The crew of the Retribution is exclusively blades, though you should not speak so freely of such matters." Her body posture stiffened, deterring further conversation and Lotor didn't ask anything more. When they came to a door, she opened it and said, "You are free to walk the ship, but this room is your's to use for the duration of the flight. Change into the clothes provided and try not to get in the way." She turned to leave, but paused and glanced over her shoulder. "And Lotor... treat everyone you will meet as your enemy and you are more likely to survive half as long as my prince. Even those of us aligned to Keith shall show you no mercy to protect him, his family, and his mission."

"The Hounds of Daibazaal have always protected the royal bloodline. I would expect nothing less." Lotor entered the room and shut the door. He'd expected hostility when they reached Keith's colony, but not from outright. A glance around the room revealed a standard officer's quarters. A small bed lined one wall opposite a closet built into the wall. Sitting and opening the cupboard, he saw simple trousers and a plain dark gray tunic similar in style to Keith's.

Sighing, he undressed and pulled on the garb as requested. He was tying boots that rose to mid-calf when he felt the ship slow. Bracing on the wall, he stumbled his way back to the bridge. Acxa rolled her shoulders and folded her arms when she saw him. Lotor went to the far side of the bridge and stood with tongue in cheek. The ship descended through clouds to a lush planet. A dobosche later, the ship was landed and Keith settled Rhea in his chair.

Keith knelt and hugged his daughter, kissing her forehead, before standing. With a silent look to Acxa, they left the bridge together. Perov glared at Lotor and went to Rhea. "Come along, child. Let's go play in your room." Rhea hopped off of the chair and grabbed Perov's hand.

Lotor folded his arms and went to the window. The ship had landed in an open field at the edge of a small village. A building slightly larger than the ones beyond had the word 'Clinic' printed in three languages above the door. Keith and Acxa appeared from beneath the ship walking toward the building. The door opened and a galra man wearing worn surgeon's apparel stepped out. A galra woman held the side of the door frame, but the man gestured her to stay inside. She turned and crouched as an adolescent boy appeared beside her.

The man walked out to meet Keith, stopping a short distance away. It was hard to tell what was happening, but Keith kept his hands at his sides. Then the man lifted a hand to his mouth and took a step back. His knees buckled and he wobbled where he stood shaking his head. Keith took a step toward the man. The man exhaled and started to fall. In less than a heartbeat, Keith vanished and appeared in front of the man, catching him as he fainted. The woman ran from the clinic and Acxa jogged to them. After checking the man's pulse, Keith lifted the unconscious man in his arms and carried him into the clinic. The door shut behind them, hiding any further interaction.

Lotor frowned. A man said beside him, "You are confused." Lotor glanced sidelong at the officer. Perov's warning kept him silent. The officer pointed toward the clinic with their chin. "Keith owes the people here a great debt. The man is a doctor, the third generation to practice as a physician. His parents came to this planet seven deca-pheobs past and opened a clinic providing relief to a desperate civilization. They were beseiged after Blood Empress Krolia took the throne. The doctor's father was murdered during the attack. Keith came to their rescue when they thought all was lost. The doctor's mother joined Sendak's forces to seek justice and offer her services to the ones who saved them."

"And we are here because..."

The officer turned to look Lotor in the eye and repeated, "His mother was a doctor aboard Sendak's lead vessel. It was she who tended to Rhea's injuries when Keith spirited her from Iiterai. She doted on Rhea as she would her own grandchild and, as any mother would, she gave her life to save Rhea's when you attacked at the armistice."

Lotor's eyes widened and he covered his mouth with a hand. Looking back to the clinic, he remembered the memorial Keith had been meditating before on Lethua. "By the sacred flame," he cursed under his breath.

The officer followed Lotor's gaze and said, "Keith found Rhea cowering in the deceased doctor's arms hiding beneath an examination table. They barely escaped and would have died had the Black Lion of Voltron not rescued its paladin."

Lotor shut his eyes and rubbed his temples. Taking a step back, he stumbled into a chair. He fell, barely catching himself in time to sit. "What have I done?"

A hand on his shoulder made him look into the sympathetic eyes of the officer. He went back to his station and counseled, "The doctor knew the risks when she joined Sendak's cause. Her death and so many others was a tragic loss, but in the end, war was the cause. Keith internalizes so much pain and suffering despite our wishes and pleas. Do not make his mistakes. Save your empathy for those you can still help."

Lotor sat up straighter. "Keith's loving heart is not his weakness." The officer sighed and their shoulders fell in a way that said they disagreed. Yet they supported Keith despite their misgivings. Lotor stood and folded his arms. "I'll be in my quarters." The officer didn't reply as he left the bridge.

When he shut his bedroom door, the latch didn't catch and it swung partway open. Groaning, he fell into bed and ran his hands over his face. Every tick passed with agony as guilt churned his gut to rot. He couldn't get the doctor's face when Keith conveyed the tragic news out of his mind no matter how hard he tried. When he shut his eyes, he saw the memorial from the garden, only there were hundreds more beyond and they were all covered in one word repeated. Murderer.

Lotor jolted awake with a gasp. His heart felt like it was trying to leave his chest when he wiped a hand down his face. When had he fallen asleep? A noise in the door made him glance over. Rhea peeked through the gap from around the frame. Lotor tipped his head with a bored expression in the hopes she'd leave. Instead, she yawned, scrunching up her blanket with the frayed edge in her fists. Her ears drooped as she rubbed her eyes and wandered into the room.

She shambled, nearly tripping twice before reaching the bed. With half lidded eyes, she silently reached up with both arms. Lotor felt his eyebrow rise as he realized what she wanted. Rolling onto his side, he reached down and she jumped to grab his forearm with both hands. A smile crossed Lotor's lips as he lifted/dragged her up onto the bed beside him. She seemed pleased with herself and scooted until she put her hands on his chest and pushed.

Lotor fell onto his back with his hands behind his head and watched as the girl crawled on top of him. She pulled her blanket around her shoulders and curled up with a sigh. Before Lotor could protest, her breathing deepened and settled into the rhythm of sleep. He looked from the child sleeping on his chest to the ceiling and sighed.

Would she be so trusting if she knew what he'd done? He closed his eyes and moved his hand to her back. Gently rubbing, he tried to get comfortable. No doubt he wouldn't be moving until she woke up.

This chapter took way too long. Sorry for the wait!