Chapter 3:

“Aunt Mari! It is you!” Mari watched as Lotor arrived. She reached out
her arms to embrace her nephew.
“Oh child, I didn’t know whether you would even remember your dear old
aunt. You were only three years old.”
“Of course I remember you,” he assured her, “You came to visit my mother.
You had the..the...it looked like a guitar or something?”
“A mandolin.”
“And Mother had a recorder.” Lotor smiled at the memory. “I remember.
You played so beautifully. Your fingers looked like they were dancing.”
“I still play, child. I’ll start teaching you when we get home, if you
wish.”
“Home,” Lotor said. “I have a home?”
“Of course you have a home, child. And there you will be accepted, not
feared and hated. That is, if you want to go.”
“I’d like that,” he replied.
“Shall we be off, then?” Mari stretched out her arms, bright blue with elf
power. There, in front of her appeared the portal leading to the forest
sanctuary. Mari summoned her nephew to follow her as she stepped towards
the gateway. But, something made Lotor pause. He wanted to follow, but
someone was calling his name.
“Lotor, wait! Stop! Where are you going?” Mari turned towards the fast
approaching figure.
“Allura!” Lotor exclaimed in joy. She had followed him!
Mari eyed the princess suspiciously. “Who are you, girl?” she asked.
“A friend,” she gasped, out of breath from running, “Lotor, where are you
going?”
“He’s going with me to an elven sanctuary,” Mari explained, “Away from Doom
and Arus and the entire wretched Denubian Galaxy.“
“I’m going home,” Lotor told her.
“Home? But, your home is here,” Allura told him. She turned to Mari:
“And what right have you to take him away?”
“He does not belong here, girl,” Mari snapped, “He belongs with his own
kind.”
“But, his home world is here! His father is here!” Allura couldn’t
believe she was defending Zarkon, but she had to keep Lotor from leaving
with this stranger.
“But, his father’s part is fading fast. I doubt you could even consider
that ‘mackerel’ his father anymore,” Mari remarked.
Recognition finally set in. “You caused it, didn’t you?” Allura asked,
“You made Lotor change! Lose his Drule side!”
“Indeed. And you’ll never be bothered with the Prince of Doom again. Come
along, Lotor.”
Both elves began towards the portal again. Seeing that she was getting
nowhere with the woman, Allura tried appealing to Lotor. “Lotor, please,
stay here,” she pleaded.
“But why should I stay?” he questioned, turning around.
“This is your home!”
“But, no one wants me here.”
“You just need some time to adjust.”
Lotor shook his head. “I don’t belong,” he said. “Nobody even cares about
me.”
“Well...” Allura saw him walking again. She was about to lose him
forever! Finally, she decided to acknowledge the truth. “I care!” she
yelled.
Lotor stopped and looked at her in disbelief. “You do?”
“Yes!”
He approached her. “But, they all say you hate me.”
“Do you believe them or me?” Allura asked him. Lotor shrugged. “What
about the rescue?” she pressed, “What about a few hours ago? Why else would
I come looking for you? I don’t hate you, and I do care for you.” She
clutched his arm. “Now, please, stay. For me?”
Lotor looked at her hands on his arm, then at her face. Allura! The
decision that was so clear to him at first became cloudy. What was he to
think? For her? What was he to do? “Allura, I don’t know.”
“What about my feelings? My memories? You can read them, can’t you?”
Oh no, thought Lotor. Don’t ask ask me that! “I...but, those deeper
feelings...memories...it’s...”
“Read them!” she insisted.
“It’s so painful.” But, a voice started nagging him and tried to push his
doubts aside. What if it was true?
“READ THEM!!”
Lotor swallowed his fear and looked into Allura’s eyes, allowing his mind
to touch hers. He felt the same foreign memories Allura had of him, those
that scared him. His face cringed in anguish as they flooded his mind. The
hate. The terror. But, he held on and kept looking. Hoping.
Then, the fear dissipated. There they were. Newer, growing thoughts. And
the memories: the message telling that he was alive. Her dreams of him.
The pleasure of that brief kiss. Warm feelings. Of caring. Of need. And,
as he searched the deepest recesses, a glimmering spark of...love. “I
missed you,” he whispered, savoring her memories. It was true.
“Child?” Mari finally spoke up, “Lotor?” Lotor turned towards his aunt.
“The portal’s closing. Are you coming?”
“Lotor?” Allura said.
Lotor thought for a second. “I guess not,” he told his aunt. Allura sighed
in relief.
Mari eyed her nephew, then smiled. “You need more time, don’t you? Of
course you do. It’s not easy to leave is it?” Mari walked into the portal.
“I’ll be back again soon,” she called as the portal closed, “Maybe by
then, you’ll be ready to go.” Then, she was gone.
Lotor looked at the empty dark woods, his sight still imprinted with the
bright portal light. Finally, it faded, and he could see the trees as they
swayed in the soft night breeze. Why didn’t he go? But he couldn’t.
He...he breathed deeply to calm his mind. “Allura,” he whispered.
“Yes?”
“They all...say that...that I’ve cast some spell or...something on you.
That I have seduced you somehow.” He paused shaking his head. Then, he
laughed very softly. “Why then does it feel the other way around?” He
looked at her deep blue eyes, oh so
beautiful. He could be lost forever in those eyes and not even care.
“Princess?” The voice of Coran interrupted the stillness of the night.
Allura just looked at Lotor, unable to move. “Your Highness?” She finally
broke away from his gaze and pulled out the communicator.
“Yes, Coran?”
“Have you found Prince Lotor?”
“Yes, he’s here. He’s outside.”
“Well, you can put his mind at ease about the earlier ordeal,” Coran
explained, “Nanny and I have had a long talk about it.”
Allura smiled at Lotor, who had a look of relief on his face. “Thank you,
Coran,” she said. “We’ll be back in.” She turned off the communicator.
“Are you sure you...want to...”
“What, Lotor?”
“...to go inside? Right now? I mean it’s...a nice night and...” Lotor
was again fumbling for the words. He felt like such an idiot. How could he
put it that he liked being alone with her?
Allura felt herself blush. “I...don’t think so. I mean...we really should
go back now. I...” I think I’ve been around him too long, she thought to
herself. Not only is he looking better, I’m beginning to sound like him,
too.
Lotor tried his best to keep from snickering. He didn’t mean to hear her
thoughts. “What are you laughing at?” she asked. “You HEARD!”
“I’m sorry,” he apologized, “I didn’t mean...”
“Oh great!” She couldn’t help but laugh. “What am I going to do with you,
Lotor?”
He shrugged. “Uh, ki...uh...” In light of the recent problems, Lotor
decided not to push it. “I guess walk with me back,” he said, slightly
embarrassed. He started to move towards the castle, only to feel warm hands
turn his face to the side, then the sweet taste of Allura’s lips on his.
His heart nearly leaped into his throat as she kissed him long and deep.
“Princess?” came Coran’s voice again.
Allura finally broke the kiss, a smile on her face. “We’re on our way,
Coran,” she replied, leaving Lotor barely able to stand up.

-Kat